Downtown Closure
Downtown Dallas Mexican restaurant closes due to lease issues
UPDATE: According to a message from Sol Irlandes' Facebook page, "The restaurant in McKinney is NOT related to Sol Irlandes, after all. Please change the article or remove. I was given false information about a future location, turns out it is not us."
That was followed by a message from owner Tom McGill, as follows: "I wanted to let you know [the article] has incorrect information about me headed north to Bien Salsa. Me, I’m retiring from restaurant ownership business and will decide over next few weeks my plans. Had folks asking me if they could have my concept to use at there location but I liquidated my assets. Please remove this article as it has misleading information. Sincerely, Tom McGill."
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A downtown Dallas restaurant with a rocky recent history has closed but has already found a new home in downtown McKinney.
The restaurant is Sol Irlandes, the Mexican place at Stone Place Mall, across from the Joule Dallas hotel. After a rough patch in March, it finally closed on April 29.
But the restaurant has found a new home in McKinney Square, at 119 W. Virginia St., in the space formerly occupied by Bien Salsa. According to a spokesman, they'll be re-opening quickly, possibly within a week.
Sol Irlandes endured temporary closure on March 15, when it got locked out by Stone Place Mall Investors, the landlord, who posted a closure sign on the door. On March 16, furniture was being cleaned out of the restaurant and a sheriff was on site.
Owner Tom McGill was unavailable for comment, but a spokeperson for the restaurant said that they would not be open until futher notice, citing "issues with the landlord."
The closure seemed unanticipated, since the restaurant's Facebook page posted an update on March 16 at 12 noon, advertising a St. Patrick's Day-themed event happening the same evening. McGill is from Ireland.
Oddly, another hand-written sign posted on the door made recommendations for other places to eat. "Closed: Please go to Campisi's or the Iron Cactus or Woolworth," the sign said. "Or try the Buffalo BBQ wrap at The Stand."
They re-opened on March 16, in time for the March 17 weekend.
Sol Irlandes endured a similar closure in early February for nonpayment of taxes to the state of Texas. But the restaurant managed to pull it out and re-open two days later.
It was a popular hangout for the downtown residential crew, with pretty good food at a pretty good price — even despite the occasional stench of its trash on trash day. The menu was a combination of Tex-Mex staples like queso and nachos with Southern dishes like fried shrimp. Lunch included sandwiches, wraps, tacos, and burritos, all priced at around $10.