Tallula’s to Close Entrada Drive Restaurant

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Those who want to dine on a plate of Nachos Sencillo or sip on a margarita at Felix’s Bar one last time are invited to visit Tallula’s on Entrada Drive before it closes August 20 after six years of serving Mexican food in a “casual, neighborhood” setting.

“Tallula’s was birthed out of love,” Co-Owners Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan wrote in an emailed statement. “Named after our daughter who was 3 when it opened, the inspiration came from the fact that Zoe and I grew up having many happy experiences at Marix Tex Mex, the restaurant that inhabited the space at 118 Entrada for the previous 30 years.”

The family moved back to Santa Monica Canyon with their three children when Marix’s owners were getting ready to move on, the statement continued. Although Tallula’s saw a “very strong” opening, the owners faced “challenges that persisted” through the restaurant’s run.

“We made mistakes for sure, encountered some obstacles beyond our control, and ultimately it just didn’t work and never found its footing,” according to the statement. “In this very difficult restaurant economy, the most challenging we’ve experienced in our almost 17 years of operations throughout our nine places, it no longer was sustainable to keep Tallula’s open.”

Tallula’s was a part of the Rustic Canyon Family of restaurants, which also includes Rustic Canyon, Huckleberry Bakery & Café, Sweet Rose Creamery, Milo + Olive, Cassia, Esters Wine Shop & Bar, Birdie G’s, and The Dutchess.

“Our Rustic Canyon Family includes a variety of dining destinations, all in partnership with some of our favorite people and incredibly talented chefs,” according to its website. “We embrace seasonality and make as much as possible in-house using classic craftsmanship and technique, while sourcing the highest-quality ingredients from local farmers and vendors with sustainable practices.”

Tallula’s, which will not offer brunch this weekend ahead of the closure, will operate on adjusted hours: Thursday, August 17, from 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday, August 18, from 4 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, August 19, from 3 to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, August 20, from 3 to 9 p.m. for its final day.

“We will miss having margaritas and nachos in the bar, eating whole fish with handmade tortillas, and so much more,” the email concluded. “The spirit of the restaurant lives on in our heart, and the lessons we learned from this roller coaster-of-a-ride that was Tallula’s will continue to help shape our other restaurants and new ventures to come.”

For more information, visit tallulasrestaurant.com.