Los Jarritos had to close in May, forced out of its home of four decades due to impending demolition. Patrons greeted the news as a calamity, lining up in the final days for one last meal, or more than one. (Personally, I had two.)

The Mexican restaurant, known for its chile relleno burritos and menudo, promised to reopen elsewhere. Days passed, then weeks, with no news.

“A lot of people worried we wouldn’t reopen,” admitted co-owner and manager Pedro Lopez Jr.

But after four months away, Los Jarritos is back.

Renovations on a space in neighboring Claremont were more intensive than anticipated. But Los Jarritos reopened Sept. 24. Response was also more intensive than anticipated.

“It was crazy for eight straight days,” Lopez Jr. marveled.

The downtime was tough for all concerned: the

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