The Crazy Cuban restaurant on 14th in Home Park is closing this week after nearly 14 years in business. Located at 290 14th Street, not far from Georgia Tech, the restaurant first opened in 2010 and is due to close as of Saturday, December 7.
The Ramirezes quickly gained a following, but tragedy struck in September 2016 when a fire in a neighboring business damaged the restaurant. Ultimately, Crazy Cuban remained closed for 27 long months, during which time Aldo operated a food cart outside the restaurant to continue to generate some revenue and to satisfy the cravings of his loyal customers.
The Crazy Cuban website suggests that the Ramirezes were offering franchises of the business, but it's unclear if that ever went anywhere of if the existing restaurant could reopen elsewhere in the future. (Ramirez is actively selling the restaurant's furniture, fixtures, equipment, and art.)
After surviving the fire, a little more than a year later came the restaurant's next challenge: the pandemic. According to an email sent to patrons, too many offices in the area have adopted hybrid or work from home programs which has starved Crazy Cuban of many of its regulars.
The restaurant posted to its Facebook page November 12 to announce the closure:
"I've been trying to keep up; but, The Crazy Cuban is closing down in the second week of December. The lease is up in January and I believe too many folks are working from Home. Since "Covid" the three main companies that provided my lunch crowd have never returned. Let's be real, if I could work from home, I'd do it too. No blame there. Please come in and get you some lunch before it's too late. I'm hoping to get out without too much debt. And please be patience; it's just me and one employee. So everything is for sale. Do you need any restaurant equipment? Did you see some art on the wall that you like? Have you seen all the roosters in the roof?"
This week sent an email to customers confirming the timing: this week. A post Thursday suggested the Ramirezes had made another small order of pork to hopefully take them through Saturday.
"Adios Amigos
Since 2010 we've been serving the Best Cuban sandwiches in Atlanta.
It has now come to the end.
We are closing down this week.
Once the sandwich inventory is done, it's over.
Maybe we'll make it to Friday or Saturday.
If you want a Cuban, now is your last chance.
Thanx to all the customers that have allowed me to feed them"
Do you plan to stop by Crazy Cuban one last time this weekend? Who in metro Atlanta do you think offers the best Cuban fare? What would you like to see open in place of Crazy Cuban?
Please share your thoughts below.
8 comments:
I'm going to miss Aldo's replies to his one star ratings on Google. Pointing out the idiocy of idiots is an art! Good Cuban sandwiches are going to be harder to find in Atlanta now.
I feel that he was the one that looked like an idiot in his replies.
I remember Kool Korner fondly and was glad to see Crazy Cuban pick the torch, so to speak. Sad to see the end of an era on 14th Street and reminds me of other in-town gems we've lost over the years including Las Palmeras on 5th Street and Coco Loco on Sidney Marcus. Today Papi's is a solid option on Ponce, and downtown you have Beni's Cubano in Peachtree Center's "Hub" which offers some nice Cuban fare.
Open up in Doraville on Buford Highway. You don't have to rely on the office crowd for a steady customer base.
I feel that you look like an idiot for making that comment.
He was petty rude guy. Good riddens
What are “riddens?”
Once you find out what they are, please tell us what makes them "good".
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