La Playa Maya’s Stockyards outpost will serve its last plates this Sunday, employees have been telling customers, bringing an end to a long-running fixture on North Main. For decades the restaurant has been a go-to for seafood-forward Mexican plates and late-night Stockyards crowds.
Workers announced the closure
As reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, staff at the Stockyards location said the restaurant would shut its doors Sunday. The paper notes that the La Playa Maya family still operates other area locations, including outposts in south and west Fort Worth and Hudson Oaks.
Historic building on North Main
The Stockyards restaurant occupies a two-story red-orange brick building that went up in 1913 as a Fort Worth police substation and was later used by the Texas Department of Public Safety and civic groups, before the eatery moved into the space in 1998, as detailed by Fort Worth Architecture. The landmark setting helped the restaurant capture foot traffic from Billy Bob’s and other Stockyards draws.
Family-owned chain still open elsewhere
La Playa Maya traces its roots to a tiny beach-style Mexican seafood spot opened in 1988 and remains family-owned. The company’s site lists additional Fort Worth-area locations that will stay open, according to the restaurant’s locations page. That continuity means regulars in other neighborhoods will still find the chain’s signature dishes at other outposts, at least for now.
Another nearby closing
The Stockyards location’s exit follows another recent shuttering near the 1500 block of North Main. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Restaurante Cabrito Nuevo León closed a block away on Ellis Avenue after its founding Gonzalez family retired. The pair of departures has left residents and business-watchers noting turnover on a historically busy stretch of North Main.
What customers will miss
Longtime diners praise La Playa Maya for its traditional chile relleno and for distinctive fish and shrimp tacos topped with chipotle sauce and mango pico de gallo. The restaurant is also remembered as one of the first local spots to serve ceviche and shrimp coctel, as reflected in local reviews. TripAdvisor ranks the Stockyards site among Fort Worth favorites, even as the neighborhood around it continues to shift.
For Stockyards regulars, the loss will be felt at the table and in the block’s character. We will watch for any owner statements or postings about the building’s future and report updates when available.
