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After just over six months, Taco Haus in Scottsdale has closed its doors -- or rather, the restaurant's doors have been padlocked by the landlord, according to two sources. The highly-anticipated modern Mexican spot from owner Dave Andrea and chef Payton Curry opened in late January at 7318 E. Shea Boulevard.
"We decided to close the doors," Curry tells Chow Bella. "We just weren't busy enough to satisfy our investors."
See also: Payton Curry Posts Photo of Food Critic on Twitter -- Way to Keep It Classy, Chef
Andrea also owns Brat Haus in Scottsdale, which opened in July 2012 and remains open. Curry is also the chef at that restaurant and says they'll be focusing their energy on that spot and gearing up for "the busy Oktoberfest season."
The news of Taco Haus' closure may not come as quite a surprise to those who've been following the restaurant since its debut. During the last six months, the restaurant and its chef have been the center of two negative social media incidents and has been met with lukewarm reviews by food critics.
In February, a photo of a customer's receipt was posted on the Taco Haus Facebook page. The customer had not tipped on the final bill (and left some choice comments instead). In response, the restaurant posted a photo of the receipt that included the customer's first and last name and some credit card information.
Then in April, Taco Haus chef Payton Curry posted a photo of anonymous food critic Gwen Ashley Walters on Twitter. Walters, a longtime local food writer, had penned a critical review of the restaurant for Phoenix Magazine.
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