Downtown Cocktail Lounge El Dorado Changes Hands

Broadway’s El Dorado Cocktail Lounge, which opened 14 years ago and played an essential role in propelling the rise of San Diego’s cocktail culture, has new owners for the first time in its history. The downtown bar that was the debut venue for founders Nathan, Marshall, and Matthew Stanton and their friend Ryan Kuntz, who are now all hospitality vets, has moved under the umbrella of Pouring With Heart, the group that runs Seven Grand and Bar Three Piece in North Park as well as a number of acclaimed spots in the Los Angeles area including the Varnish and the Normandie Club. With a focus on bar hospitality, the group also operates establishments in Colorado and Texas.

Pouring With Heart is planning to close El Dorado for a week in mid-January 2023 to fully transition the bar, which will involve updating and refreshing the design and conducting new training for the staff. In a statement, the group says that it hopes to retain as many of the bar’s original employees as possible. Expect the space to pivot from its party vibe and DJ-led programming to a more classic cocktail-focused experience.

El Dorado