It’s just past 1 a.m. on a Friday night–make that Saturday morning–and a line winds its way to the counter at Aleco’s, the popular eatery at the busy intersection of North and N. 2nd streets in Harrisburg.
Behind the counter, owner Jose Garcia moves quickly, taking orders, making cheesesteaks, dishing out pizza to the late-night diners. Sure, some customers may have been a bit too generously served at the nearby bars, but, in general, the crowd is friendly and orderly.
On weekends, Aleco’s is open an amazing 16 hours, until 2:30 a.m., and Garcia almost never leaves his post at the grill. It’s worth losing some sleep, he says, as those wee hours are usually the busiest of a very long, seven-day work week.
“Friday and Saturday nights are a busy, busy time,” said Garcia. “We keep the grill open, and people come here because we serve the full menu.”
Actually, it’s almost always busy at Aleco’s, the quintessential neighborhood spot, well-located at the seam where downtown and Midtown meet.
At lunch, workers from nearby offices crowd the tables in the always clean, mid-sized dining room. At dinner, Aleco’s draws from the nearby apartment buildings and houses. And, late at night, the after-hours patrons pour in.
Garcia, a native of Mexico, arrived in the United States in 1980, at age 16, and has been working in Harrisburg-area restaurants since, learning the cooking trade from the bottom up. Over the years, he served as chef at Casa Chica, Leeds and Carnahan’s, among others.
Aleco’s was opened two years ago by Richard Hanna, who also owns Roxy’s, the popular diner-style restaurant across from the state Capitol. Garcia went to work at Aleco’s, took a partner’s share and bought out Hanna’s remaining stake in the business earlier this year.
As owner, Garcia has retained the menu of sandwiches, cheesesteaks, pizza and salads, adding lunch specials and dinner entrees each day, such as pork chops, fish fillet and a delicious jumbo shrimp salad.
While perhaps attracted initially by the convenient location, patrons return for the food, as even ordinary-sounding fare, like a Caesar chicken wrap or a turkey sub, is a cut above what you might find elsewhere, reflecting Garcia’s years of training in the kitchen.
Digging into a steak salad one recent afternoon, Harrisburg resident Jeffrey Munoz, 25, said he first came to Aleco’s late at night after hitting some of the area’s clubs. However, he now makes the trip from Allison Hill once or twice a week specifically to see what Garcia is cooking up that day.
“The food is what draws us here,” he said. “That’s why we keep coming back.”
His fiancée, Heather Welsh, added that Garcia is part of the attraction.
“I love the atmosphere here,” she said. “The owner gets to know everyone, and the food is awesome.”
Garcia is grateful for the support of his many regulars, even while he has his own talent and hard work to credit for the customer loyalty. He hopes, one day, to parlay the success of Aleco’s into a full-service restaurant focusing on seafood, steaks and pasta, which will allow him to showcase the full range of his culinary skills.
In the meantime, he expects to continue working 12- and 16-hour days, seven days a week, to reach that point. While he has a loyal staff, he believes that it’s essential for the owner to be on-site virtually all the time.
“I need to be here so I can see the customers and have the quality of the food come out right,” he said. “Nothing is better than having the owner right there.”
Aleco’s, 620 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Phone: 717-230-9000.
