The vibrancy of the Sunset Strip took a hit this week with the sudden closure of the popular Mexican restaurant Pink Taco. Known for its bold flavors and celebrity clientele, the West Hollywood fixture served its last taco on September 16 after 12 years at its 8225 Sunset Boulevard location. A succinct sign on the door confirmed its shut down, leaving patrons and culinary aficionados to lament the loss of their go-to spot for lively Mexican cuisine.
According to Eater, Pink Taco COO David Miller indicated that the restaurant was unable to reach "favorable terms" to continue the lease. This financial impasse seemingly led to the abrupt end of its operations in the Los Angeles market. Miller stated, "There are no immediate plans to reopen at another location," yet remained hopeful to "return to the market in the future when the opportunity arises."
A similar sentiment was echoed on KTLA 5 with the succinct message left for would-be patrons: "Effective 9/16/2024 Pink Taco – Los Angeles is closed for business. Thank you to all our West Hollywood visitors. You will be greatly missed." The establishment's presence is already missing online as well, with Yelp listings updated to reflect its permanent closure.
What may just come as a surprise for many was the restaurant's deep-seated history, which WeHo Times detailed in its coverage. Pink Taco began in 1999 and rapidly expanded to several cities, with the Sunset Strip location having celebrated its 25th anniversary recently amidst great fanfare. Their report highlighted the stark contrast from recent celebration to the current closed doors – a transition representing not just a local change but an alteration in the culinary tapestry of West Hollywood.
While the Los Angeles Pink Taco has shuttered, the brand continues to operate in other cities, with locations still serving in New York, Boston, and Washington D.C. Despite the Sunset Strip branch's closure, the Pink Taco brand remains a testament to the appeal of Mexican culture and cuisine in America's urban dining scenes. It remains to be seen if and when Pink Taco will resurrect its presence in West Hollywood's bustling hospitality landscape.
