Tortilla Factory in Herndon To Close March 1st.

Goodbye. Rumor is the owner owes money to the Town of Herndon for meal taxes.

Not surprised. Last time ate there noticed all their trucks in parking lot had boots on them and late tax notices from Herndon plastered on windows.

Ate their a couple of times, most recently about 10 years ago. I was pretty good.

food still isn't bad and business the times i've gone lately didn't seem too bad neither

so must be something else

herndon retail/restaurant sector is sure going to shit

Goodbye Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tortilla Factory in Herndon To Close March 1st.
>


America loses more manufacturing jobs.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm

Was a good place years ago,,,,but..

the last time i was there. " 4 months ago" the fuckin food sucked!! how do you fuck up taco's?
well, you serve them ice cold! thats fuckin how! no taste, no spice, no hot sauce on the table. really, how do you fuck up a taco?.
then serve the other person your with, another cold shitty dish, fuck up on the drinks.. serve the wrong drinks. fuck them, sent the food back and left.

glad they are going! must have been new owners. It was a good place back in the day. I dare you to eat at tortilla factory and tell me it's good.

So sad. I used to hang out there back in the 80s, before there was Rio Grande or any of those other chain places. Tortilla Factory was the bomb!

"The bomb" is now a sparkler that will not light.

Just read confirmation on closing. May not make it to March 1.

http://herndon.patch.com/articles/town-of-herndon-considers-injunction-against-tortilla-factory

Closing had nothing to do with the food.

At least there is justice in this world. Lived and owned a business for YEARS in Herndon and got out of Dodge last year as we were fed up with bureaucracy in Herndon. Miscalculated our business taxes by less then ten cents (a dime!) and you would have thought we were going to bankrupt the town and skip out. I could paper the Tortilla Factory with the notices I got (and we paid within the week!).

When I read the Tortilla Factory had been COLLECTING taxes from customers for YEARS and then NOT paying the town I wanted to scream. My taxes came out of my pocket; I was not offered the luxury of someone else paying for them. There could be no reason for not paying taxes due unless the money went elsewhere. Yes, business times are tough but you play by the rules or do not play at all.

I am glad to see that the law prevailed. Still not moving back to Herndon, though.

Marina Wrote:
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> When I read the Tortilla Factory had been COLLECTING taxes from customers for YEARS and then NOT paying the town I wanted to scream. My taxes came out of my pocket; I was not offered the luxury of someone else paying for them.

You didn't price your services to cover the cost of taxes?

That sounds completely bogus, or you didn't really understand how to run a business.

Tortilla Factory in Herndon sucks. The food is horrible, cold, old, service poor...

duh! Wrote:
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> Tortilla Factory in Herndon sucks. The food is
> horrible, cold, old, service poor...


That having been said, it was also a local landmark, place where a lot of native Reston/Herndoners grew up, and one of the few places left in Herndon worth stopping off at, (horrible food and all).

Herndon says that it wants to revitalize their downtown business district and start attracting more customers and shoppers, then they alienate every business willing to stick around and help to force the closure of a 30+ year local institution. Soon Herndon is going to be nothing but bodegas, pawn-shops, and liquor stores.

I have eaten a few times in the past couple years at the Tortilla Factory and the food was always good and reasonably priced. Never had a bad meal there.

This is also the home of the very active Reston-Herndon Folk Club, which holds its Tuesday night open-mikes there. I've played at the open mike many times and always liked the atmosphere. I hope the folk club can find another location that is remotely as good.

Here's a video of me playing a couple months ago at the Tortilla Factory:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tA50DV488Q

I will miss this place!

Loitering

bkovacs Wrote:
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> This is also the home of the very active
> Reston-Herndon Folk Club, which holds its Tuesday
> night open-mikes there. I've played at the open
> mike many times and always liked the atmosphere. I
> hope the folk club can find another location that
> is remotely as good.


That's another good point. Tortilla Factory isn't "just" a restaurant. It's become a meeting spot for a lot of local groups, a constant participant in local charity drives, and a perennial spot for Girl Scout cookie drives and other community related activities. Herndon isn't just losing a restaurant, they're losing a community center as well.......... Boy, they really screwed the pooch on this one.

WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Goodbye Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Tortilla Factory in Herndon To Close March 1st.
> >
>
>
> America loses more manufacturing jobs.

I heard rumors that Cheesecake Factory might be outsourcing the manufacture of their cheesecakes pretty soon too. them dad gum injuns!

the place sucked..

the chips were addictive. may have to pick up some in their store.

Please don't blame the town (though I never fully agreed even with the orginal meal tax of 1%).
The meal tax issue is not the only problem, it is being used as an excuse to close it down as I doubt closing the restaurant will make the back tax issue disappear. If it has been collected is is owed to the town, plain and simple.

I am really sad. I truly believe with some hard work a year ago the restaurant could have been saved. There are long term true caring, hard working, loyal employees at TF and they are still there... to the last day.

I never thought I would see this happen but again, I truly believe TF is NOT being closed down because of the meal tax.

Shame. I liked the place.

I was born and raised in Eastern Loudoun and my parents have been going to the Tortilla Factory since they moved in 1983. You could say I grew up there as my parents have been taking me with them almost every weekend since I was born in 1990. Now I'm away at college and I won't be able to eat my favorite chips and salsa one last time. Say it ain't so, Tortilla Factory.

Hey, let's be honest...
back in the day the margaritas and food was outstanding. we are talking the early to mid 90's.
I went to the place 6 months ago and ordered taco's and a margarita. the taco's were cold, i talking ice cold.
the drink was shit.i'm talking pepe lopez, half a shot shit.

the people working at the tortilla factory looked like a scene from deliverance.
it makes me sad to see a place that was the best, go to the worst. did the place change owners?
guess it does not matter now.

Went last night(Tuesday) about 7:30 p.m. Place was packed but alas the place

is closing and not opening elsewhere. Behind about $14,000 to the town of

Herndon for food sales tax. Doesn't really seem like that is enough to shut

down a business. Can't help but wonder if some other taxes haven't been paid

i.e. payroll and that is part of the sudden decision to shut down. Did seem

to have a lot of the long time employees still working to the bitter end.

Food was pretty good imo but I being creature of habit had my usual. I do like

the chips a good deal and they said would most likely be selling the chips at

area Farmer's Markets but I doubt that'll really happen. Got feeling the

owner just tired. No more chips to buy at the store.

Reston Herndon Folk Club will be moving to new location in Sterling(ugh)

called Joe's Pizzaria. It's apparently 10 miles or so from the current

meeting place at the Tortilla Factory located across from the Safeway in

Sterling.

I used to hit up the Tortilla Factory every Friday when I was an intern with the gov't. Nice 2 hour government lunches with other interns or the full time workers in my department. The food was really good, but that was back in the 90's and I haven't been there since. I know someone who would stop by and buy their chips and salsa every Friday on the way home from work.

__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.

It's been around since at least the early 80's or late 70's. Office workers from Reston would go to Herndon or Tysons Corner because of the lack of options for lunch. That may have been true as recent as the early 90's before the buildout of the Reston Town Center.

Damn too bad, I was going to get me some more of those roach killers shoes, they are great to wear for dinner at the Tortilla Factory or any mexican food joint.
Attachments:

You can always go to Anitas for your fixin's you boring cliche ridden turd

What's up with those shoes? Are those for real?

More Complete Wrote:
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> What's up with those shoes? Are those for real?


For real known as Roach Killers

People are lining up to get in

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2012/feb/21/herndons-tortilla-factory-close/

So these people charged customers the Herndon dining tax but never paid the tax and are closing the restaurant over a relatively small amount if back taxes. Sounds to me like these people kind of suck.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm

WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
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> So these people charged customers the Herndon
> dining tax but never paid the tax and are closing
> the restaurant over a relatively small amount if
> back taxes. Sounds to me like these people kind of
> suck.


Fucking Mexican restaurants rape the consumer again.

__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.

It sounds like the owner of Tortilla Factory may also own the shopping plaza. In one of the articles, he mentioned the state of the shopping center and said that it wasn't worth making renovations. That historic downtown district is slated for redevelopment, and the shopping center is a prime location.

Demographics play a role here in the closing of TF. If indeed, TF owns the strip shopping center, then they hav a hand in the restaurant's demise. The shopping center is nearly 100 per cent Latino-based stores - a huge Mercado Latino, there'sthe dirty laundromat (for the Hispanics in apts nearby) and even the parking lot is 100 per cent Hispanic. I feel out of place and a bit unsafe going to the TF.

I'm white, middle-aged and the TF was the only reason I ever went to that shopping center - it holds no interest in me and clearly my business is not wanted. I do not speak Spanish and I resent feeling like a foreigner in my own hometown.

Huh? I just went to the TF a couple weeks ago for lunch, and it was fine. I didn't notice anything anti-Anglo. I had an enchillada plate. Yummy!

Went there today. The line was out the door.

More Complete Wrote:
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> Went there today. The line was out the door.


Who was in line amigo? I was there.
Attachments:

No but there was a washington post photographer there taking pictures of how packed it was.

I still say the food sucked when i went. ice cold taco's. the wait staff looked like a scene from deliverance.

bad day? Wrote:
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> I still say the food sucked when i went. ice cold
> taco's. the wait staff looked like a scene from
> deliverance.


Cold Tacos are bad for you.

TF may or may not be open past today (Friday 2/24).

http://herndon.patch.com/articles/tortilla-factory-to-close-before-weekend-is-up

yikes sounds like them chips and salsa ain't never going to be sold at no farmer's market and the owner probably has the moving van all loaded and getting out of town asap



http://www.facebook.com/HerndonPatch/posts/307104266014226?ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment

There's no comparison between restaurant-fried chips and the crap in the stores. Maybe the hispanic stores sell locally made stuff. Fresh Fields and Sutton Gourmet used to sell a pretty good one that was local.

the place sucks. glad it's gone.

lines afternoon. lines tonight as we passed by. i want more.

If you want your weekly enema go to Anita's

place is bad
went there 3 months ago. saw a few roaches crawling on the walls behind me
the fajitas were burnt . place sucks good riddance

MrDoctor Wrote:
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> place is bad
> went there 3 months ago. saw a few roaches
> crawling on the walls behind me
> the fajitas were burnt . place sucks good riddance


+1000

tried Tippys Taco of beautiful downtown Merrifield yesterday

pretty generic stuff edible but kind of blah

Food was better at Tortilla Factory

merde Wrote:
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> tried Tippys Taco of beautiful downtown Merrifield
> yesterday
>
> pretty generic stuff edible but kind of blah
>
> Food was better at Tortilla Factory


nigga please.

I grew up on Tortilla Factory. It wasn't the Ritz, but I dug the food. After packing the parking lot and serving hundreds of customers since news of Closing spread, they are out of food and out of business 3 days ahead of schedule.

Not sure why anyone would support this place. The owner collected money from all the patrons who visited and then refused to pay the town. He's not a hero....

the food sucked. glad it's gone.

is it gone?

Was planning to drive to the Factory tonight for dinner from Manassas. Anyone know if it is closed or not? I tried calling and there was no answer.

Thanks.

It's closed. Ran out of food on Saturday.

The Tortilla Factory served great meals for a decent price for many years, had a great staff and once known there, you were treated like family. The Tortilla Factory was a Herndon community icon and will be missed by many who live and care for the area.

I am amazed at the misinformation, vitriol and nasty postings here about the restaurant and Herndon in general, must be part of the whole anonymity thing forums provide certain personalities.

The owner of the restaurant did not own the Pines Shopping Center the restaurant existed in, and though who ever owns it is losing tenents and may not be maintaining it properly, the the shopping center is not dangerous or a fearful place to be. It still contains a Sherwin Williams Paint store, the Auto Zone and the Canine Carousel, and the hispanic market there is a cultural treasure and fun place to explore for foods that differ. Anyone who is afraid to go there because there are Hispanic stores is just plain phobic, fearful or racist.

I think the animosity of some people toward anything culturally different or to people who do not look like them speaks louder on this thread than the actual truth that the owner of the Tortilla Factory just did not pay his taxes, was late paying his employees and did not even provide W2's to them in the past year, I think the guy was just burnt out and quit caring, just like some of the writers who posted on this forum thread.

did tortilla factory pay any more of the back taxes to herndon from the last week of huge buisness

did he get the mostly spanish employees their w-2's?


senor i think spics are what you say tacky and boring ole'

Troy Cummings Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Tortilla Factory served great meals for a
> decent price for many years, had a great staff and
> once known there, you were treated like family.
> The Tortilla Factory was a Herndon community icon
> and will be missed by many who live and care for
> the area.
>
> I am amazed at the misinformation, vitriol and
> nasty postings here about the restaurant and
> Herndon in general, must be part of the whole
> anonymity thing forums provide certain
> personalities.
>
> The owner of the restaurant did not own the Pines
> Shopping Center the restaurant existed in, and
> though who ever owns it is losing tenents and may
> not be maintaining it properly, the the shopping
> center is not dangerous or a fearful place to be.
> It still contains a Sherwin Williams Paint store,
> the Auto Zone and the Canine Carousel, and the
> hispanic market there is a cultural treasure and
> fun place to explore for foods that differ. Anyone
> who is afraid to go there because there are
> Hispanic stores is just plain phobic, fearful or
> racist.
>
> I think the animosity of some people toward
> anything culturally different or to people who do
> not look like them speaks louder on this thread
> than the actual truth that the owner of the
> Tortilla Factory just did not pay his taxes, was
> late paying his employees and did not even provide
> W2's to them in the past year, I think the guy was
> just burnt out and quit caring, just like some of
> the writers who posted on this forum thread.


good food huh? so why did my date and i have to return our food because it was ice cold?
just how do you fuck up a taco?

I was a fan of the margaritas and chips in the 90's. the place i went to 4 month's ago was a shell of what it use to be.
two people returning food because it's ice cold, then receive another ice cold dish of taco's and fajitas.
go fuck yourself tortilla factory. you brought this shit upon yourself, glad your gone.

Cold Taco, why did you not just ask for your money back before walking out of the place for the bad service? I think ownership just quit caring in the last six months of its existence. I was there 2 months before it closed and the meal was hot and tasty, but I don't doubt your bad experience.

If a restaurant had great service and food for over 30 years, why condemn it for the last few months where ownership just gave up? Unless of course your a spoiled man child who does not have the balls to complain while the problem was hot concerning cold tacos, instead of hissy fitting suburban style after the fact. Grow some hair dude!

senor jose Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> did tortilla factory pay any more of the back
> taxes to herndon from the last week of huge
> buisness
>
> did he get the mostly spanish employees their
> w-2's?
>
>
> senor i think spics are what you say tacky and
> boring ole'

You indeed fall within the racist troll category Senor Jose, must give you some type of warped power ranger identity while whiling away in your suburban basement safe room.

Troy Cummings Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cold Taco, why did you not just ask for your money
> back before walking out of the place for the bad
> service? I think ownership just quit caring in the
> last six months of its existence. I was there 2
> months before it closed and the meal was hot and
> tasty, but I don't doubt your bad experience.
>
> If a restaurant had great service and food for
> over 30 years, why condemn it for the last few
> months where ownership just gave up? Unless of
> course your a spoiled man child who does not have
> the balls to complain while the problem was hot
> concerning cold tacos, instead of hissy fitting
> suburban style after the fact. Grow some hair
> dude!

hey fuck face,
we didn't pay for the shitty food, and we told them it sucked. you dumb cunt.

Anybody get the receipe for the salsa?

Qwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anybody get the receipe for the salsa?


yeah, a can of hunts crushed tomato sauce and a shitload of water.

Did the owner of tortilla Factory give up cause the bottom dropped out of the business the last year? Why, just too much surrounding competition?

Did he pay anymore of the back taxes after the business closed? Or not required to pay if business closes.
Bankruptcy filing?

I grew up in Hernandes (20170) and it has turned into a dump. I attended HHS in the 90's and I can only imagine how it must look today. I went to the Tortilla Factory before it closed and the food was great, service not so great. I hope a meteor his Northern VA
Thanks

Going to Herndon makes me feel like I'm on vacation in Central America.
Just watched Gangland on NatGeo and it was filmed in Herndon. People loitering every corner, houses with dozens of cars parked at the curb and driveway. I can't wait to get out of this dump of an area move to the United States.

welcome to northern va..it's not just herndon anymore. AMF.

Yeah, they are closed and it is no big loss at all.

I had eaten at TF maybe 10 times in 3 years. Their food sucked, and I mean SUCKED, and their service was awful. I remember when I had a question about one of the sauces the older waiter told me "I really don't have time for your questions" and the restaurant wasn't even half full. I asked him if he was being serious and he said "Just order your meal, I don't have time for this" I literally got up and threw the menu at the guy and left, as did the four other people who were shocked.

The owner sounds like a scumbag, and apparently he didn't pay his employees on time anyway.

Glad to see they have gone under, now they just need to demolish that filthy shopping center that is 100% latino now. Honestly, I don't feel safe walking around in that parking lot after dark.

Why demolish that filthy shopping mall so they can only build a nice new one for illegal criminals.

Xenophobia and the dance of xenophobes ... and if you don't understand what that means without looking it up, then so apropos ... as some pasty white people keep running as far from reality as they can, ... the outer suburbs, the outer limits of of the far outer ones... you know, ... oh my, well hello North Dakota, see you in Bismarck at the Taco Bell, Hmmmm, foreign food!

Where is the salsa recipe?

Tomatoes Wrote:
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> Where is the salsa recipe?

a can of stewed tomatoes and water.

did they really make the tortilla chips at the factory?
If not anyone know what brand they were

seriously doubt, they'll ever turn up at an area farmers market

I lived in Hernandez for decades,
now I'm in Hispandex Florida.
Can't stand that Va bullshit.

nostradumbass Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I lived in Hernandez for decades,
> now I'm in Hispandex Florida.
> Can't stand that Va bullshit.

Yeah, you are much better off living in the land of the hanging chads and Casey Anthony....

Florida is so amazing and engaging that you have to come to this site and troll a dead thread?

There's a reason Fark has a Florida tag but no VA tag.

Herndon sucks.

wnrsm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Florida is so amazing and engaging that you have
> to come to this site and troll a dead thread?
>
> There's a reason Fark has a Florida tag but no VA
> tag.
>
> Herndon sucks.


Gotten any better? Just doing the 18+ month check up.

Curse by Chuck!!! No reason for this establishment to close after 37 years. Part owner cancelled health insurance, did not pay taxes to town, state or feds not to mention vendors and transferring funds to another bank. Many complaints to Herndon police. This person is solely responsible for ruining peoples lives but not his or his family. Hope feds catch up with them! Tic toc, tic toc

I have a salsa recipe that is pretty freaking close. May be the actual recipe? I loved this joint, never had a bad meal, never. RF got hosed...

free tortilla chips and salsa while you wait for your meal. you can't beat that.

Fairfax County is the greatest county in the U.S.

I, too, never had a bad meal at Tortilla Factory.

Here's the actual recipe:

Ingredients

One 29 oz can of crushed tomatoes (San Marzano brand is a good choice)

One medium sweet onion

One or more cloves of garlic (I prefer 3).

2 tsp fresh Mexican oregano

2 tsp salt, to taste

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2.5 oz chopped fresh cilantro, by weight (one bunch)

Directions

Add all ingredients except for the cilantro and 2 teaspoons of the crushed red pepper to a blender and blend until smooth

Add the cilantro and pulse until fine, but not completely blended

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of the red pepper flakes and stir

Refrigerate at least overnight, preferably two days, stir or lightly blent again if oil has separated, and serve cold with thin, crispy, corn tortilla chips.

Notes: Since crushed tomatoes can vary in consistency, try to find a can that has crushed tomatoes in juice rather than puree. The puree tends to make the salsa a bit too thick.

It's imperative not to eat it right away or all you will taste are the vinegar and garlic.

Go lightly on the crushed red pepper on your first batch as it tends to intensify in flavor during the refrigeration time.

Tortilla Factory Fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's the actual recipe:
>
> Ingredients
>
> One 29 oz can of crushed tomatoes (San Marzano
> brand is a good choice)
>
> One medium sweet onion
>
> One or more cloves of garlic (I prefer 3).
>
> 2 tsp fresh Mexican oregano
>
> 2 tsp salt, to taste
>
> 1 tbsp ground black pepper
>
> 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
>
> 1/2 cup vegetable oil
>
> 3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
>
> 2.5 oz chopped fresh cilantro, by weight (one
> bunch)
>
> Directions
>
> Add all ingredients except for the cilantro and 2
> teaspoons of the crushed red pepper to a blender
> and blend until smooth
>
> Add the cilantro and pulse until fine, but not
> completely blended
>
> Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of the red pepper
> flakes and stir
>
> Refrigerate at least overnight, preferably two
> days, stir or lightly blent again if oil has
> separated, and serve cold with thin, crispy, corn
> tortilla chips.
>
> Notes: Since crushed tomatoes can vary in
> consistency, try to find a can that has crushed
> tomatoes in juice rather than puree. The puree
> tends to make the salsa a bit too thick.
>
> It's imperative not to eat it right away or all
> you will taste are the vinegar and garlic.
>
> Go lightly on the crushed red pepper on your first
> batch as it tends to intensify in flavor during
> the refrigeration time.

Thank you Chris M!!