By Kathy Chouteau
El Garage, the Richmond restaurant that sprouted from humble beginnings slinging quesabirria tacos in a local driveway/garage while drawing social media acclaim, has closed its brick and mortar at 1428 Macdonald Ave. in the city’s downtown.
The news was announced recently by El Garage on Instagram in a post entitled “Thank You.” It confirmed that the downtown restaurant had closed, which the Montano family owners attributed to being “stuck in a position where we couldn’t afford to close but couldn’t afford to stay open any longer either.”
The family, which includes sisters Viviana, Evelyn and Jennifer, and their parents, Susana and Martin, said that closing the restaurant was one of the hardest decisions they’ve had to make.
The post relayed that the family loved sharing food and memories with everyone, but running a family-owned business stretched them thin mentally, emotionally, physically and financially. It added that they’ve taken time to reflect, and that they see this as a reset—a way to reconnect with all of their patrons with a better mindset and more clarity.
El Garage also announced some positive news in its post: While the restaurant has shut down, the family business is transitioning to offering their famed food via catering and pop-ups. The family encouraged catering/pop-up inquiries and noted that on Saturday, Oct. 12, El Garage will be at Dokkaebier, an Asian-inspired craft brewery in Oakland’s Jack London Square, from 2-7 p.m.
“It’s not goodbye, it’s just a shift…We’re excited to keep serving you with love and gratitude,” said the family while expressing their gratitude to customers for making their dream come true.
El Garage’s restaurant first opened in Richmond in July 2020, and in the early days amid the pandemic, could often be seen with a line outside its front doors.
In late 2023 when Richmond’s Armistice Brewing Company opened a second location in downtown Napa, it initially had El Garage managing its kitchen. But in short order, an Armistice owner confirmed to the Standard that the eatery had pulled out of the arrangement, perhaps an early indication of things to come this year in Richmond.
The shuttered eatery ended its Instagram post with a bit of Spanish indicating a positive outlook on the future: “El Sol sale para todos”—The sun rises for everyone. “We can’t wait to see you at our next pop-up,” the family said.
To contact El Garage for catering or pop-up inquiries, email [email protected] or message the business via Instagram @el_gaaarage.
