Mango's has undergone a serious facelift.

What previously used to be a mediocre Mexican restaurant (owned by the same folks who run El Pueblito) at Westheimer and Taft has been tranformed into a vegetarian restaurant/coffee house/bar/live music venue. The only similarity left between the old Mango's and the new Mango's is the name.

While the food at the old Mango's was never more than average, the new Mango's seems to be aiming for a vibe similar to their cafe/coffee house/quasi-vegetarian neighbor down the street, Brasil. The addition of live music into the mix could stretch their resources, but Mango's seems determined to succeed. They've put togther a full calendar of live music for the next month, beginning with their grand opening tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m.

Tomorrow night's lineup kicks off with Two Star Symphony at 7:00 p.m. and will be followed by Robert Ellis, Sideshow Tramps and I Am Mesmer. Future acts are listed on their website, but there is no sign of a menu nor any descriptions of their food other than a vague "vegetarian cuisine" claim on the main page.

Tickets for tomorrow night's grand opening are $8 at the door, which further leads me to believe that the emphasis at the new Mango's won't be on the food any more than it was at the old incarnation. After all, when was the last time you paid admission to a restaurant?