The Official Restaurant and Bar of Southeastern Athletics has changed its name from Your Mom's Resaurant & Bar to Our Mom's Restaurant & Bar in hopes of better showcasing the inclusive atmosphere of the business. Annie Goodman/The Lion's Roar

Your Mom’s Restaurant & Bar opened in downtown Hammond in 2010 where it swiftly grew in the community becoming the Official Restaurant and Bar of Southeastern Athletics and opening a second location in Baton Rouge. The owners have recently opted to change the name and Hammond location in hopes of better reflecting its inclusive atmosphere.

Now called Our Mom’s Restaurant & Bar, it has moved to 205 E. Thomas St.

“We’ve expanded into multiple locations in two amazing college cities and have seen the restaurant and bar become a regular hangout for a lot of people,” said Co-Owner Trent Fresina. “So, as we’ve grown, we’ve also known that we wanted to reflect this feeling of inclusivity, of being a big, extended family that runs from Hammond to Baton Rouge in any way we could.”

Fresina explained that restaurants are constantly changing in small ways to stay relevant in the culinary world.

“At Our Mom’s, one of the things that is consistently evolving is our menu,” said Fresina. “We really try to find a balance between keeping the staples that have become customer favorites while also creating new and innovative food or beverage options for them to fall in love with.”

Another change the restaurant has made over the years is in the alcoholic options offered.

“In our early days, it was all standard, college bar options,” said Co-Owner J.P. Ngo. “We still have those same options, but now we are also creating handcrafted, specialty cocktails and making a lot of our own ingredients.”

The owners strive to model the restaurant around the golden rule, treating others how they themselves would like to be treated, by creating an atmosphere they would like to experience. 

“In our minds, it’s a wide range of menu options that are delicious, freshly made and affordable,” said Ngo. “It’s strong customer service and a great atmosphere. So, that’s where we focus our energy.”

The owners are grateful to their loyal customers who have supported the restaurant through each of its changes.

“With each move, we have been able to keep serving those same customers while expanding our capacity and appealing to new patrons as well,” said Fresina. “Since opening our newest location, we’ve seen business grow exponentially. The support has been incredible, and we are very appreciative to our community.”

The owners feel that it is the comfortable atmosphere reminiscent of a mother’s kitchen, that is the restaurant’s core, that allows customers to easily accept these changes.

“Members of the community, who we’ve heard from, are telling us that they love the new atmosphere,” said Ngo. “They like the new building, the additional seating and the second-floor outdoor space. Going back to the selling points of Our Mom’s, as long as we continue to provide those, changes like location seem to be generally well-received.”

The expansion allows the restaurant to accommodate more customers, which aligns with the owners’ hopes of reaching a wider audience while increasing customer satisfaction.

“The new location and bigger space gives us the opportunity to serve more patrons than ever before while also giving them the perfect environment to dine and socialize,” said Ngo. “It’s always a great thing when you can give members of the community a place to gather, and with our expanded capacity, we are able to accept larger parties and give customers a new venue where they can come together and celebrate.”