Still lit: Fire Tacos & Cantina is planning to open on Capitol Hill’s 15th Ave E — eventually

(Image: Fire Tacos)

(Image: Fire Tacos)

By Brenna Gauchat

Good things come to those who wait. Since 2024, the West Seattle-born Mexican restaurant, Fire Tacos & Cantina, has been slated to expand to Capitol Hill.

Nearly two years after the family-owned business originally signed the deal to take over Coastal Kitchen’s former spot on 15th Ave E, permit challenges make for an unclear path to opening in the neighborhood.

Erika Torres, who owns Fire Tacos with her husband, Jorge, tells CHS the last thing standing between them and Fire’s grand opening has been the city’s approval on the restaurant’s remaining permits, some of which have been pending for over a year now.

In September 2024, real estate investor and restaurant owner veteran, Thomas Lin, purchased the roughly 4,000 square-foot space for $2.1 million dollars and Fire Tacos signed the deal to move in shortly afterward.

According to Torres, the Capitol Hill location has been ready to open for months, including the completion of all its renovations, interior design and decor. They expected all of their permits to get approved within a year of submitting them to the city.

But more than a year has passed and Fire’s owners are still unsure when they will receive the rest of their approvals and be able to set a solid date for an opening.

Fire Tacos will be taking over a more than 100-year-old building and — like many owners of other century-old spaces around Capitol Hill — the business is facing lots of challenges from those many years.

There are other issues at play, however.

According to Torres, city officials have told her staffing issues and the necessary precautions when approving older buildings, where hidden hazards or outdated codes are more likely to cause unexpected delays, have contributed to the prolonged process.

Torres said the biggest standstill at the moment is over the building’s plumbing. This usually includes sewage and drainage permits which can be a common bottleneck for businesses.

Records show a permit to replace the old building’s grease trap has been in City Hall limbo since the end of the Coastal Kitchen days in 2023.

In September 2024, CHS reported Fire would be opening a location on Capitol Hill. Looking back, Torres said if she had known how dragged out the timeline would become, she would have waited before saying anything about the new project.

These days, the messages are about keeping the faith.

Under an Instagram reel posted in June, a comment asked when the Capitol Hill location will be opening. Fire responded, “sooon … it’s been a journey!”

The block has changed since the early plans for the Capitol Hill Fire Tacos. Earlier this summer, Ada’s Technical Books and Cafe closed after 16 years of business on Capitol Hill and 13 on the street. Another empty neighbor has been filed as the former Casita shop was transformed last year into the new Mac and Milo’s Barbershop.

Across the street, the biggest neighborhood changes remain on hold. The QFC block redevelopment still in a holding pattern with developer Hunters Capital waiting for changes in the rental and construction lending markets before digging in. In the meantime, new temporary businesses like Sweet Mary’s Cherries are making the block home.

(Image: Fire Tacos)

Torres said she is still just as excited about the new location despite the long haul. The eventual opening will mark an exciting expansion for their business, which started as a food truck in Kent before expanding to Green Lake and eventually opening its first storefront on Alki Beach.

Fire Tacos is best known in West Seattle for their waterfront view, birria tacos, and the family’s multi-generational legacy in the West Coast Mexican food scene.

Earlier this year, the World Cup brought crowds of Fire’s regulars out to root for Mexico. Social media videos showed staff locked into the games as fans enjoyed their margaritas and Modelos at the bar.

Now, Torres said she is looking forward to starting a new chapter and finding their place in Capitol Hill.

According to Torres, the 15th Ave E location will bring the same beloved recipes and community spirit to the neighborhood, but design-wise, they have intentionally curated a unique aesthetic for the space, distinct from its beachfront sister location.

For more updates on Fire Tacos and Cantina’s opening at 427 15th Ave E, visit firetacosbirria.com or @firetacos_birria.

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