The Acapulco Restaurant & Cantina that has long anchored the corner of Pacific and Burchett in Glendale is set to close after 57 years, with the property on track to be demolished and replaced by a two-story self-service car wash. The news has touched off petitions, social media campaigns and neighborhood gripes as regulars hurry in for final meals. The decision spotlights a broader moment of transition for long-running local restaurants and the land beneath them.
City approved demolition with conditions
On March 27, the Director of Community Development conditionally signed off on an administrative design review to demolish the existing restaurant and build a two-story, 5,878-square-foot self-service car wash on the 46,432-square-foot lot. Plans call for 29 surface parking spaces dedicated to self-service vacuuming, onsite queuing for roughly 31 vehicles and proposed hours of operation from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the City of Glendale. City staff attached conditions related to noise, screening and landscaping, and determined the project qualifies for a Class 32 CEQA infill exemption.
Restaurant's farewell and staff timeline
Reports indicate the Glendale Acapulco, described as a neighborhood fixture for nearly six decades, is slated to close. A photo caption in a local report stated the restaurant had closed on May 10, 2026, while employees told the same outlet they expected to keep serving customers for about two more months. On Instagram, the business said “this place has been more than just a restaurant — it’s been home to so many memories, celebrations, and friendships,” a message cited by KTLA. Regulars are responding in kind online, posting photos, sharing stories and plotting their farewell visits.
Owner and chain background
Acapulco is operated by Xperience Restaurant Group, and the brand traces its origins to a Pasadena cantina that opened in 1960. On the company’s own site, it is presented as a neighborhood California-Mexican concept. The operator has closed several Acapulco locations in recent months and now has only a handful of restaurants left, a contraction noted by the Orange County Business Journal and reflected on company materials. That shrinking footprint helps explain why some Acapulco sites are being repurposed by property owners.
Neighbors push back
Local residents and longtime customers have launched a petition to save the restaurant and are urging city leaders to rethink the demolition, arguing that the site carries social and cultural importance for Glendale, according to a petition on Change.org. On message boards and social media, dozens of commenters are swapping memories and calling for an appeal or a different kind of reuse that would keep the building functioning as a neighborhood gathering place.
What’s next: appeals, permits and timeline
The city’s letter stresses that the administrative design review approval is not a building permit and that the decision is subject to appeal. Full plan-check and building-safety approvals are still required before any demolition or construction can begin, according to the City of Glendale. If an appeal is filed, the project could return to staff, the Design Review Board or the City Council for further consideration. If no appeal is lodged, the applicant will still need to satisfy all conditions before permits are issued. In the meantime, the property at 722 N. Pacific Avenue remains a place for last-round meals and a rallying point for a small but vocal group hoping to keep a piece of Glendale history standing.
