Tex Mex Restaurant Closes In Howard County

ELKRIDGE, MD — On the Border Mexican Grill and Cantina has closed its doors after 18 years in Elkridge.

“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close this location permanently,” said Christina Pappas, chief marketing officer of Pappas Restaurants, which owns the restaurant chain, in a statement.

The restaurant chain closed its only other Maryland location last year, which was in Towson.

“Closing this restaurant will allow us to focus our time and resources on our other locations and the continued success of the brand,” Pappas said in the statement.

The restaurant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year and was bought by Pappas Restaurants in 2025 at a bankruptcy auction. The chain shuttered dozens of underperforming units before filing for bankruptcy in an effort to pull out of its economic slump.

“We’re excited to welcome On The Border to the Pappas family,” Mike Rizzo, CEO of Pappas Restaurants, said in a statement released in 2025 after the purchase. “On The Border is a brand with deep heritage and loyal guests, and we see tremendous opportunity to invest in its future. Our shared Texas roots and passion for hospitality make this a natural fit.”

The family-owned Pappas Restaurants, based in Houston, Texas, operates more than 80 locations under nine restaurant names: Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Pappasito’s Cantina, Pappas Delta Blues Smokehouse, Pappas Burger, Pappas Seafood House, Pappas Bar-B-Q, Little’s Oyster Bar and Dot Coffee Shop.