Sunday, January 5, 2020

[Hasta La Vista] Mexican Restaurant Makes an Irish Goodbye in Vinings

Vinings Mexican restaurant Guaco Joe's has officially closed after about five years in business.  The restaurant, located in the popular Vinings Jubilee project, opened in late 2014 in place of La Paz, a similar but independent restaurant. Guaco Joe's, part of Atlanta-based Metrotainment Cafes, reportedly closed at the end of the year without advance warning to staff or patrons.  ToNeTo Atlanta was first alerted to the reported closure January 2, which we were then able to officially confirm as of January 4.  

ToNeTo Atlanta visited the restaurant Saturday afternoon and while there is no signage confirming the closure and the Guaco Joe's signage is still up, the restaurant was clearly in "pack up mode" judging from the interior. Although the Guaco Joe's website was up and running as if everything was normal earlier in the week, by Sunday afternoon it had been updated, confirming the closure.  [The restaurant's Facebook page had already been deleted.] 


"Guaco Joe's has closed in Vinings. We are currently looking for new locations, stay tuned! Thank you for your support over the years!"

The closing of Guaco Joe's marks the second time owner Metrotainment has closed a restaurant at Vinings Jubilee ,and the third closure for the group in just the past 13 months. Metrotainment Cafes operated Garrison's Broiler & Tap in Vinings Jubilee for over 15 years before its closure in 2013.  The former Garrison's reopened as Paces & Vine in 2014.   

Inside Guaco Joe's 

After multiple curtain calls and 25 years in business, Cowtipper's Steaks & Spirits permanently closed along Piedmont Avenue December 27, 2018 with a new Chase Bank currently under construction on the site.  Hudson FC closed October 20, 2019 along Peachtree Road in Brookhaven after about two years in operation.  

Plans for a new Hudson Grille at Toco Hills were officially called off in 2018, while there are rumors now that Hudson Grille may be taking over the former Front Page News in Little 5 Points.  


Following the Vinings closure, Metrotainment Cafes continues to operates Einstein's and Joe's on Juniper in Midtown, Sugar Shack in Brookhaven, seven Hudson Grille locations around town, as well as a bakery and full service catering and event facility at the company's headquarters on Logan Circle in northwest Atlanta.


Are you surprised to see Guaco Joe's close?  What is your favorite Vinings area restaurant?  What would you like to see open in place of Guaco Joe's in Vinings Jubilee?  


Please share your thoughts below.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have over $200 of Here to Serve gift cards that are worthless because of abrupt closures of all their restaurants in 2015. Are we seeing a similar pattern with Metrotainment Cafes? Should I start spending all of my Metrotainment gift cards immediately?

Anonymous said...

You should go spend them all at Einsteins.

Anonymous said...

Nice use of casual racism in the headline.

Avery O Williams... said...

Well, this is some disappointing news! Guaco Joe's was one of my family's favorite restaurants! The food was tasty, plentiful, the service was great (nod to Carlton) and we liked the decor. This is a loss. Bummer.

Anonymous said...

I noticed that too

Atlantan99 said...

Anon RE: "casual racism"

Forgive me but what are you referring to?

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