Mi La Cay Closes After 33 Years of Service in Seattle

Mi La Cay, a long-standing Vietnamese eatery in Seattle's Chinatown-International District, will close its doors for the last time this Thursday. The restaurant has operated for 33 years, serving the local community since it first opened in 1993. Owners Trinh Ong and Ha Ong, siblings who have run the business together, are handing over the keys after decades of work behind the counter.

Lines formed outside the dining room on Monday as news of the closure spread through the neighborhood. Trinh Ong described the influx of customers as a final wave of support. "This is my second home. Love it," Ong said. "The past few days, they heard I'm closing. Everybody come."

The establishment initially opened in 1993 before moving to its current location in 2016. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the restaurant attracted diners from across the region seeking traditional Vietnamese noodle dishes. Ong noted that Chinatown served as a primary destination for authentic food and groceries during that era, as other options were scarce.

Customer Alvin, who has visited the restaurant since his first introduction to the spot, expressed his attachment to the food. "Ever since we first came, we love it," Alvin said. The restaurant weathered the COVID-19 pandemic through consistent neighborhood support, though the owners often had to manage the dining room and kitchen alone to cover rent and overhead.

Several factors contributed to the decision to close. Ong pointed to increased regional competition outside the district, changes in foot traffic, and personal health issues. Business volume has not returned to its previous peak levels. "We were non-stop from opening to closing," Ong said. "Yeah. But now we don't have that wave anymore."

Operating strains were further complicated by conditions in the surrounding area, including persistent crime and open drug activity near 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street. Ong acknowledged the difficulty of the transition, noting that it takes time to build a business and time to step away from it. Despite the challenges, the owners expressed gratitude to the generations of diners who supported the family. "Vietnam is where I was born, but this is my home and this is my community here," Ong said.