After 10 years on Court Street, Lalo Chino-Latino Kitchen is shutting its doors, with the downtown restaurant’s final day of service set for Saturday. The owners say the decision comes down to a mix of wanting a better work-life balance, an expiring lease, and stubbornly slow downtown traffic. The closure trims one more independent dining option from the city’s core as the team shifts energy to its other ventures.
As reported by The Cincinnati Enquirer, the owners broke the news on social media yesterday and confirmed that the Court Stree t spot will close permanently. According to the paper, the post also assured fans that Lalo will keep its catering business going while the group focuses more attention on its other locations.
Lalo's decade in Cincinnati
The Lalo concept first appeared at festivals and on the street-food circuit before settling into a permanent home downtown in 2016, evolving into the brick-and-mortar restaurant on Court Street. Lalo's official site highlights the same address and lays out its catering arm, which the owners say will remain active even after the dining room goes dark.
Owners will concentrate on Bandito
Looking ahead, the owners say they plan to channel more of their time into Bandito Food Park + Cantina in Columbia-Tusculum, a larger park-style cantina run by the same group. Bandito’s website lists its Columbia Parkway location and menu, pointing to a setup built to handle bigger crowds and private events.
Downtown pressures haven't eased
The Lalo team told customers that reduced weekday foot traffic played a major role in the decision, something many downtown operators say they are still battling. Coverage by WCPO on the convention center’s reopening, along with the Downtown Cincinnati Improvement District and its efforts, shows officials are rolling out initiatives to bring back visitors and office workers. Some businesses, though, say those moves have not yet stopped a steady churn of Court Street tenants.
Diners still have a short window to grab Lalo favorites before Saturday’s final service, and the owners say catering orders and events at Bandito will carry pieces of the Lalo menu forward. For the latest updates and to double-check hours, customers are encouraged to follow Lalo’s social media channels and visit the restaurant’s website.
