Paco’s Mexican Cuisine has closed its Sundance Square Plaza location at 156 W 4th St. after three years. The closure was announced via Instagram on June 11, 2025. Chef “Paco” Islas made this decision to focus on his new concept, Shōgun Taqueria, located in the Near Southside.
Highlights
- The restaurant closes after three years at Sundance Square Plaza.
- Owners shift focus to new Shōgun Taqueria concept location.
- Service industry challenges cited as reason for closure.
Paco’s Says Goodbye to Sundance Square
Paco’s Mexican Cuisine officially ended its run at the prominent Sundance Square Plaza location this week. Founded by Francisco “Paco” Islas and his family, the restaurant brought authentic Mexican cuisine from Pachuca, Mexico to downtown Fort Worth.
The establishment had operated for 21 years across three Fort Worth locations. It originally started in 2007 as Paco & John, a breakfast cafe on Eighth Avenue. The restaurant was founded by Islas and his father, Francisco, representing a family from Pachuca, Mexico. Paco’s was once on Texas Monthly’s list of the 50 best Mexican restaurants in Texas.
The restaurant was popular for its traditional dishes like tlacoyos, a stuffed-masa appetizer, as well as birria tacos and sizzling molcajete. These authentic recipes reflected the family’s heritage and dedication to authentic Mexican food…