District Chicken and Gyro (DCG), a halal street food restaurant, has closed its Georgetown location following a leasing dispute between the restaurant’s owner and its landlord.

DCG was evicted Sept. 29 from its Dumbarton St. NW location after missing 18 months of rent payments, according to eviction notices posted on the restaurant’s window. While DCG will no longer operate from its former location, it is actively looking for a new storefront in the Georgetown area.

According to Tariq Saylab, owner of DCG, the eviction was motivated not by missed rent but by long-standing disagreements with the landlord.

“He saw the success that I had there, and he wants to open his own gyro spot, so he wouldn’t re-sign and I wouldn’t leave,” Saylab said in a phone interview with The Hoya. “He was trying to kick me out for two years, and we’ve been battling in court back and forth.”

Raul Silva, the landlord for the former DCG location, declined to comment when contacted by The Hoya.

DCG formally announced the closure of its Georgetown location through an Instagram story post last week, in which the company thanked its loyal customers and committed to finding a new Georgetown storefront within three months.

DCG will open a new Georgetown restaurant when a location becomes available, according to Saylab.

“I’m looking for a vacancy,” Saylab said. “Once a vacancy is open, I can get a spot immediately going back to Georgetown.”

In response to the news of the closure of the Georgetown location, some Georgetown students, like Kate Fundis (MSB ’22), who went to DCG every other week, have expressed disappointment that they will no longer be able to frequent DCG for a reliable food option with close proximity to campus.

“I loved how they always hit the mark; I knew I could count on a great, affordable meal just a short walk away,” Fundis wrote in an email to The Hoya. “It was definitely my comfort meal in Georgetown.”

Saylab said the support from customers at the former Georgetown location was invaluable to DCG’s business, and he is hopeful that those relationships continue in the new location in Georgetown. 

“I couldn’t ask for better customers, and everyone was very supportive throughout my tenure in Georgetown,” Saylab said. “It was awesome, and I made a lot of good relationships with people.”

The previous location was a staple for Georgetown students because it was cheap and close to campus, according to Matthew Joy (NHS ’22), who frequented DCG four times per week when it was open.

“I also love how accessible DCG is to all Georgetown students both in terms of location and financially; the platters are $11 and for the amount of food you get it’s always worth it,” Joy wrote in an email to The Hoya. “The hours are also great because they were open extremely late on weekends.” 

While Saylab is searching for a new location in Georgetown, he will open a storefront in Tysons Corner, Va., at the end of the month. The menu in Tysons Corner will be expanded to include increased food options not previously offered, and the restaurant will be larger than the Georgetown location, according to Saylab. 

While the closure of the Georgetown storefront is disappointing, Joy hopes the new Georgetown location will have more space to accommodate the restaurant’s typically high demand.

“I hope that the new location has more staff, kitchen space, and maybe even some dining space,” Joy wrote. “Throughout this year, I have noticed that DCG has gotten a lot more business, and the lines have been extremely long every time I’ve gone now which creates a long wait time.” 

In the meantime, customers are eager to support DCG wherever it is, according to Fundis.

“I was devastated to find out that DCG had closed and I didn’t even get to have a final meal there,” Fundis wrote. “I miss it and am excited to remain a loyal customer when they reopen.”