LINCOLN SQUARE — After 10 years in Lincoln Square, Los Nopales Mexican restaurant has suddenly closed its doors.
The announcement was made on Tuesday via Facebook and was reiterated on the restaurant's website as well as in the form of a sign affixed to the storefront's door at 4544 N. Western Ave.
"Thank you for these past 10 amazing years of joining us at Los Nopales," read the brief notice in both English and Spanish.
"We regret to inform you we have now permanently closed our doors."
The decision was actually a long time coming, according to Darcy Moreno, daughter of owners Adan and Mirella Moreno, who spoke with DNAinfo Chicago on her parents' behalf.
"They've been pondering it for awhile," she said. "It was a hard decision to make."
It seems the stress of running two restaurants — in 2013 the Morenos opened Mas Alla del Sol in Edgewater — caught up with her parents, especially her father, who did all the produce shopping himself and shuttled between the two locations, Darcy Moreno said.
It became clear that the Morenos needed to pare back to a single eatery, "health-wise for my father," she said.
Los Nopales had a good long run, whereas the Morenos felt it was too soon to abandon Mas Alla, she explained.
"It's hard to say good-bye" to Lincoln Square, Moreno said.
"We've seen so many kids grow up. We've grown close to so many people," she said. "It's especially hard on my dad — it's his kitchen. He's pretty sad."
Her parents wanted to be sure she conveyed their gratitude to Los Nopales' Lincoln Square patrons.
"Thank you from all of us," she said.
Moreno noted that Mas Alla, 5848 N. Broadway, is just a 10-minute drive from Lincoln Square.
"We're hoping at least some people come over," she said.
Just prior to the debut of Mas Alla in 2013, the Morenos reminisced with DNAinfo Chicago about their early years owning Los Nopales.
Some nights they would only make $35, they recalled.
"When we started Los Nopales, we didn't have enough dishes to serve the food," Mirella said.
Adan, who was used to working at more upscale joints like the Palmer House and River North's Wildfire, said he didn't even know how to cook Mexican food when they first opened.
"When you work a lot," said Mirella Moreno, "you can do all your dreams."
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