El Dorado Cocktail Lounge will officially reopen on Thursday, March 2 under its new ownership, Pouring With Heart. The East Village bar, known for its role in establishing San Diego’s craft cocktail scene will unveil an updated bar menu highlighting its global spirits selection.
Pouring With Heart is an acclaimed hospitality group focused on preserving bars and building industry careers with care. The LA-based group works locally with North Park’s Seven Grand, and has revived iconic bars across the country like Power House Bar in Los Angeles, Three Star Bar in San Antonio, and American Bonded in Denver.
El Dorado’s legacy, with its highbrow meets lowbrow vibe, is maintained under Pouring With Heart who hope to reintroduce the bar to new regulars.
El Dorado’s management team includes General Manager Josh Judd, Bar Manager Steven “Stevie” Rieber, and lead bartender Maya Bentley.
The interior at El Dorado has been brushed to up, the DJ booth now replaced with a pool table, the dimly-lit lounge features tufted leather booth seating, vintage lamps, sculptures and oddities like taxidermied jackalopes.
The spotlight is behind the bar, with crafty bartenders mixing up classic cocktails with a San Diego twist. Using fresh ingredients, a global spirits selection, El Dorado offers something for every taste. House creations include a Rainy Day Negroni (served with an umbrella), the El Dorado Gold Rush, a bourbon-based drink with honey syrup and fresh lemon, the East Village Ricky, with smoky mezcal, fresh lime and cucumber, soda, and served in a tajin-rimmed glass. An homage to another San Diego haunt, the frozen strawberry bourbon mule is inspired by Polite Provisions’ Kentucky Buck.
Say hello to Otis, the bar’s massive stuffed buffalo, beginning March 2nd with service from 4pm to 2am. El Dorado’s happy hour can be enjoyed daily from 4-8pm with discounts on Old Fashioneds, daiquiris, and Miller High Lifes. On Sundays, witness a “Chopped” style cocktail competition and other events like a friendly staff arm-wrestling tournament. Committed to community, El Dorado and Pouring With Heart will donate $1 from each sale of the Gold Rush cocktail ordered during the reopening period to the Uptown Community Center. Follow El Dorado on Instagram for information.
