Taikoo Li Mexican Stalwart Cantina Agave to Close With All-Night Happy Hour on Oct 21

We hate to say adios, so we will just say gracias" begins the notice that is sure to sadden Beijing fans of long-running Taikooli Mexican restaurant Cantina Agave, who today announced that they will be closing their doors this coming Saturday, Oct 21.

PR head Marlon Ma made the announcement via WeChat, saying the Beijing branch of the Shanghai taco-and-tequila slinging brand will bow out with one last hurrah that will include RMB 30 sangrias and RMB 20 Coronas from 7pm until closing.

"We want to say thank you all for all your support over the past years, along with all the laughs and tears, margaritas and tequilas, tacos and burritos, good times and bad that we had," Ma wrote on behalf of his Cantina Agave cohorts.

Along with Element Fresh, Wagas, and Blue Frog, Cantina Agave was part of a wave of Shanghai F&B imports that washed over Beijing a few years back, all of which became immediate hits. In fact, each of those restaurants all but dominated Taikooli (then known as The Village) for much of the late '00s and early '10s. Cantina Agave stood out from the others – which either offered more standard American fare or strived for healthier angles – as an early Beijing proponent of Tex-Mex fare, along with becoming a fun party spot for many patrons thanks to its potent drinks and spacious terrace.

But while the other Shanghai rooted establishments flourished, branching out with other outlets in town, Cantina Agave never saw such spinoff success. What's more, the restaurant began facing stiff competition from homegrown Mexican eateries such as Taco Bar and Q Mex.

There has been no official notice as to why Cantina Agave is closing and we had not been able to reach Ma or any other management at time of publication. It also appears that their Shanghai location is unaffected by the Beijing closure and will remain open.

Today's farewell announcement from Cantina Agave is just one of many sudden shutterings in Beijing as of late. Others include Sanlitun's The Tree, Moxi Moxi (whose third hutong-based reincarnation got shut down yet again in September), as well as Galaxy Soho's Modernsky Lab livehouse a couple of weeks back.

One silver lining: Cantina Agave's farewell party on Saturday should provide a fun night out on an otherwise very quiet weekend. We'll look forward to downing a few bittersweet tequila shots with the crew and eagerly await what the talented staff has planned next for Beijing's ever evolving F&B scene.

Photo: the Beijinger