Blue Moon Café in Englewood closes after 27 years. Here's what's coming next

Esther Davidowitz, NorthJersey.com
·2 min read

After 27 years, Blue Moon Mexican Café in Englewood has closed permanently.

Owner Howard Felixbrod, who announced the closing on Facebook on Wednesday, sold the business to Akai, a Japanese restaurant on Dean Street in Englewood with another in Westfield. The new restaurant, which under a management agreement has been running Blue Moon with the same staff and same menu as that of Blue Moon for the past three months, according to Felixbrod, is called Blue Akai. It soon plans to serve both Mexican and Japanese dishes.

Blue Moon in Englewood
Blue Moon in Englewood

"It's a good thing," said Felixbrod about closing his Englewood site, his first New Jersey branch. "We've been there for a long time."

Felixbrod opened Blue Moon Mexican Café on Englewood's Palisade Avenue nearly 30 years ago, after having a few locations in Manhattan and moving with his wife to Wyckoff. He went on to open more New Jersey and Westchester, New York, locations. All have closed save for an outpost in Wyckoff − "We don't plan on selling that one," Felixbrod said − and a takeout and catering operation in Denville called Blue-Moon Mex Express. His son, Jared, runs the Denville spot.

Felixbrod, 65, said that he decided to close the Englewood shop because "I want to get closer to retiring" and because "Englewood is not what it was," he said. "The area has changed a lot. It was time to get out."

A fixture on Englewood's East Palisade Avenue, Blue Moon had a bustling outdoor patio that come warm weather would be packed with customers enjoying guacamole, fish tacos, chicken empanadas, Ancho brisket enchiladas and fajitas and, of course, sangria. It was known for its vast menu of Mexican dishes, live music and frozen drinks.

On his Facebook post, Felixbrod thanked his customers, said that he will miss Englewood, asked them to support Blue Akai and added, "After 40+ years in the business, I am looking forward to enjoying more free time!"

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Blue Moon Cafe in Englewood NJ closes permanently