Phoenicians are sad to see that homegrown Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill has closed three of its five restaurants in the Valley. This longtime favorite serves flavorful “Tex-Mex with a twist” cuisine and has been a staple of the Valley’s dining scene since it first opened in 1989.
The chain has struggled in recent years, filing for bankruptcy in 2015. An Austin, TX restaurant group purchased it and is now attempting to save the brand. The locations that closed weren’t as profitable as they had hoped, so the restaurant group is putting money and focus on the remaining locations to improve them. The chain also closed one of its three locations in Austin.
Two of the popular restaurants remain open in the Phoenix area. Plans include enhancing the menu and bolstering the brand at the Valley locations in Chandler and Paradise Valley.
Open restaurants:
- Paradise Valley: 10625 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix AZ 85028
- Chandler: 7221 W. Ray Road, Chandler AZ 85226
Closed restaurants:
- Tempe: 20 W. 6th Street, Tempe AZ 85281
- Phoenix (Bethany): 1525 E. Bethany Home Road, Phoenix AZ 85014
- Scottsdale (Fashion Square mall): 7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale AZ 85251
Several employees say they weren’t given any warning and only found out by showing up to the restaurant to see the closed sign. These former employees are now seeking new jobs to replace their income.
Julian Brooks found out from a co-worker about the restaurant closing. “I’m like what do you mean we’re closing? I just worked there. I work a double tomorrow,” he said.
Isaiah Moore, who is a single father of two young girls, stopped by the Tempe restaurant where he worked to confirm the news, “I am not going to be able to pay my rent, and I do not have any more room on my credit cards. Something will work out; it’ll be alright. I have a lot of good friends, but they put me in a position right now that literally, I could be homeless.”
A company representative said that they are trying to accommodate moving as many employees as they can to the open locations.
