After 50 years serving the PNW twist on Mexican food, Taco Time on 45th and Corliss closed in July. According to an article published in The Seattle Times, business slowed significantly during the pandemic, and increases in the cost of labor and food caused them to close this location. The funky mirrored glass building, built in 1990, was soon covered with graffiti and its parking lot was littered with trash.
Taco Time had a special place in the hearts of locals, according to Eater Seattle, with Seattleites feeling sentimental about the Taco Time menu and the quirky building. This played out in many social media sites, with reactions to a July 10th post on the Wallingford/Fremont Community Facebook page, such as:
Ugh. So sad. This is literally the first place I ate when I moved to Seattle.
But other comments pointed to their dwindling business:
I couldn’t tell if they were open when I drove by…so I never stopped.
More like Sad Time.
The Seattle Times gave us the news that the site would be converted to a Chipotle franchise, and some folks were excited to have a well-known national food chain in the neighborhood:
Much better, bring on Chipotle!!
From our quick glance at the menu, it looks like Chipotle will be competing on price with other Mexican food restaurants, such as TNT Taqueria, just a block away. The food’s authenticity will be a subject for discussion.
Over the last several months, we watched them clean the building, resurface the parking lot, and put up new signage. This location will have a drive-through feeding onto 45th. While Corliss is already busy with traffic from nearby Ezell’s and Domino’s Pizza, we anticipate a busy corner.
But, if you have a hankering for their famous tater tots or crispy tacos, here’s a link for Taco Time locations.
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Super excited to see this funky building revitalized and given new life! Gotta hand it to Chipoltle for not dozing this building, but instead enhancing and resorting it's weird charm. Big win for Wallingford. This is how historic buildings should be saved.
When is it opening though??
Sign on the door last week said opening Jan 29th.
My son will be working there – they are def opening 29th!