The Happy Mexican restaurant at 7935 Winchester Road in Memphis was shut down Wednesday after the Shelby County Health Department determined the building could not stay occupied due to multiple health violations. A handwritten notice taped to the restaurant simply read that it was temporarily closed until further notice; several customers outside the restaurant were surprised by the closure.
According to WREG, a Shelby County Health Department spokesperson said the restaurant was investigated because of a food-borne illness complaint. The station reported that the health department had not released further information about the specific violations that prompted the closure order, and WREG said it had requested additional details from the department. The outlet credited reporter David Royer with the story.
A Stunning Reversal From a Near-Perfect Score
What makes the closure jarring is the restaurant's inspection history. The Winchester Road location was last inspected on September 16, 2026, and received a score of 94, the same report from WREG's account notes. That score stands in sharp contrast to the location's more turbulent past: WREG reported scores of 61 in 2024 and 65 in 2025 before the rebound.
Metro Public Health Department inspections in Davidson County use a 0-to-100 scale. Nashville.gov's guidance assigns 4-to-5-point deductions and immediate-or-within-10-days correction deadlines to “priority” violations, while discussing critical violations separately, per Nashville.gov's food protection services guidance.
What It Takes to Reopen
For a new food-truck storefront in Shelby County, Hoodline described a pre-opening inspection as part of commercial kitchen permitting. Separately, in July, health officials coordinated with state epidemiologists to track foodborne illness complaints tied to a cyclospora outbreak that eventually reached 11 confirmed cases, a case Hoodline also followed as officials hunted for the source.
The Winchester Road address carries its own history beyond health scores. At the address, the parking lot was the scene of a shooting after suspects fired at patrons who tried to intervene during an attempted car theft, a chase that spilled onto Interstate 240 and ended in two arrests, as Hoodline reported. Separately, owner Rafael Ramirez filed commercial permit documents for a separate sports bar venue along the same Winchester Road corridor, according to WhatNow, signaling continued investment in the area even as the flagship restaurant's health scores swung widely.
A Multi-Location Memphis Brand
Happy Mexican has operated across the Memphis metro for more than a decade under Ramirez and family members, including his son Christian Ramirez, per background reported by The Business Journals. The brand's footprint has included locations on Winchester Road, Primacy Parkway, and North Germantown Parkway in Cordova, according to Memphis Magazine.
For now, the Winchester Road location is closed.
