La Fachada, the Logan Heights restaurant owned and operated by brothers Enrique and Jose Guadalupe Tello, is expected to cease operations as early as this February but could be months away, according to information shared with SanDiegoVille. The closure comes after decades of service to the community and follows unsuccessful negotiations between the restaurant and the property’s owner over a renewed lease.
Founded in 1992, La Fachada serves Tijuana-style Mexican food from its modest storefront at 2025 25th Street, becoming a late-night staple and neighborhood gathering place for Logan Heights and surrounding communities. Known for its carne asada, al pastor, birria, housemade tortillas, and vibrant salsas, the restaurant built a loyal following not through trend-chasing, but through consistency, affordability, and cultural authenticity.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the property changed hands following the death of longtime owner Anthony Bedford, a major San Diego commercial property holder known for maintaining long-term, often flexible relationships with tenants, many of them immigrant-owned small businesses. The property was inherited by his son, Malic Bedford, and despite reported efforts to reach a new lease agreement, terms could not be finalized.
In an email to SanDiegoVille, Bedford stated that the eviction is tied to La Fachada’s failure to maintain required insurance coverage. According to Bedford, during a period when the restaurant allegedly did not carry insurance, an incident occurred that has since resulted in a lawsuit seeking approximately $5 million in damages against him as the property owner.
Public court records confirm that a civil case titled Benjamin v. La Fachada (Case No. 25CU041450C) was filed on August 7, 2025, in San Diego County Superior Court. The case is categorized as an unlimited civil action involving personal injury and is currently pending in the Central Division. The named defendants include La Fachada, Enrique Tello, and Malic92113 LLC.
Bedford stated that the alleged lapse in insurance coverage exposed him to significant liability as the property owner. He also said that the restaurant’s business is structured as a 50-50 partnership between two brothers and that he has made arrangements with Enrique Tello’s brother, Lupe, to rent the location once Enrique vacates the premises. Bedford characterized the situation as more complex than it may appear publicly and indicated there was “more to the story.”
Jose Guadalupe "Lupe" Tello, who identified himself as one of La Fachada’s founders and a 50 percent partner in the business, provided SanDiegoVille with his own account of the circumstances surrounding the closure. According to Lupe, the restaurant is shutting down due to internal mismanagement of funds and deteriorating relations between him and his brother Enrique. He stated that while he has consistently paid his share of rent and utilities, the business is now facing eviction due to overdue rent. He further alleged that financial records were withheld from him and that he was not legally recognized as an owner, limiting his ability to participate in administrative decisions.
Lupe also described longstanding personal and financial conflict between the families and questioned how funds were allocated in recent years. He characterized the closure as the result of internal disputes and administrative decisions rather than solely insurance-related exposure.
SanDiegoVille has not independently verified the financial claims. The situation appears to involve both a pending civil lawsuit and an internal ownership dispute, alongside landlord-tenant issues related to lease compliance and rent obligations.
Public records show that the property where La Fachada has operated has also been the subject of redevelopment proposals involving alcohol production. Plans submitted to the Southeastern San Diego Planning Group’s Projects Committee show a Neighborhood Use Permit application for a craft distillery and tasting room at the La Fachada site. The proposal envisioned beer distillation, bottling, a full bar, a gift shop, and a redesigned courtyard at the existing restaurant location, with a companion whiskey distillation facility planned nearby on Imperial Avenue.
During that meeting, committee members raised concerns about neighborhood saturation of alcohol-serving establishments, parking impacts, odor mitigation, security, and whether the project would meaningfully benefit the surrounding community. The committee ultimately declined to advance the proposal at that time, requesting that it return for further review after additional city-level evaluation. While those plans never materialized, the records underscore that the La Fachada property has long been viewed by ownership as a potential redevelopment site, adding further context to the restaurant’s forced closure amid renewed uncertainty about the future of the space.
At this time, there has been no official announcement regarding the future use of the building. Jose Guadalupe Tello stated that he hopes to eventually open a new, smaller independent restaurant concept, though plans remain in early stages.
For many residents, La Fachada’s impending closure represents more than the loss of a restaurant. It reflects a broader and increasingly familiar pattern in Logan Heights and Barrio Logan, where longtime, culturally significant businesses are being displaced amid rising property values, generational ownership changes, and redevelopment pressures that often leave little room for legacy operators.
The timing of La Fachada’s exit has only intensified those concerns. Less than half a mile away, Las Cuatro Milpas, one of San Diego’s most historic and culturally important Mexican restaurants, also closed its original Barrio Logan location recently after the sale of its nearly century-old property. While the Estudillo family has publicly stated its intention to reopen Las Cuatro Milpas in a new location, the original building now sits vacant, another stark reminder of how quickly neighborhood institutions can vanish.
Together, the closures underscore a pivotal moment for Logan Heights and Barrio Logan, neighborhoods long defined by family-run eateries, multigenerational ownership, and deep cultural roots. As new investment and redevelopment continue to reshape the area, the question facing the community is not just what will replace these spaces, but what is lost when they are gone.
For now, La Fachada’s final days mark the end of a decades-long chapter, one written in late-night tacos, shared tables, and the quiet endurance of a small business that fed generations without ever trying to be anything other than what it was.
Founded in 1992, La Fachada serves Tijuana-style Mexican food from its modest storefront at 2025 25th Street, becoming a late-night staple and neighborhood gathering place for Logan Heights and surrounding communities. Known for its carne asada, al pastor, birria, housemade tortillas, and vibrant salsas, the restaurant built a loyal following not through trend-chasing, but through consistency, affordability, and cultural authenticity.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the property changed hands following the death of longtime owner Anthony Bedford, a major San Diego commercial property holder known for maintaining long-term, often flexible relationships with tenants, many of them immigrant-owned small businesses. The property was inherited by his son, Malic Bedford, and despite reported efforts to reach a new lease agreement, terms could not be finalized.
In an email to SanDiegoVille, Bedford stated that the eviction is tied to La Fachada’s failure to maintain required insurance coverage. According to Bedford, during a period when the restaurant allegedly did not carry insurance, an incident occurred that has since resulted in a lawsuit seeking approximately $5 million in damages against him as the property owner.
Public court records confirm that a civil case titled Benjamin v. La Fachada (Case No. 25CU041450C) was filed on August 7, 2025, in San Diego County Superior Court. The case is categorized as an unlimited civil action involving personal injury and is currently pending in the Central Division. The named defendants include La Fachada, Enrique Tello, and Malic92113 LLC.
Bedford stated that the alleged lapse in insurance coverage exposed him to significant liability as the property owner. He also said that the restaurant’s business is structured as a 50-50 partnership between two brothers and that he has made arrangements with Enrique Tello’s brother, Lupe, to rent the location once Enrique vacates the premises. Bedford characterized the situation as more complex than it may appear publicly and indicated there was “more to the story.”
Jose Guadalupe "Lupe" Tello, who identified himself as one of La Fachada’s founders and a 50 percent partner in the business, provided SanDiegoVille with his own account of the circumstances surrounding the closure. According to Lupe, the restaurant is shutting down due to internal mismanagement of funds and deteriorating relations between him and his brother Enrique. He stated that while he has consistently paid his share of rent and utilities, the business is now facing eviction due to overdue rent. He further alleged that financial records were withheld from him and that he was not legally recognized as an owner, limiting his ability to participate in administrative decisions.
Lupe also described longstanding personal and financial conflict between the families and questioned how funds were allocated in recent years. He characterized the closure as the result of internal disputes and administrative decisions rather than solely insurance-related exposure.
SanDiegoVille has not independently verified the financial claims. The situation appears to involve both a pending civil lawsuit and an internal ownership dispute, alongside landlord-tenant issues related to lease compliance and rent obligations.
Public records show that the property where La Fachada has operated has also been the subject of redevelopment proposals involving alcohol production. Plans submitted to the Southeastern San Diego Planning Group’s Projects Committee show a Neighborhood Use Permit application for a craft distillery and tasting room at the La Fachada site. The proposal envisioned beer distillation, bottling, a full bar, a gift shop, and a redesigned courtyard at the existing restaurant location, with a companion whiskey distillation facility planned nearby on Imperial Avenue.
During that meeting, committee members raised concerns about neighborhood saturation of alcohol-serving establishments, parking impacts, odor mitigation, security, and whether the project would meaningfully benefit the surrounding community. The committee ultimately declined to advance the proposal at that time, requesting that it return for further review after additional city-level evaluation. While those plans never materialized, the records underscore that the La Fachada property has long been viewed by ownership as a potential redevelopment site, adding further context to the restaurant’s forced closure amid renewed uncertainty about the future of the space.
At this time, there has been no official announcement regarding the future use of the building. Jose Guadalupe Tello stated that he hopes to eventually open a new, smaller independent restaurant concept, though plans remain in early stages.
For many residents, La Fachada’s impending closure represents more than the loss of a restaurant. It reflects a broader and increasingly familiar pattern in Logan Heights and Barrio Logan, where longtime, culturally significant businesses are being displaced amid rising property values, generational ownership changes, and redevelopment pressures that often leave little room for legacy operators.
The timing of La Fachada’s exit has only intensified those concerns. Less than half a mile away, Las Cuatro Milpas, one of San Diego’s most historic and culturally important Mexican restaurants, also closed its original Barrio Logan location recently after the sale of its nearly century-old property. While the Estudillo family has publicly stated its intention to reopen Las Cuatro Milpas in a new location, the original building now sits vacant, another stark reminder of how quickly neighborhood institutions can vanish.
Together, the closures underscore a pivotal moment for Logan Heights and Barrio Logan, neighborhoods long defined by family-run eateries, multigenerational ownership, and deep cultural roots. As new investment and redevelopment continue to reshape the area, the question facing the community is not just what will replace these spaces, but what is lost when they are gone.
For now, La Fachada’s final days mark the end of a decades-long chapter, one written in late-night tacos, shared tables, and the quiet endurance of a small business that fed generations without ever trying to be anything other than what it was.
Originally published on February 11, 2026.
