1920s-Inspired Cuban & Mexican Eateries Entering the Gaslamp

The Gaslamp’s 1919, which shuttered in January, is in the midst of a revamp that will slot two fresh food and drink options into the former sports bar and the adjacent space that once held Last Call lounge. 1919 and Last Call first debuted last spring, when basement speakeasy Prohibition relaunched with a new cocktail menu and a restart of its Wednesday through Sunday live music programming.

Prohibition resumed operations after a short hiatus, and the bar is providing the historical spark for two incoming concepts that aim to capture the vibrancy of Mexico and Cuba in the 1920s. Working with the venues’ ownership, local GBOD Hospitality Group, which runs Mezé Greek Fusion Cuisine on Sixth Avenue, will replace 1919 with El Chingon. Debuting later this month, its design is inspired by Pancho Villa and the pistoleros of the Mexican revolution; the late night spot will host DJs and live music and serve a straightforward neighborhood taco shop menu along with a large range of agave-based spirits that will be the base for craft cocktails and slushy drinks. Following the launch of El Chingon will be the arrival of next door’s Havana 1920; influenced by Hemingway’s Cuba, it will serve traditional Cuban dishes and classic cocktails ranging from daiquiris to mojitos. Ryan Andrews, Prohibition’s head cocktail creator, will build both drink programs in his new role as GBOD Hospitality Group’s beverage director. Havana 1920 will offer regular Latin jazz nights and GBOB COO Joe Santos, who worked with Cafe Sevilla for 17 years, told Eater that Prohibition will also expand to host Latin jazz on Monday nights.

The budding hospitality group has a full plate; besides these two projects, CEO Raymond Davoudi is also developing Saganaki by Meze for the Liberty Public Market while working to multiply the full-service Meze and bringing a pizzeria called Barrio Bros to the Mercado del Barrio in Barrio Logan.