Mexican restaurant and bar to take over former Holy Diver venue. What we know so far
A much-loved midtown Sacramento space will swap amps for aguachile and guitars for gorditas, converting from a music venue to a sit-down Mexican restaurant and full bar.
El Cabron Kitchen & Cantina will replace Holy Diver at 1517 21st St., according to filings with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage control and Secretary of State.
It’ll be owned, in part, by Jose Antonio Castillo, who also owns San Jose restaurants Mas Pizza, 3rd and Bourbon and Social Lady (currently closed due to a fire). Castillo did not immediately respond to The Sacramento Bee’s request for comment.
El Cabron will be less than two blocks down 21st Street from Jalapeños, a counter-service taqueria known for its Taco Tuesday deals and Mexican-influenced hot dogs. But El Cabron will be a more upscale expression of the country’s cuisine with tomahawk steaks, Mexican barbecue and grilled oysters, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.
Holy Diver was a 5,800-square foot, all-ages concert venue that hosted musicians from Sacramento and across the country. It was preceded by the Starlite Lounge from 2013-17.
While it was popular for its rock scene, featuring bands like Grayscale and Arden Park Roots, artists of all genres traversed the Holy Diver stage, including María Isabel, The Buttertones and City Morgue.
Holy Diver was founded and owned by partners Bret Bair and Eric Rushing, also known for their ventures in Ace of Spades on R Street before its sale and Goldfield Trading Post, in 2017. The spot hosted its last show and closed permanently in late December 2021.
The owners did not explain the reason for the closure in their social media announcements. They did dispel speculation that the venue was closing due to noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to comments on the Holy Diver Facebook page.
Bair and Rushing are in the process of buying Old Ironsides, the oldest continuously-operating bar in Sacramento.
El Cabron should open this fall barring major construction delays, the Business Journal reported.