It's a River Oaks mystery: what has happened to Armandos? Regulars at the see-and-be-seen Tex-Mex hotspot were surprised to find the restaurant chain-locked over the weekend, with several "no trespassing" signs stating that the restaurant is closed until further notice. The phones have a similarly cryptic message that the space is temporarily closed and will reopen "soon."
Cinda Ward, co-owner with husband Armando Palacios, says the shuttering is temporary, and that the cause is a dispute between the couple and their business partner, Hydrocarbon Tech and its owner William Kelleher.
"He's filed a lawsuit, so we're dealing with all the legal business, but there are a lot of people on our side and we hope we can get it resolved," Ward said.
The disputing owners will be meeting today, so we hope to have more to report tonight or tomorrow.