Taco News

East Austin Mexican eatery Taqueria Chapala closing after 29 years

The owner of Taqueria Chapala says the landlord did not offer the option to renew the restaurant's lease.

Taqueria Chapala/Instagram

Longtime Mexican restaurant Taqueria Chapala is closing its East Austin location this fall. Owner and co-founder Manuel Lopez says in a Facebook post that the restaurant at 2101 E. Cesar Chavez St. was not offered a lease renewal.

Lopez identified himself in the message, but he appears to have used the account of a family member, Mauricio Lopez, to share the news in Austin Memories, a Facebook group for discussions about old Austin. The same account also added in the comments that the final day of business will be September 20.

The business owner wrote that the landlord stopped by on May 1 to pick up rent and deferred tax payments. Lopez signed a document stating his balance, which also stated that the lease would not renew. He says he did not read the document before signing, and that he realized the error on June 15 when the landlord reiterated verbally that the lease would not renew.

Lopez also stated that he attempted to negotiate, but the landlord declined, saying they would be renting the space to someone else and "going in a different direction." The post addressed and denied a rumor that rent had been raised, and a comment by the same account clarified, "Our intention were NEVER to paint the landlords in a bad light. They are AMAZING people." Some commenters criticized the landlord for communicating the major change for the first time in writing.

According to Lopez, he and his brother opened Taqueria Chapala on July 1, 1997, making it 29 years old this week. It was well-known among Austin locals who sought out casual Mexican meals and a homey environment.

Although the restaurant's websites appear to be outdated, Google Maps lists current locations at 717 E. Ben White Blvd. and 6116 W. U.S. 290 Service Road in Austin, and 1308 Round Rock Ave. in Round Rock.

Great catch

Upscale Austin sushi spot expands to Dallas and announces local move

Photo by Justin Cook

Neighborhood Sushi has opened at the Shops at Highland Park.

An upscale Austin sushi restaurant has landed in Dallas. Neighborhood Sushi opened June 30 at 4216 Oak Lawn Ave., in The Shops of Highland Park. The restaurant is also moving its Austin location by a few blocks later this year.

Neighborhood Sushi comes from MML Hospitality, one of Austin's biggest and most acclaimed restaurant groups, helmed by chefs Larry McGuire and Tom Moorman and hotelier Liz Lambert.

The Dallas location is the restaurant's first outpost outside of Austin.

Neighborhood Sushi debuted in Austin in 2020 on South Congress Avenue, where it built a following for its approachable take on high-quality sushi. In fact, it will be moving from that cozy location into a larger building at 1417 S. First St. later this year, a release says. The building previously housed 1417 French Bistro, which closed unexpectedly in 2024, leaving the space vacant so far.

Neighborhood Sushi The Dallas restaurant will introduce some menu items not available at the original Austin location.Photo by Justin Cook

The release touts the restaurant's "elevated yet approachable take on traditional sushi bar dining," saying it "recast[s] the classic sushi experience through a lens of modernity, seasonality, and laid back Texan hospitality."

Neighborhood Sushi's menu features sushi bar staples including nigiri, sashimi, hand rolls, specialty rolls, and tempura. Signature items include the spicy tuna roll, shrimp tempura, and fluke roll.

The Dallas location also features a few menu items not available in Austin, including a yakitori program with skewers such as Wagyu beef, king trumpet mushrooms, asparagus, and chicken thighs. Lunch service includes chef-selected bento boxes.

Neighborhood Sushi The design features warm wood tones and minimalist Japanese-inspired interior elements.Photo by Justin Cook

The Highland Park space follows the same design style as the Austin original, with warm wood tones and minimalist Japanese-inspired interior elements intended to suit both casual meals and special occasions.

"In Austin, the restaurant’s intimate, stylish ambiance has made it a favorite for date nights and weekday happy hours, a spirit that the Dallas outpost will replicate," the release says.

Neighborhood Sushi in Highland Park is now open for lunch, happy hour, dinner, and weekend all-day dining with the following menu schedule:

Monday-Friday: Lunch 11:30 am-3:30 pm, snacks 3:30-4:30 pm, happy hour 3-5 pm, dinner 4:30-10 pm.
Saturday-Sunday: All-day menu 11:30 am-4:30 pm, dinner 4:30-10 pm.

highland park openings