This week I woke up to a phone full of messages, and none of them were good news. So many of you sent me the same Instagram story from Vogue Tavern saying they are now closed. I had to read it twice. I was hoping it was a mistake.
It was not. After doing some digging, I found out Vogue Tavern has closed its doors for good on Third Avenue after seven years in downtown Chula Vista.
This one hits hard. The Tavern was our go-to spot.
A Building With a Lot of Chula Vista History
If you’re a Chula Vista OG like me, you know that 230 Third Avenue has lived a few lives. When I first moved here, it was a German restaurant called House of Munich. My parents loved taking me there, and the food was really good.
Later it became a Thai restaurant called Mea Kwan. I really wanted to support it, but the food was not that great, and I could never get behind it.
Then in 2019, Vogue Tavern moved in. I loved the look of the place right away. Star Wars decor, Darth Vader standing guard at the door, and food that turned out to be as good as the room was fun.
Our Go-To Spot
I love walking downtown, grabbing something to eat, and enjoying the atmosphere on Third Avenue. The Tavern fit right into that routine. My wife and I were there all the time for lunch and dinner, and their burger came in third on my list of the top hamburger spots in Chula Vista.
Then COVID hit, and I worried they wouldn’t make it. They did. I remember buying eggs and flour from them, along with dinner to take home. When outdoor dining was finally allowed, my wife and I went to the Tavern first. We sat out on the sidewalk, and it felt so good just to get out and have dinner again.
The Patio Years
Those sidewalk tables grew into a full patio, one of the biggest in downtown Chula Vista. I loved heading down there for dinner and drinks. We celebrated a couple of birthdays out there. I even celebrated hitting 10,000 Instagram followers on that patio.
So when the city made the decision to shut down the outdoor dining patios in 2024, I knew the Tavern would take the hardest hit. The inside of the restaurant was small, and that patio gave them a lot of extra room for customers. They even cut back their weekday lunch hours ahead of the change. It was the first patio I ate at during the pandemic and the last one I visited before they all came down.
I’ll Admit I Wasn’t There as Much Lately
Restaurant competition in Chula Vista is so high now. My wife loves The Balboa South, which attracts a lot of the same crowd, so we ended up there more often.
I still supported the Tavern, though, and I loved seeing more and more people figure out what a great spot it was. The place was always busy. The only knock was the space. A couple of times I showed up with friends and could not get a table inside, so we sat out on the sidewalk. That is not a bad thing, but with the heat we have been having lately, a lot of people want to be inside with the AC.
What Happened to Vogue Tavern?
Earlier this week, the Tavern posted on Instagram that they would be closing for a couple of days to repair some equipment. That made sense to me. Then the doors closed for good, and I was left wondering what changed.
I heard from the owners on Instagram, and here is what they told me:
“It was a tough decision but after 7 years the business model just wouldn’t justify any longer… costs don’t stop rising, prices can only be increased so much, and in CA the liability of being a restaurant owner is worse every day.”
That is a hard thing to read about a place that always looked busy.
Before I heard back, I’ll admit I had a theory of my own. Earlier this year the city bought the Historic Vogue Theater right next door. More fencing recently went up in front of the theater, and it looks like work is starting. I know the city wants live music in that building. My assumption is that if they are going to have live music, they will more than likely need some kind of food and drink inside, and that would have been direct competition a few steps from the Tavern’s front door.
That venue is still a long way off, and the owners did not mention the theater at all. That part was pure speculation on my part. What they described is the cost of running a restaurant in California right now.
Support Local While You Can
Losing Vogue Tavern is a big hit for downtown Chula Vista. Many restaurants are struggling right now as the cost of everything goes up. If you can, get out there and support them. It kills me to see long lines at the big chains when so many great local spots could use that money instead.
If you loved Vogue Tavern, tell us on Facebook what it meant to you and what your go-to meal was. Mine was the burger, with the schnitzel right behind it. Let us know what you loved getting at the Tavern. I will keep you updated on any new developments.
