Glena’s Tacos and Margaritas, a buzzy Dogpatch spot that began as a Potrero Hill pop-up, has been temporarily shuttered, its owners confirm, and plans on its return remain unclear.

Michael Gaines, a veteran chef at boldfaced restaurants like Kin Khao and Manresa, and wife Stephanie (who served a stint at Plow) moved Glena’s from Provender Coffee Shop to its own space at 632 20th Street in 2016, and by 2017 it had merited a visit from then-SF Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer, who said that he would “be a regular on those weekend lunches when I want something good and don’t want to drive far.”

By fall of 2017, Glena’s had evolved from its fast-casual model to full table service, typically a sign that business is on the upswing. Glena’s upgraded again in spring of 2018, adding a new cocktail menu and bringing on bar star Mathew Campbell as its beverage director. As recently as September, Glena’s announced that it was expanding its hours, and would start serving food and drinks seven days a week.

Eve Batey

According to area residents who contacted Eater SF, the business has been dark for the last few weeks, and the restaurant’s once vigorous Instagram presence has been silent since November 11. While the restaurant’s website remains online, listing its menu of tacos, burgers, and cocktails with names like “Lionel Ritchie” (rum, lime, and lavender), links to catering and delivery options are now dead, and where business hours were once listed, there’s now only one word: “Closed.” During an Eater visit during operating hours on Wednesday, the door was locked, the lights were out, and the shades were drawn. A fan of the restaurant tells Eater SF that they noticed that the spot had been shuttered since before Thanksgiving.

According Jeff Lyon, the owner of the nearby jerky bar Third Rail (that’s not a comment on its patrons — the spot specializes in cocktails and a wide range of jerky), Glena’s hasn’t been open since at least November 16. “We were sad to see Glena’s go,” Lyon tells Eater SF, as the restaurant “brought more people to our dark side street” and was “a great place to go for pre- and post- shift tacos.”

A source close to the business expressed surprise that it had shuttered — even temporarily — as the restaurant always seemed busy and appeared to do a brisk trade via delivery app. When contacted by Eater, the Gaineses first agreed to a conversation, then fell silent. Michael Gaines eventually only said, in an email, “We are not closed. Temporary,” but did not respond to requests for more information. Eater SF will update this article when additional details are available.

• Glena’s Tacos and Margaritas Gets a Home in the Dogpatch [ESF]
• The Party Starts at Glena’s Tacos and Margaritas This Wednesday [ESF]
• Glena’s Tacos Evolves With Full Cocktail Menu, Table-Service Format in Dogpatch [ESF]