Known for excellent fries, Opal Divine’s is shuttering its Penn Field location on South Congress. The reason for the closure is due to of "high rent and expense load," according to a release. The last day will be on New Year's Eve which falls on Saturday, December 31.

The note also called out the changing face of the city’s culinary scene: "Austin's Keep Austin Weird' fascination is fading into a search for the latest and greatest new restaurant/bar/concept,” and co-owners Michael and Susan Parker didn’t want to fight that out.

This is the third longtime closure on South Congress. The other two are Snack Bar and Doc’s Motorworks Bar & Grill. Buzzy newcomers along the busy stretch include South Congress Hotel with its array of restaurants (Otoko, Cafe No Se, Central Standard), poke mania with Poke Poke, all day cafe June’s, and much more.

There are no plans to relocate or reopen the southern branch. Now the only Opal's that remains is the Marina spot on past West Parmer Lane on MoPac.

The very first Opal's Divine opened in 2000 on West 6th Street, but closed to relocate 13 years later because it needed more space (it gave way to Steampunk Saloon). There were talks of a new downtown location, but nothing ever panned out. The South Congress location opened in April 2005.