Restaurant News: Dos Machos Closing, Finn Brooks Opens

Sad news in Billings as long time Mexican restaurant Dos Machos announced that they are closing their doors after 40 years in business. The owners are ready to to retire and their last day open will be March 31st. The building and land will be sold and right now it's anyone's guess as to what will take over the space. It's prime Billings real estate and I give it 50/50 odds that a buyer will either keep the building and re-open as a new restaurant or level the building and build something entirely different.

While Dos Machos was never my favorite Mexican restaurant, you've got to hand it to them for surviving so long. The restaurant business is a tough one with slim margins, fickle food trends, fierce competition and employee issues. And that's if you own a franchise! It's even tougher for local restaurants to make it more than a few years. This 2016 article from the Billings Gazette is a great trip down Billings restaurant memory lane, showing 99 eateries and bars that are no longer around.

The nice thing about the restaurant business for us, the public? There are always new places opening and new ones to try out! I stopped by Rimrock Mall today (2/19) where Finn Brooks Monster Sandwiches just opened for business. Serving hot and cold sandwiches as well as side dishes and Wilcoxon's Ice Cream, I got to try one of their featured sandwiches, the cheese steak. It was delicious.

The owner of Finn Brooks is also responsible for Audrey's Pizza Oven, located right inside the main entrance of Rimrock Mall. Steve told me today that they are making final adjustments to the oven thermostats and some other little odds-n-ends and they should be open this weekend. I saw some pictures of their featured pizza's on a poster board and they look amazing. Can't wait to give it a shot.

Finally, Freefall Brewery (in the same complex as Audrey's Pizza Oven and Finn Brooks) is very close to opening. Walking through today they are still wrapping up various items and the latest update on a grand opening date is March 1. I'm really looking forward to sipping a frosty brew in Rimrock Mall, very soon.

What were some of your favorite Billings restaurants that are no longer in business? Let us know in the Comments or Message Us button on the Mobile App.