South-side Mexican restaurant to close

Frida Mexican Cuisine and Bar is scheduled to close next month.

Located at 1410 E. Republic Road, the two-year old restaurant is shutting down at the end of business May 19, according to a Facebook post.

Restaurateur Angel Kim, a silent partner in the venture named after Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, said restaurant operator Javier Olguin is “very good in the kitchen and all that stuff but managing the front of the house was one of the biggest issues.”

“I believe the product was good, but there’s a little too much competition for Mexican food,” said Kim, who also owns The Hill and ReRico Brazilian Grill.

Kim said he’s planning a new concept at the Republic Road building, but he’s not ready to disclose details.

Before it became Frida Mexican Cuisine, the building was home to Kim’s longtime south-side staple Argentina Steakhouse. The latter restaurant closed in May 2017, after Kim failed to purchase the building from Rob Wilson, president and CEO of Rapid Robert’s Inc., according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.