The fast-casual concept, which opened in November 2024 inside the luxury mall, was designed as a streamlined, growth-oriented offshoot of the Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized Lola 55. At launch, ownership positioned L55 as a modern, operationally simplified version of the East Village flagship, one that could be replicated throughout San Diego County and, ultimately, beyond. Instead, the UTC experiment has become the second recent contraction for the brand.
Lola 55’s Carlsbad outpost closed in 2025 after less than two years in business, marking the brand’s first notable retreat outside its original East Village home. L55 was meant to represent the next chapter, a tighter, more flexible format tailored for high-traffic retail environments. Its menu centered on core proteins available as tacos, bowls, and burritos, an operational model intended to support speed, consistency, and scalability. That vision did not translate into longevity at UTC.
The closure comes amid broader tenant turnover at Westfield UTC as the property undergoes a major luxury repositioning. Several retail and restaurant tenants have recently exited, including Tesla, OluKai, The News Stand, The Winery Restaurant, and Menya Ultra also listed its UTC branch for sale. The shifting mall environment may have contributed to traffic volatility, but L55’s short lifespan underscores the difficulty of translating a chef-driven, acclaim-based brand into a formula built for replication.
Lola 55’s original East Village restaurant, opened in 2018 by Frank Vizcarra, built its reputation on elevated Mexican street food, agave-forward cocktails, and polished yet approachable service. The concept benefited from strong early buzz and Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. But scaling a restaurant built on personality, place, and perception is materially different from operating a single successful flagship.
The UTC closure now leaves the company in a pivotal moment as it prepares to open its most ambitious project yet: an 8,800-square-foot full-service Lola 55 in Liberty Station. That address carries its own history.
The sprawling Liberty Station space previously housed El Jardin, a highly publicized modern Mexican restaurant that closed and rebranded after a brief tenure despite a James Beard nomination for its founding chef and a glowing New York Times review. It later operated as GoGo Amigo, which also failed to gain traction. Both concepts struggled despite heavy investment, design pedigree, and initial publicity. Large-format Mexican restaurants in that specific location have not historically demonstrated staying power.
Lola 55 is now betting that its brand equity, built in a far smaller East Village footprint, can succeed where two prior Mexican concepts could not. The Liberty Station project represents a significant escalation in scale and financial exposure compared to the original Lola 55. At nearly 9,000 square feet with indoor-outdoor service, bar programming, and expanded culinary offerings, it is positioned not as a modest expansion, but as a flagship statement.
With Carlsbad closed and L55 shuttered, the Liberty Station opening will serve as a defining test of the brand’s long-term viability beyond its original neighborhood roots. Expansion in hospitality is rarely linear. But in a span of roughly 18 months, Lola 55 has seen two outward-facing growth efforts contract before fully maturing. Whether Liberty Station represents a reset or a doubling down remains to be seen.
For now, L55 Tacos & More has officially exited Westfield UTC, and the brand’s scalability strategy faces renewed scrutiny as it prepares for its largest launch to date.
For more information on the Lola 55 brand, visit lola55.com.
Originally published on February 13, 2026.
