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Miami Herald
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Two popular Mexican restaurants are closing forever in Washington, DC
Whenever I visit my daughter, who lives in Washington, D.C., I'm amazed by the sheer variety of food we can find there. We've had fantastic falafel for $5 at Falafel Inc. in Georgetown, Michelin-star quality Middle Eastern and North African cuisine at Maydan, and everything in between. We have also had a couple of favorite taco spots over the years, and now two are closing. Two long-standing Mexican restaurants that helped define Washington, D.C'.s casual dining scene are shutting their doors for good, marking the end of an era in two of the city's most popular neighborhoods. El Centro D.F. in Georgetown and Alero on U Street will soon serve their final meals. El Centro D.F., the stylish taqueria from Richard Sandoval Hospitality, will permanently close its Georgetown location on Sunday, June 29. The restaurant opened in 2013 in the space formerly occupied by the Third Edition bar at 1218 Wisconsin Avenue NW. Designed with Mexico City flair, the two-story cantina quickly became a hotspot for locals and tourists, offering upscale Mexican fare in a warm, eclectic setting. The 160-seat restaurant features soaring vaulted ceilings, reclaimed wood accents, and custom murals crafted with metal and vintage Mexican newspapers. One of the venue's standout features is its spacious back garden patio, which includes a full bar and a cozy fire pit - perfect for late-night margaritas or weekend brunches. Related: Beloved local family restaurant closing after nearly 63 years El Centro D.F. in Georgetown was the second location. The original was in Logan Circle but closed in 2020 after nearly a decade in business. While these neighborhood outposts are disappearing, fans of Richard Sandoval's cuisine won't be entirely out of luck: his wood-fired Latin restaurant dLeña remains open in the Mount Vernon Triangle, and an El Centro D.F. location continues to operate at Reagan National Airport. On the restaurant's Facebook page today, the message to customers is: "Say adiós with salt and lime $6 Classic Margs ALL DAY - one last chance to raise a glass in Georgetown." Meanwhile, another beloved Mexican eatery is closing its doors on U Street. Alero, which has served the neighborhood for two decades, recently announced it will close its original location at 1301 U Street NW. A sign posted at the entrance broke the news: "The building has chosen not to renew our lease, so we will be closing our doors at this location." No final day of service has been shared publicly, but the announcement marks the end of a chapter for the popular pre-concert destination near the 9:30 Club. Known for its vibrant décor and lively crowd, Alero became a go-to spot for casual Mexican dining and strong margaritas. The menu features familiar favorites like quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, and fajitas, along with a weekend brunch that drew large crowds. Its tequila-heavy drink selection and colorful ambiance made it a staple of the U Street nightlife scene. Related: Forget buffets, Las Vegas Strip adds new restaurants concept While the U Street location is closing, Alero isn't disappearing completely, either. The restaurant's Dupont Circle will stay open, and there are plans to open additional outposts on H Street NE and in the NoMa neighborhood. The closures of both El Centro D.F. and Alero come amid broader changes to D.C.'s dining landscape, where rising rents and shifting customer habits have challenged independent restaurants. Although neither closure was attributed directly to economic conditions, both reflect the pressures of operating in rapidly developing neighborhoods, where new concepts and real estate demands often force out longstanding venues. Still, there's reason for fans to stay hopeful. Richard Sandoval's continued presence in the city, along with Alero's expansion into new areas, suggests that while locations may change, the flavors and atmospheres that made these restaurants popular can still be found in new D.C. neighborhoods. As Georgetown and U Street prepare to say goodbye to these two beloved Mexican restaurants, regulars have just a few more days to stop in for a final margarita, enchilada, or taco platter before the doors close for good. Related: Beloved local family diner closing after nearly 40 years The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Eater
19-06-2025
- Business
- Eater
El Centro Exits Georgetown — And More D.C. Closures
This is a curated list of D.C. area's newly announced restaurant and bar closures, with new updates published every month. See a closing we missed? Drop us a line . GEORGETOWN– El Centro D.F., Richard Sandoval Hospitality's Georgetown cantina since 2013, will close for good on Sunday, June 29. Located in the former Third Edition space, the two-story taqueria seats 160 diners and sports a Mexico City-influenced look, complete with vaulted ceilings, reclaimed wood, and custom murals full of metal and Mexican newspapers. A large garden patio out back features a bar and fire pit. D.C.'s original El Centro D.F. closed in Logan Circle in 2020 after a nearly 10-year run. An offshoot at Reagan National Airport remains open. Meanwhile, Sandoval maintains a presence in the city with wood-fired dLeńa in Mt. Vernon Triangle. 1218 Wisconsin Avenue NW U STREET– After a 20-year run, tequila-fueled Mexican restaurant Alero announced plans to leave its original location. 'The building has chosen not to renew our lease, so we will be closing our doors at this location,' per signage posted on its door. The go-to pregame place for 9:30 Club shows was known for its long list of quesadillas, enchiladas, and burritos, plus a popular weekend brunch menu. Alero maintains a presence in Dupont Circle, with future locations coming to H Street NE and NoMa. 1301 U Street NW DUPONT CIRCLE– D.C.'s iconic sandwich shop Bub and Pop's suddenly shut down on Friday, June 6. But the family-owned venture will soon live on across town, reports Axios. The much-bigger NoMa location, situated in the former Eleanor space, will expand upon its menu that includes Philly-style staples, Italian cold cut hoagies, and beefy brisket sandwiches. 1815 M Street NW CAPITOL HILL—Beuchert's Saloon, the old-school saloon known for its American fare and classic cocktails served in a Prohibition-era setting, shut down in early June after a 13-year run. Its original co-owners Andrew Markert, Bart Hutchins, and Mackenzie Conway pivoted during the pandemic and debuted pop-up sandwich shop Fight Club inside. 623 Pennsylvania Avenue SE UPPER NORTHWEST– The Fox at The Palisades closed on Monday, June 2, just eight months after opening. The fledgling cafe served cakes, cookies, lattes, and breakfast sandwiches. The Fox still lives on in some capacity, with catering company Pampa's Fox offering its same empanadas, pastries, and more baked goods. 5108 MacArthur Boulevard NW See More:
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beloved D.C. Restaurant Forced to Close Popular Location
A popular restaurant in the nation's capital is closing the doors to one of its locations. Rising costs and the end of leasing agreements have wreaked havoc on restaurants around the country, and the U Street location of Alero in Washington D.C. appears to be the latest victim. According to Prince of Petworth, the Mexican restaurant has a sign outdoors that thanks patrons for their support while announcing the location's closure. "Thank you for supporting Alero for over 20 wonderful years," the statement reads. "We are truly grateful for you and every one of our employees. Unfortunately, the building has not chosen to renew our lease, so we will be closing our doors at this location." Customers reacted to the closing, and reflected on the conditions that have caused so many restaurants to close. "whoever owns the commercial space in this building has faced increasing vacancies for months; leading one to wonder why the lease of a paying tenant was not renewed," one patron said. "I'm guessing that the landlord is (apparently like most commercial landlords in DC) a moron, and decided that the correct response to increasing vacancies is to raise the rent on the remaining tenants to make up the shortfall," another patron said. "This makes me feel old because I can remember when this location opened," one diner said. "Very soon we're going to start seeing a lot of vacancies on U Street due to landlords thinking that their commercial properties are worth more than anyone can actually pay," another patron predicted. The closure of the U Street location will not spell the end for Alero. The restaurant also has locations on H Street and Dupont Circle, and there are plans to establish a new location north of Massachusetts Avenue. Alero is known for Mexican dishes like quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas and more. A brunch menu is on offer on weekends, and the full bar is a popular hangout at all of its locations around the city. We'll see what the future holds for Alero as one door closes and another is set to open in another part of the city. Beloved D.C. Restaurant Forced to Close Popular Location first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 10, 2025
