El Mundo Closing Frankfort Ave. Location: Will it Return?

Restaurants

Dec 14

We’re just a couple of weeks away from saying farewell to a Louisville dining mainstay. El Mundo, long a fixture on Frankfort Avenue, announced this week it will close the restaurant Dec. 30. The much newer location in the Highlands will continue on.

The restaurant announced on its Facebook page that it will be “restructuring” the original location in the coming months. Which seems to be their way of saying the El Mundo so many know and love won’t be coming back. Officially, however, it’s “on pause.”

“We are announcing our decision to put the original, quirky, tiny Frankfort Avenue location on pause until the Spring,” the restaurant announced. “In the meantime, we will be opening a full 7 days a week on Bardstown Road as of Jan 2nd and bringing our staff over from Frankfort Ave.”

Founded in 1995, El Mundo serves a style of fare that was conceived by founding partner Bea Chamberlain, who spent time in Mexico, California, Seattle, and Denver before opening the place that started out serving burritos on paper plates. Tiny, main-floor dining space features mosaic-topped tables, a dining counter looking out over Frankfort Avenue and a view of workers assembling dishes. Upstairs is a more formal, but still small, dining area with a bar. And in recent years, the restaurant built the rear outdoor patio space from bare gravel and concrete tables to an enclosed space with a small bar.

The food, of course, has remained unique, with rotating specials and recipes unlike any other Latin restaurant in the city. El Mundo serves a style of fare that was conceived by founding partner Bea Chamberlain, who spent time in Mexico, California, Seattle, and Denver before opening the place that started out serving burritos on paper plates. The place is renowned for its house margaritas, and the house hot sauces are delicious as well. But the mole sauce? It’s like dark chocolate.

Luckily, the food will remain. But so many Louisvillians have fond memories of dining at the Clifton/Crescent Hill location that, even if it does return in a different form, things won’t ever seem the same. But times change.

“Since the pandemic, folks have been overwhelmingly choosing our Bardstown Road location where we have so much more space and a much bigger bar, in addition to the convenience of a parking lot,” the restaurant said in making the announcment. “With its large kitchen, we will have the opportunity to expand menu offerings & add catering, as well as accommodate large parties and events with ease. Additionally, look for us to add an exciting Taco Menu as well as Brunch items soon. We will be restructuring Frankfort Ave in the coming months.”