After more than 12 years of tacos, neon lights, and good times, one of Vancouver’s most recognizable cheap and fun spots is closing its doors.
Gringo has announced on its Instagram that it’s shutting down all three of its locations in Vancouver and North Vancouver, citing ongoing challenges.
The Davie Street and Lonsdale locations will hold their last service on Saturday, March 7.
Meanwhile, the original Gastown location at Blood Alley Square will follow one week later on Saturday, March 14.
The announcement was posted to the restaurant’s Instagram, where the team addressed it directly to their “beloved and devoted fans.”
“Due to ongoing challenges it is with heavy hearts that Gringo Restaurants has made the difficult decision to dramatically downsize and decrease its operations,” the post read.
The Gastown closure was described as being “until further notice,” which leaves open the possibility of a return down the line.
But the Davie and Lonsdale closures appear to be permanent.
Gringo first opened in 2013 in Gastown’s Blood Alley, built around a concept the team described as a “white trash cantina” meets “all-inclusive resort.”
The idea was simple and unapologetic: affordable tacos, cold beer, and a good time.
Tacos started at $4.20, beers were $4.99, and the vibe leaned heavily on neon signs, flamingos, and 80s and 90s music.
The restaurant described its philosophy as being about reconnecting communities within neighbourhoods.
That approach built Gringo a loyal following over the years.
The Gastown location alone has over 300 reviews on Yelp, and for many it became a reliable late-night option in one of Vancouver’s busiest neighbourhoods.
After nearly a decade as a single location, Gringo expanded to Davie Street in July 2022, taking over the former Beetbox space.
The Lonsdale location in North Vancouver followed in May 2024 as a 17-seat spot.
The team closed out the post by inviting everyone to come in and celebrate the good times before the final days, signing off with a Winnie the Pooh quote about how lucky they feel to have had something that makes saying goodbye so hard.
Gringo joins a growing list of Vancouver food spots that have recently closed, including Hundy, Lumiere Coffee, and Buca Di Romi.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: Multiple locations (Gastown, Davie Street, Lonsdale)