Jack-n-Grill Shutters Two Remaining Restaurants

Eighteen years ago, Jack Martinez set up a green-chile roasting stand at 2524 Federal Boulevard. Sales of his roasted chiles, corn and street eats were so good that he eventually took over the building next to the parking lot where he operated, drawing homesick New Mexico natives and Jefferson Park neighbors to his restaurant, Jack-n-Grill. Popularity peaked in the late 2000s, when Adam Richman, host of Man v Food, attempted to eat the cantina's infamous seven-pound breakfast burrito for a nationwide audience (he lost that particular encounter) in 2009. Martinez opened a second Jack-n-Grill in Littleton that same year and then made it a trio in 2010 with an outpost at 9310 Sheridan Boulevard.

But last year, Martinez put his flagship restaurant up for sale (as part of a divorce settlement), noting that the restaurant would close as soon as a buyer could be found. That time has come; Jack-n-Grill is now closed and the building is under contract. Retro Commercial, the real estate company representing Martinez in the sale, says the selling price is $1.3 million, which includes all furniture, fixtures and equipment as well as the liquor license, though the company could not divulge who the buyer is at this time.

The Jack-n-Grill at 9310 Sheridan Boulevard is also closed, so fans of the restaurant's New Mexico-style red and green chiles and thrillseekers looking to succeed where Adam Richman failed are out in the cold for now. The Littleton restaurant, at 2630 West Belleview Avenue, closed in early 2017.

At the time the building went up for sale, Martinez also noted that he was planning to turn the Jack-n-Grill brand into a fast-casual concept, but he could not be reached for comment before this posting.