In July 2020, Victor Esqueda and Alejandro Hernandez brought their Kansas City, Mo., restaurant to Johnson County.
Since opening at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly five years ago, Esqueda said Ixtapa Fine Mexican Cuisine’s time in Overland Park has been “like a rollercoaster.”
This past weekend, that rollercoaster screeched to a halt, with the restaurant announcing it has closed its doors in Overland Park.
A printed message taped to the restaurant’s door on Wednesday said, “Due to unforeseen events, we have closed this Ixtapa location.”
The same sign alludes to “great plans for the future,” but Esqueda said for now, he is focusing on his other location in Kansas City’s Northland and does not have plans to reopen in Johnson County anytime soon.
Ixtapa was at 7305 W. 95th St.
- The restaurant occupied a strip mall space just off 95th Street and Metcalf Avenue.
- Before Ixtapa moved into that space, it was previously occupied by breakfast eatery First Watch.
- Ixtapa also neighbored other eateries like the new Sickie’s Garage burger joint and Mud Pie Bakery (which recently moved to Mission).
Ixtapa faced financial and logistical challenges
During its five years, Esqueda said the restaurant never had the permits for a larger sign — though he tried to supplement that lack by putting up his own signs closer to the busy junction nearby, advertising the restaurant.
Business remained pretty steady during the weekends, he said, but that wasn’t enough to keep the restaurant afloat throughout the work week.
“On the weekends, we were good, but I cannot survive only off the weekends,” he said.
Another challenge came when food prices soared in recent months.
Combined with rising rent for the space itself, Esqueda said it became financially unsustainable to continue on without raising prices for customers — which he didn’t want to do.
“Everything increased for us, ” he said. “I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Ixtapa has one more location in the KC area
Though Ixtapa’s time is up for now in Johnson County, Esqueda said the restaurant’s other location in Kansas City’s Northland will remain open.
That location has been in business for roughly two decades, and he said he hopes to see some of Overland Park’s familiar faces there.
Over the years, Esqueda’s goal has been to stick to an authentic approach when it comes to Mexican cuisine. He grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico, and served many of his family’s recipes — avoiding any form of “Tex-Mex” as best as he could.
“I like to say, we are not the best Mexican restaurant (in the area) — we are the only one,” he said.
This concept was novel for the area at the time, Esqueda said, and his Overland Park regulars got what he was trying to do and appreciated it.
“We have so many loyal customers, and they were more than my customers — they were like my friends or like a part of the family,” he said. “When they come in, they don’t even need a menu.”
When prices come down and circumstances start to look up again, Esqueda said he’d like to bring Ixtapa back to for those regulars.
Though he won’t be in a position to reopen in Johnson County any time soon, Esqueda said he hopes it can happen eventually.
“I love them and miss them so much,” he said about his customers on Wednesday. “I hope to see them soon.”
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