A longtime Northern Virginia Tex-Mex institution, with many ties to Montgomery County and the DMV, is preparing to serve its final customers.
Tippy’s Taco House has announced that its Centreville location at 14119 St. Germain Drive will permanently close on June 14. A sign posted inside the restaurant thanks customers for their support, stating, “We are forever grateful for every memory, every conversation, and every person who was part of our journey.”
While the Centreville restaurant is closing, Tippy’s Warrenton, VA location at 147 W. Shirley Avenue and Alexandria, VA location at 5912 N. Kings Highway will remain open.
For many longtime residents of the DMV, Tippy’s Taco House is more than just a restaurant. It represents a nostalgic chapter in the region’s dining history, dating back to a time when Mexican and Tex-Mex options were relatively scarce. Decades before the arrival of Chipotle and the wave of modern taco concepts that now populate the region, Tippy’s was known for its ultra-crispy tacos, smothered burritos, signature queso, and red plastic serving trays that became synonymous with the brand.
The restaurant’s roots stretch back to 1958, when W.H. “Tippy” McBrooks founded the concept in the Dallas, Texas area. Specializing in quick-service, Americanized Tex-Mex cuisine, the brand expanded through franchising during the 1960s and 1970s, eventually making its way to the Mid-Atlantic region.
Among the most memorable Maryland locations was the Tippy’s Taco House on Route 355 in Gaithersburg. Opened in 1976 by the Grigoropoulos family, the restaurant became a beloved local fixture and operated for more than two decades before closing in 1997.
Another significant chapter in the brand’s local history began in Laurel, where educators Laszlo and Lita Payerle opened a Tippy’s franchise in 1972. After their franchise agreement expired in 1992, the family elected to continue operating independently under a new name, Toucan Taco. Despite the name change, the restaurant retained the original recipes, including the signature Mexican gravy and many menu favorites. More than three decades later, Toucan Taco remains open.
The brand also made a brief return to Montgomery County in 2011 when a Tippy’s location opened in Rockville Town Square, taking over a former Bobby’s Crab Cakes space that is now home to El Mercat Bar de Tapas. While that comeback was short-lived, it reignited memories for many longtime customers who grew up with the restaurant.
