The original location of Taco Mac closed after 46 years in Virginia-Highland, according to social media and a press release provided to Rough Draft. The sports bar and restaurant chain, known for its Buffalo wings and vast beer selection, first opened at the corner of Virginia and North Highland in 1979.
“After 46 years, we’re saying goodbye to our original Taco Mac in Virginia-Highlands — the spot where it all began,” the announcement read. “We are incredibly proud of what began in Virginia-Highlands.”
All staff members were offered positions at other Taco Mac locations around metro Atlanta.
While the restaurant chain now includes 28 locations, the Virginia-Highland Taco Mac was more of a local hangout spot, considered by many residents as their neighborhood bar.
“The closure reflects a thoughtful evolution of Taco Mac’s long-term strategy. As the company expands, it continues to invest in new markets, elevate guest experiences, and deliver on its promise of legendary hospitality and game day energy,” the statement continued.
One commenter on the Facebook post lamented that the property would probably become a new set of condos. However, a Taco Mac representative told Rough Draft that the Virginia-Highland restaurant would become a location of Virginia-based Jack Brown’s Beer & Burgers.
The representative declined to speak further on the closure, including what specifically led to the decision, other than it is part of “Taco Mac’s strategic evolution and regional growth plan.”
Related story: Taco Mac owners acquire Atlanta bar and burger institution The Vortex
Buffalo natives Greg Wakeham and Lou Chambers founded Taco Mac in Virginia-Highland in 1979.
Forming Tappan Street Restaurant Group in 2000, Wakeham and Chambers, along with their business partners, expanded the local restaurant chain to 25 franchise locations across three states. Dallas-based CIC Partners acquired Tappan Street in 2014.
The Taco Mac franchise changed hands again in 2018, acquired by Atlanta-based Fresh Hospitality, owned by Michael Bodnar, John Michael Bodnar, Mike Tidwell, and Morehouse alum and longtime Taco Mac diner Harold Martin, Jr. Martin now serves as the CEO of Taco Mac.
In 2021, the group closed the Lindbergh Taco Mac location after 15 years, citing safety concerns in the area as the reason for the closure. Two years later, Fresh Hospitality closed the downtown Decatur location after 22 years as part of the restaurant group’s regional growth strategy.
Martin and the Bodnars acquired Mary Mac’s Tea Room in 2020 and The Vortex in 2024. Martin is also a longtime patron of Mary Mac’s Tea Room.