Iconic LA restaurant Burrito King closes after 50 years
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The original outpost of iconic Los Angeles Mexican food joint joint Burrito King appears to have closed its doors after more than 50 years in operation.
A photo posted on Reddit Tuesday showed the inside of the original Echo Park shop — located at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and North Alvarado Street — completely gutted.
“Ownership has been in limbo for a few years, but I walked by today and noticed it was now fully empty,” the post read.
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Many people commented on the sad news while reminiscing on the eatery.
“Damn. As a former Sunset Blvd employee, BK was my lunch at least once weekly,” one person wrote.
“My heart can’t take this kind of tragedy anymore,” another added.
Originally opening its doors in 1968, founder Julian E. Montoya would go on to open more than 20 locations stretching from Southern California to Houston and even Bogota, Colombia in the decades that followed, according to the New York Times.
By the early 2000s, the once-thriving chain struggled as national chains and independent restaurants arrived on the scene.
In 2003, only two Burrito Kings remained — the Echo Park outpost and one in Silver Lake, which closed in 2011.
The original location later came up for lease several times.