Kerrville community helps beloved restaurant rebuild after devastating flooding

Rain has finally moved out of parts of the Hill Country, but the damage left behind from this historic flooding will take far longer to recover from. 

Businesses, homes, and major roads remain torn apart, including a longtime Kerrville restaurant that was nearly destroyed – yet may reopen sooner than expected thanks to loyal customers who showed up immediately to help.

The 20‑year‑old Mexican restaurant was hit hard when a nearby creek overflowed. 

Mud and high water swept through the building, leaving nothing untouched. The flooding was so severe that vehicles were washed into the restaurant, further compounding the destruction.

Among those helping the owner and staff clean out the mud, hose down kitchen equipment, and rebuild damaged walls were longtime customers like Shelby Yates. She and a large group from the local recovery community have eaten at the restaurant every Wednesday for years.

"A big group of us eat here every Wednesday," Yates said. "They're always so welcoming, so friendly. They have a table waiting for us every single week, and it's a group of about 30 of us."

Yates and other volunteers represent the unbreakable spirit of Kerrville residents, who are now facing a second summer in a row of disastrous flooding. 

But restoring homes and businesses is only part of the challenge. Infrastructure across the region has also suffered major damage.

Highway 39, the main road connecting Kerrville, Ingram, and Hunt, is down to one lane in several areas after floodwaters ripped apart large sections of asphalt. 

The highway between Uvalde and San Antonio has reopened, but the bridge over the Guadalupe River in Kerrville remains closed after being struck by a runaway barge. Large containers and other debris still floating in the river continue to slow efforts to help the water recede.