(Image courtesy of Gawker.com)

Josh over at Gawker.com reports:

“With the horrabulous J Condo going up and $780/sf real estate prices, it was only a matter of time until the last vestigial traces of an untamed DUMBO disappeared neath the hooves of gentrification and suburbanality. The latest victim seems to be Pedro’s Restaurant, that outpost of chimichangas and margaritas on the corner of Jay and Front streets. Though the restaurant itself is still standing, the extraordinary profusion of skulls in sombreros and Dia de los Muertos figures that had been, for years, drawing Flickr fans has been supplanted by gray boring stucco. A quick call to the restaurant reveals the cause to nothing more than snow damage from the recent storm. But when asked (admittedly in 6th grade Spanish) if they were planning on replacing it, an employee of the restaurant said the murals were never to return. ¡Que triste!”

The Brooklyn Paper reports that the outdoor drinking area removal is temporary, but doesn’t mention the ‘clean up’ of the mural:

“Don’t worry, Pedro’s fans — it turns out that the removal of the beloved outdoor drinking area at Dumbo’s favorite down-and-dirty Mexican joint is only temporary. The owner tells us the shed — where many people (present company included) spend many a summer evening drinking Coronas and eating Cuban sandwiches — will be back soon. (Now if they could just make the sandwich a little crispier!)”

The outdoor seating and mural was a major part of Pedro’s charm. I hope the stucco wall isn’t part of Pedro’s plan to make the place more fancy so they can charge more for their food and Coronas. Their tacos and guacamole aren’t fancy, but they’re tasty. The outdoor seating is a bonus so I hope they keep them around.

{Goodbye, Skull Murals of Dumbo, Gawker.com}