The Coyol Cocina & Tequila at 482 W. Sunset Ave. held its grand opening Monday, June 15. 

Owner Luis Pelayo said the restaurant serves traditional Mexican cuisine, adding that most of his recipes have been in his family for generations. This is one of three restaurants his family owns. The other two are in Montana and North Dakota. 

“The name of the restaurant comes from the Nahuatl, a native language for the Dalit from south Mexico,” Pelayo said. “Coyol means queen of the full moon.” 

Pelayo has been in the food service industry for 23 years. 

“I started washing dishes when I was 17, worked my way up to a server, a chef and then a manager,” he said. “I saved money along the way, and at the age of 40, I’m part owner of a restaurant.” 

Pelayo hails from the small town of Ayutla in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. 

“I’ve been in the United States for about 22 years. Most of my restaurant experience has been in the U.S.,” Pelayo said. “I started working in Denver, then I moved to Missoula, Mont., and was in North Dakota for eight years.” 

Pelayo then relocated to Rathdrum in 2024, where his wife grew up. 

“We were looking for a place to open a restaurant two years before we got here, and walked through the old Chili’s building in the Fred Meyer parking lot. It was a mess — was falling apart,” Pelayo said. “We worked hard — put in a lot of hours remodeling it to get it to where it is now — and it looks brand new.”  

His brothers and sister are also heavily invested in the Coyol Cocina & Tequila. 

“Fabiola is the general manager; Ramon is the chef, and Jose, who has been in the restaurant business for over 40 years, is my manager,” Pelayo said. “Tony, who has been working for my family for 15 years, is the bar manager.” 

Pelayo said the family would like to open another restaurant in Post Falls, but was emphatic that they would not franchise the business. 

“No, we will not,” he said. We're a small family trying to survive and live the American dream.” 

The Coyol Cocina & Tequila Restaurant and Bar hours of operation are Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

    The crew at Coyol Cocina & Tequila. Pictured from left are Head Chef Ramon Pelayo, Bar Manager Tony Avalos, General Manager Fabiola Pelayo, Owner Luis Pelayo, and Manager Jose Pelayo.
  

    Tacos Al Pastor with beans and rice.
  

Now the TidBits  

New and Upcoming 

• The Sierra Ranch Chili at 200 W. Hanley Ave. is now open

• The Coral Cafe is open at 1524 E. Sherman Ave. in Coeur d'Alene

• The Mad Baby Thrift and Consign is open at 5380 E. Seltice Way in Post Falls

• Vintage Antique Mall is now open at 7352 N. Government Way in Dalton Gardens. 

• People’s Waffle, 400 N. Fourth St. in Coeur d’Alene, is open 

• The Spill the Tea and Benzo Box at Greensferry Road and Seltice Way in Post Falls is open. 

• Hyatt Place, a 151-room hotel, 1213 E. Fourth Ave. in Post Falls, is now open. 

• A new Nom Nom gas station and convenience store is open at 5231 W. Riverbend Ave. in Post Falls. 

• The Habit Burger & Grill opened at 212 W. Appleway Ave. in Coeur d'Alene.

Ongoing Projects    

• Spokane-based Golden Rule Brake is nearing completion at 3627 N. Government Way, Coeur d'Alene.

• A state-of-the-art pickleball facility, The Flying Pickle, is coming to The Pointe at Post Falls at 140 N. Beck Road.   

 • Two Moms & Tots, a childcare service for kids ages 6 weeks to 5 years, is coming to 104 W. 11th Ave., Suite A, in Post Falls.  

• Dragon Fly Support Services, a mental health and substance use counseling facility, is coming to 601 E. Seltice Way in Post Falls.  

• Mor Furniture for Less, one of the West Coast’s largest furniture retailers, is opening a showroom this summer at the Prairie Shopping Center in Hayden.  

• American Universal Storage is planned for Spirit Lake along Highway 41, across from the Jiffi Stop.    

• The Ross Point Gas Station is under construction at 310 N. Ross Point Road in Post Falls.   

• Coeur Dance Arts is a new dance studio under development at 4131 Early Dawn Ave. Suite 105B, Post Falls. Classes should begin in May; check coeurdancearts.com.    

 • Jefe's Tacos and Tequila has filed for its business license. The opening date is undetermined at this time.    

 • A new commercial building is planned for the Riverstone development at 1570 W. Tilford Lane and will bring at least one new dining option to the area. The 7,500-square-foot mixed-use building's targeted finish date is this summer.    

• A five-story, 173-room Hilton Dual Brand Hotel is planned for a 2.71-acre parcel of land off Lee Court and Appleway Avenue in Coeur d'Alene. The project's start and completion dates haven't been determined.  

• The 33-unit, mixed-use "Nonna" building across from Post Falls City Hall on Spokane Street is anticipated to be completed by October of 2026.       

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Have a tip on happenings in the local business world? Contact Bob at [email protected].