This Humble restaurant owner says some nights he would lock the doors and cry alone. He had no idea what was coming next.
HUMBLE, Texas — A single Facebook post turned things around for a Humble restaurant owner who was on the brink of shutting his doors for good, bringing in so many customers that his kitchen ran out of food within days.
Sabino Hernandez, owner of Sabino’s Mexican Cocina, has poured eight years into his restaurant along FM 1960. But the road has been anything but easy. Before opening in Humble, his previous restaurant flooded twice and was ultimately destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. Then came COVID, followed by construction along FM 1960 that kept customers away.
At his lowest point, the once fully staffed family business was down to just Hernandez, his wife in the kitchen and their kids.
Hernandez said his wife’s support was the only thing keeping him going.
“Without my wife, I can’t serve everyone everywhere because I don’t feel good. I feel, like, depressed, you know.”
Sabino says some of the hardest moments came behind the scenes, as his wife, who helps run the restaurant, was diagnosed with cancer in 2024.
She underwent surgery in 2025 and still faces years of chemotherapy ahead, all while continuing to help keep the family business going.
When she was home recovering after surgery, Sabino says the weight of it all would hit him at night.
“Every night I am crying by myself. By myself. Nobody saw me, but at nighttime when I lock my doors very difficult,” Hernandez said.
Even through treatment, friends say she continued showing up often working in the kitchen despite the physical toll.
“I don’t know how she does it. I mean, cancer, chemo coming to work and the kitchen and the heat,” Paola Rivas said.
Those close to the family say her strength, and the couple’s resilience is part of what makes their story so powerful.
But he had begun to accept that this might be his final year in business after fewer and fewer customers. Then, just days ago, a Facebook post changed everything. Tables filled up the very next day, and by Sunday, the kitchen had been wiped clean.
“No more food for me to serve, you know, like no more chips, no more salsa, no more beans, no more rice, and no more pico, nothing.”
The outpouring of support caught Hernandez completely off guard. He said he had no idea the post had even gone out.
“I don’t know nothing on social media. You know, I’m an old man. So they told me and I don’t believe them. I say, no, I don’t think people is coming.”
Friends and nearby business owners also stepped in, bringing extra cooks and servers to help keep up with the rush. Friend Paola Rivas said the turnaround was striking for anyone who had seen the restaurant before.
“You would come here and there was like nobody here.”
Rivas said watching the Hernandez family push through everything inspired her.
“They inspired me, how even through everything that they were going through, they were still here and they still had hope and they were still encouraged and, you know, to keep on working.”
Through it all, Hernandez says the people are what keep him going.
“I love my work. I don’t care if I’m tired at the end of the day but I’m happy. I’m very happy for serving people, oh yeah.”
He closed with a simple message for everyone who showed up.
“Thank you for your support. These days for me is the best.”
Got a news tip or story idea? Email us at newstips@khou.com or call 713-521-4310 and include the best way to reach you.