July 31, 2024

A fixture of the Sioux Falls restaurant scene for more than 40 years, today is Casa del Rey’s last day unless a new owner is found.

Cory O’Brien has owned the business at 901 W. Russell St. since 2016, purchasing it from Don Smith, who co-founded it in 1980.

“We just stuck to our roots,” O’Brien said. “Same recipes, same food and just friendly and good service. I think that’s pretty much all we’ve ever done.”

Other than a paper route, Casa del Rey was the first job O’Brien held — a bus boy at age 16. He never left.

“This is my 39th year working 60 hours a week, and I’ve got grandkids, and I just want to spend more time with family,” he said. “I’m not closing the restaurant because we’re not making money. I’m closing because I want to spend more time with family while the grandkids are small.”

The restaurant — both the operation itself, the building and the liquor license it includes — are listed for sale for almost $1.8 million with Ryan Tysdal of Van Buskirk Cos.

“The sale includes all the Casa del Rey brand and recipes and trade,” he said. “There are 12,000 people, daytime population, that work within a one-mile radius of that store. There’s a very real lunch crowd to be had out there, but you have to evolve, and I think something new … could make a ton of sense.”

The restaurant has “an awesome lunch crowd,” O’Brien agreed. “And our dinner crowd is just as strong if not stronger, but I’m just going to pass the torch to someone else.”

A new owner could retain the Casa del Rey brand or do something entirely different.

“The building is great shape,” Tysdal said. “It has a new roof, new HVAC. He’s invested well into the building, so while I think someone will come in and probably gut the interior, a lot of the bones of the building are very well kept.”

This is the original location, O’Brien said. At one time there also was one on the east side. When Casa del Rey opened, the only other full-service Mexican restaurant in town was Chi-Chi’s, O’Brien said.

“That’s all I can remember besides Taco John’s and Taco Bell,” he said.

“I just want to thank everybody for all their support and all their business throughout the years. We sure love them. I wish I was 20, but it’s just time to let somebody else try it. Hopefully, the next person opens it up as Casa del Rey. But I just want to tell everybody thanks for everything. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of people. I’ve served three generations of families that I know by name.”

The restaurant plans to close at 9 p.m. today.