Downtown Disney restaurant closing after 20 years — What could replace it?

A Downtown Disney restaurant that has been serving signature margaritas and tableside guacamole for two decades is closing as a trio of Mexican eateries prepares to debut this spring and eight more restaurants and bars get set to open later this year at the Anaheim mall.

Tortilla Jo’s will close on March 31 at the outdoor shopping mall next to Disneyland while the restaurant’s grab-and-go taqueria will remain open until April 13.

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Tortilla Jo’s is offering Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day promotions to entice long-time customers who wish to raise a final toast to the Downtown Disney establishment. Reservations can be made through March 25 with walk-ins available for the final week of service.

The Patina Restaurant Group’s Mexican-style cantina is closing to make way for a trio of new restaurant concepts featuring Mexican cuisine by Michelin-starred chef Carlos Gaytán.

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Downtown Disney’s culinary scene is undergoing a major overhaul with 11 new restaurant and bar concepts set to open this year.

Gaytán’s Paseo restaurant, Centrico courtyard bar and Tiendita grab-and-go stand are set to open this spring in the space formerly occupied by the Patina group’s Catal restaurant and Uva bar.

The Parkside Market food hall-concept by the Levy Group will feature Seoul Sister (Korean rice bowls), Sip & Sonder (Caribbean-inspired coffee house), GG’s Chicken Shop (Rotisserie and fried chicken sandwiches) and a rooftop bar.

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Also coming to Downtown Disney in 2024: Din Tai Fung soup dumplings and noodles, Porto’s Bakery and a new permanent Earl of Sandwich shop with a rooftop tavern bar.

Patina hasn’t said if it plans to hang onto the Tortilla Jo’s location and Disneyland hasn’t announced what type of restaurant might fill the space. Patina operates the Naples restaurant and Napolini Pizzeria at Downtown Disney.

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At Walt Disney World, Patina operates The Edison (Classic American fare in an industrial gothic setting), Morimoto Asia (Pan-Asian flavors served from an exhibition kitchen) and Enzo’s Hideaway (Prohibition era speakeasy).

Levy also has a long-standing presence at Disney Springs with the Paddlefish seafood eatery. Both Patina and Levy have Italian concepts at Disney World’s outdoor mall that would be redundant at Downtown Disney.

What else could replace Tortilla Jo’s?

Disneyland officials have said they want to bring more Disney Springs-style food and beverage retailers to the Anaheim theme park resort.

The DisneylandForward proposal teased Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar as the kind of Indiana Jones-themed bar that Anaheim is missing out on under current city development guidelines.

Other popular Disney Springs food and beverage options that could work in the Tortilla Jo’s space at Downtown Disney include Gideon’s Bakery, Ragland Road Irish Pub and the new Summer House on the Lake.