An essential downtown destination for tacos and tequila has quietly closed its doors — for now.

El Big Bad was locked out of its space at 419 Travis St. in mid-January. A notice posted to the door of the restaurant cites nonpayment of rent as the reason why the landlord has taken possession of the space.

Owner Steve Sharma tells CultureMap that he had already provided notice of his intent to leave the space when the lockout occurred. According to Sharma, the heirs of his former landlord refused to make necessary repairs to the 150-year old building and sought back rents from 2020 that the landlord had forgiven.

Hopefully, this isn’t the end of the road for El Big Bad. Sharma says he’s actively looking for a new home for the concept.

Open since 2013, El Big Bad evolved out of El Gran Malo, a casual bar in Lazybrook/Timbergrove. Moving downtown offered a number of advantages, including a big increase in space. That meant lots more room for the restaurant’s signature cocktails, many of which were made with house-infused tequilas. El Big Bad paired its drinks with a menu of Mexican and Tex-Mex favorites that included tacos, queso, fajitas and wings.

The restaurant's whimsical, fairy tale-inspired decor gave it a light hearted atmosphere. Its second story patio was frequently packed on sunny days.

While El Big Bad may return, the beginning of 2025 has seen a number of restaurants close permanently. They include sushi restaurant Roka Akor, neighborhood restaurant White Elm Brasserie, and Tris, a steakhouse in The Woodlands.