Chava’s Closes After 24 Years Serving Homestyle Mexican Food in the Mission

Chava’s Restaurant, a longstanding Mexican eatery in San Francisco’s Mission District, is closing its doors after 24 years. Located just off 24th Street on Mission, the restaurant stopped serving food earlier this month and will officially close on July 15. The closure follows years of economic challenges, including a slow recovery from the pandemic and a declining local customer base.

Owner Elba Hernandez, who began working at Chava’s in the 1990s and later purchased the business in 2002, cited rising costs and shifting neighborhood demographics as key reasons for the shutdown. The restaurant is now selling off its kitchen equipment, furnishings, and decorations, including a jukebox and traditional dinnerware, in an effort to recoup some of its losses. Hernandez hopes to reopen Chava’s in a smaller space in the future but plans to take a break before pursuing new opportunities.

Thanks to Mission Local for the scoop.