AUSTIN, Texas —
A long-time Austin restaurant is getting ready to say goodbye to its spot on West Sixth Street. Z'Tejas is closing its downtown location – and the people behind the restaurant want it to go out with a bang.
Z'Tejas is hosting a celebration party Friday night to kick the goodbyes off, followed by a week's worth of specials before it closes the location's doors for the last time on April 1.
The owner said he and the Z'Tejas staff wanted to have a proper goodbye to honor the location's legacy.
"The memories that have been created here. People have gotten married, engaged, celebrating life moments, graduations, amazing experiences. So let's say goodbye the proper way," Randy Cohen said.
Z'Tejas has brought back some of its classic menu items from the past and will be offering its famous margaritas for just $5.
Cohen said he didn't own the land where the restaurant is located – instead, he rented it. Now, the land is being sold to build a new development.
"My heart melts a little bit. It's sad when you know, you're having to say goodbye to an old friend that's been around for a long time," Cohen said. "But life goes on. And the fact [is] that Z'Tejas is not going away."
This isn't a goodbye for the restaurant as a whole. Z'Tejas still has another location up north in the Avery Ranch neighborhood that opened a year ago, and the restaurant is opening a new location in Kyle this summer. There could also be a return to downtown sometime in the future.
"We are still actively looking for another location downtown. We all know how expensive it is for restaurants, and we just appreciate the support we've had over all the years from all the memories that have been created," Cohen said.
The farewell party starts with a DJ on Friday at 6 p.m.
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