East Village staple Lolita’s Mexican Food to close after 15 years

After 15 years in the East Village, Lolita’s at the Park has made the difficult decision not to renew their lease. This location, located at 202 Park Blvd., will close the doors on Sept. 24, 2023, after the last Padres’ home game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Located next to Petco Park, the restaurant was a popular destination for affordable Mexican food before or after games.

Over the past past decade and a half, Lolita’s has enjoyed serving this community which has included the Padres team, Padres staff, stadium staff, convention attendees and many other guests, both locally and from afar.

“We have had a great run, but it is time to close this chapter and move forward. We still have five other locations in San Diego County to serve new guests and long time regulars. We look forward to celebrating 40 years of business in January of 2024!” says Lolita’s President, Dolores C. Jackson.

Originally founded in 1984 as Lolita’s Taco Shop, Joaquin and Lolita passed down their work ethic and the family business to their six children. In 2001, the brand incorporated to Lolita’s Restaurants, Inc. and elevated the culture of hole-in-the-wall taco shops to a fast casual dining experience.

The closure comes at the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, along with the continued challenges restaurants are facing, such as staffing. Lolita’s will offer all eligible team members positions at their other San Diego County locations. Another Lolita’s location near SDSU closed recently. The remaining locations are in Chula Vista, Eastlake, Sunbow, Bonita, and Kearny Mesa.