Another one gone: Restaurant closes on plaza in downtown Fort Worth
June 11,2025
See full Fort Worth Star-Telegram article by Bud Kennedy here.
Paco’s Mexican Cuisine, an anchor restaurant on Sundance Square Plaza in downtown Fort Worth, has closed, according to a post Tuesday night on Instagram.
Paco’s, 156 W. Fourth St., closed months after chef “Paco” Islas opened his new concept, Shōgun Taqueria, a fusion restaurant in a former Paco’s location at 1508 W. Magnolia Ave.
Three years after opening the Sundance location, Paco’s “made the decision to move on” as part of a “strategic refocus” on Shōgun Taqueria, according to the post.
The post said Paco’s found it difficult to keep both restaurants “given the climate in the service industry,” an apparent reference to higher food costs, the labor shortage and an industrywide downturn in weeknight dining.
“Sundance Square has been an important part of our story — a place where we’ve grown and shared countless unforgettable moments,” the restaurant posted.
“We thank this organization and Mrs. Bass for the opportunity,” referring to Sundance Square co-owner Sasha C. Bass.
Paco’s had operated 21 years in three locations in Fort Worth. It was once ranked among the 50 best interior Mexican restaurants in the state by Texas Monthly.
It was founded on Eighth Avenue in 2007 as Paco & John, a breakfast cafe, by Islas and his father, Francisco, from a family in Pachuca, Mexico.
The restaurant served tlacoyos, a stuffed-masa appetizer, along with birria tacos and sizzling molcajete.
Sundance’s crowds have rebounded in recent months after a long pandemic downturn, but the departure of Paco’s leaves a prominent vacancy on the plaza.
Hoya Korean Kitchen moved into a larger space at 335 W. Third St. Next door to Sundance Square, a new casual Italian foccaccia and pizza restaurant, Bella Gente, has opened at 575 Taylor St. in the Tower.
Michelin-starred chef Phillip Frankland Lee’s Austin-based NADC Burger opened at 604 Main St. Beverly’s Mexican Foods, a restaurant by the owners of Cousin’s Barbecue, is under construction at 901 Houston St.