A new Mexican restaurant in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood will close daily at 2 a.m. rather than operate around the clock after facing opposition from residents, the Alexandria Times reported.
Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita received approval Friday from Alexandria’s Department of Planning and Zoning for its special use permit at 529 E. Howell Ave., but with modified hours from its original 24/7 request, according to the Alexandria Times.
The restaurant had initially sought 24-hour operations in its July permit application, despite listing 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. hours on its website. The discrepancy drew scrutiny from neighbors who raised concerns about potential crime, noise, and traffic impacts.
Tony LaColla, Planning and Zoning’s Land Use Services division chief, said city staff worked with the restaurant owners to address community concerns.
“I mentioned to the restaurant owners that there were concerns from nearby residents about the restaurant being open 24 hours,” LaColla told the Alexandria Times. The owners agreed to stick with their posted 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. schedule.
Restaurant owner David Villalobos told the Alexandria Times that the city encouraged accepting the 2 a.m. closing time to expedite the approval process after more than three months of review.
The location previously housed Bark Social, a dog-friendly bar that abruptly closed in November 2024 due to bankruptcy. Del Ray resident Katie Wannen said neighbors want to ensure proper oversight this time after years of noise issues with the previous tenants.
Villalobos plans to open next week and said he hopes to eventually expand to 24-hour service after building community trust. The restaurant will not serve alcohol and is considering hiring security, similar to the chain’s location on Columbia Pike.
For the full story, see Sydney Kodama’s reporting in the Alexandria Times. This follows earlier ALXnow reporting by James Cullum on the initial controversy.
