For many Northeast Ohioans, July 5, 2022, was a dark day in dining. That was the day Luchita’s Mexican Restaurant closed after a remarkable 40-year run. Family matriarch Maria de la Luz Galindo opened the restaurant in 1981, making it one of the first Mexican restaurants on Cleveland’s west side.

Since the closure, there have been rumblings about reviving the iconic local brand, but the right time, place and opportunity have not yet come together for the Galindo family. But now they have, says Reynaldo Galindo.

For the past six months, Galindo and partners Jorge Sierra and Elisa Maria Galindo have been reshaping the former Balaton space at Shaker Square into Coyoacán, a venture that was to combine a fast-casual Mexican eatery with bar and microbrewery serving regional Mexican food. After much consideration, the plan has shifted to dedicate the second space to a new Luchita’s.