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, which took the place of Club 21 Mexican Restaurant at 2920 N. Oracle Road in December 2019, will serve its final meals on Saturday, May 24. Club 21 had been in the space for 73 years before closing in summer 2019.

at 7109 N. Oracle in the Casas Adobes Plaza, the health-conscious vegan- and vegetarian-friendly cousin of the Flores family鈥檚 El Charro Caf茅, will shutter on May 25 after six years.

鈥淭his decision was not made lightly,鈥� area manager Stacy Ethington said in a written statement on Thursday, adding that Charro Vida had a hard time gaining traction after it was forced to close for several months less than a year after it opened in spring 2019 due to the pandemic.

鈥淥nce the pandemic fog was lifted, many dining customers wanted to return to their favorite experiences and Charro Vida simply was too new to ever get the type of traction a restaurant needs when met with the higher costs of operations that we have today,鈥� he said.

El Chinito Gordo in a May 6 Facebook post, announced its closure and thanked its customers, family and friends, but gave no reason.

鈥淭hroughout this journey, through everyday challenges and even a pandemic 鈥� we鈥檝e learned, grown and built lasting friendships,鈥� the post stated.

Manager and hostess Maria Ochoa said the restaurant had long been struggling.

鈥淚t was a hard time for the restaurant to keep going,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have just kept trying and trying, but at one point, it was not enough.鈥�

Owners Bianca and Lenny Mark, who also own the Cantonese Chinese restaurant at 1754 W. Ajo Way, could not be reached for additional comment.

The couple opened in December 2019 with partners Felicia Chavez and Mark Bonillas. Bianca Mark told the Star shortly after the restaurant opened that the name, which meant chubby Chinese guy, was a loving nod to her husband.

El Chinito Gordo鈥檚 menu was inspired by recipes handed down by Bianca Mark鈥檚 family from Guadalajara, including the popular chile relleno con camarones that diners raved about on Yelp and the house chorizo burger, a hamburger smothered in a spicy chorizo sauce with melted Oaxaca cheese reminiscent of a sloppy joe.

Tacos come in 17 varieties, from bean and cheese, al pastor and chicken tinga with chorizo, to fried or grilled fish and carne asada or birria with Hot Cheetos.

The restaurant also is known for its inventive margaritas that fuse iconic local ingredients, including prickly pear, jalape帽os and chamoy.

Charro Vida was the brainchild of El Charro matriarch Carlotta Flores, who wanted to fuse the Sonoran Mexican flavors from her family鈥檚 legendary restaurant with Mediterranean dietary concepts that emphasized healthier eating.

The menu catered to a wide swath of dietary needs from vegan to plant-based, keto to gluten-free, vegetarian to meat-based. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit months after the opening, the restaurant pivoted to more portable options, including grain bowls, which caused confusion for customers as well as the restaurant, Ethington said.

鈥淲hile we had high hopes for Charro Vida ... the reality of operating during a global pandemic and the subsequent shifts in consumer behavior proved to be more than we anticipated,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e made mistakes along the way trying to cater to so many diets and lifestyles, from our inability to attract the same folks to dinner who were buying dinner at our neighboring Whole Foods, to not having a menu that was profitable as it was trying to meet the many preferences of our guests.鈥�

Charro Vida is one of several Flores family restaurants under the Si Charro umbrella, including the 103-year-old flagship El Charro Caf茅, with three aAve.; The Monica at 40 E. Congress St.; and Charro Steak & del Rey at 188 E. Broadway.

Last chance

鈥� El Chinito Gordo鈥檚 hours through May 24: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays and until 9 p.m. Saturdays, including its final Saturday, May 24.

鈥� Charro Vida鈥檚 hours until May 25: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, except the final Sunday, May 25, when it will close at 3 p.m.