The Family Story Behind Casa de Caddie Grill
If you ever visited La Charreada in Marion in the early 2000s, you probably saw Christian Paredes as a baby — and later on, as a young kid doing his homework in the corner at Los Portales in Tipton. After growing up inside the restaurants his family owned, Paredes is now managing Casa de Caddie Grill.
A town that has long been run by family-owned businesses and restaurants, Casa de Caddie is continuing the tradition of being locally-owned and operated.
Paredes’ family first entered the restaurant business in 2001 when they opened La Charreada in Marion. They were there for eight years, with Paredes watching his family manage the restaurant as a toddler. In 2009, the family moved to Tipton and opened Los Portales in Carter’s Mall. The small space quickly gained loyal customers, including those who supported the family at their previous location.
The restaurateur says that over the years, his family has built a strong base of regulars who continue to welcome them in the Tipton community.
In 2021, the family opened El Patron in Greentown. Paredes says the first few months were slow, but the community soon embraced the restaurant. El Patron became a steady presence in the area and helped the family expand their experience running multiple restaurants.
Now, their newest venture, Casa de Caddie Grill, is open at 119 N. East St. in Tipton. Paredes says they had owned the building for several years but had not used it until recently, really thinking about what the Tipton community needed and wanted in a new restaurant. Planning and renovation of the building began in March 2025, with the overall renovation taking about eight months. The reno included tearing down ceilings, installing new flooring, repainting and refurnishing the building. The restaurant officially opened Nov. 3.
The new restaurant is managed by Paredes and his cousin, Aneesa, with oversight from his uncle Jose. The family emphasizes keeping operations close and hands-on, following the model established in their previous restaurants.
Casa de Caddie Grill’s menu includes pizzas, burgers, wings, sandwiches, steaks, ribs, pastas and a variety of appetizers. Paredes says many of the recipes are family-based and include input from friends who have helped along the way. He describes the restaurant as providing bar-style food with a variety of options, and plans to continue improving the menu over time.
The restaurant has also become a place for people to gather and watch sports.
“A lot of people consider us a sports bar,” Paredes says. “We want to give people the option to come out, enjoy themselves and watch games, especially bigger events like the Super Bowl or college playoffs.”
Community support has been important from the start. Paredes says people who knew the family from previous restaurants were already confident in what they would offer.
“If it was not for the community, I do not think we would have opened,” he says.
The family also participates in local events, sponsors school activities and supports local soccer programs. Paredes emphasizes that the restaurant is family-owned and not part of a corporation.
“Local businesses are a big thing,” he says. “You make so many friends. You get to know people on a deeper level.”
Paredes shares all of this with a quiet kind of pride. He is just 19 and a sophomore studying business management at IUK in Kokomo, while balancing classes with full-time responsibility at the restaurant. He schedules his college courses early in the day or online so he can be at Casa de Caddie Grill in the afternoons and evenings. It is a heavy load, but Paredes stresses the importance of time management to reach his academic and professional goals.
“We are just a small family-owned restaurant in Tipton,” he says. “We’re not a chain, we’re not corporate — when a customer walks in we know their names.”
Paredes’ focus right now is continuing to make Casa de Caddie Grill successful. He emphasizes that opening the restaurant is about contributing to the community and continuing the family’s tradition of running a local, family-owned business.
You can visit Casa de Caddie Grill at 119 N. East St. in Tipton. You can also reach the restaurant at 765-675-2893.
