Wild Taco, a popular local taco shop, is closing its Capitol Hill location at 215 E. Seventh Ave. on Aug. 10. The closure comes as the restaurant prepares for a new venture in the Edgewater Public Market food hall, slated for an early September opening.
“At that location we got capped out, so we’re not renewing our lease and walking away from the space,” said Yoon Terry, chief operating officer for Rico Aragon’s restaurant group, which includes Wild Taco. Aragon is also the founder of Barbed Wire Reef.
Capitol Hill Location’s Lease Ends as New Chapter Begins
The Capitol Hill spot, which opened in 2022, will cease operations on Aug. 10, despite its lease extending through April. Terry expressed optimism about the brand’s future.
“With the opportunity to open Edgewater, the brand is still staying strong,” Terry stated.
Sales Dip After Street Reopens to Traffic
Wild Taco’s unique menu features creative twists on the classic taco, including cheeseburger and chicken-and-waffles versions. However, sales at the Governor’s Park location saw a significant drop of approximately 30% after Seventh Avenue reopened to cars in 2023. For several years prior, the one-block stretch in front of the restaurant was pedestrian-only following the pandemic.
Terry explained the strategic choice of the smaller, 1,200-square-foot unit, formerly occupied by Tacos Tequila Whiskey. “We took that over purposefully because of the small-size capacity. I didn’t know how the brand was going to do, and we still wanted to have it manageable,” she said.
The initial two years saw sales exceed expectations by about $500,000, largely attributed to a tented patio on the street. The street’s reopening, however, reduced Wild Taco’s outdoor seating by half.
Edgewater Market Expansion and Menu Evolution
The upcoming Edgewater Public Market location will replace Carnivore Exotic Taqueria, another concept by Aragon, which Terry described as a more “masculine” counterpart to Wild Taco. Other Aragon-owned establishments, Barbed Wire Reef and the coffee shop Saints or Sinners, will continue operating within the Edgewater Public Market.
To offset revenue lost from the absence of a bar at the new location, plans include adding higher-priced dishes like enchiladas to the menu. At the Capitol Hill site, alcohol sales accounted for 40% of revenue, with food making up the remaining 60%.
Other Locations Remain Open
Wild Taco’s 3,000-square-foot location at 4499 W. 38th Ave. off Tennyson Street, previously home to Barbed Wire Reef, will continue to operate. The restaurant group also manages five food trucks.
“The Berkeley location is doing really well,” Terry commented. “It just has more size and capacity.”
