Ever since Michael’s on Naples, located at 5620 E. 2nd St., closed September last year, Naples residents have been watching the space for any changes.
Those changes finally became clear last week, when a series of potted plants were spotted outside and U-Haul trucks arrived with furniture. Soon, rumors about opening day for the brand new Bacari restaurant began to fly.
I tagged up with Robert Kronfli, a co-owner of Bacari Restaurant Group alongside his brother Danny and chef Lior Hillel, this week to learn more about the new eatery, ahead of its long-awaited opening on Monday, June 1.
The restaurant group purchased the location last year shortly before Michael’s on Naples closed its doors.
“I know that everybody really loved Michael’s and there’s an emotional attachment there, so we’re very cognizant and aware of that and we just want to make sure that we’re going to do right by the neighborhood,” Kronfli said. “We want everybody to accept us with open arms, so we’re going to do all that we can to become a fixture in the neighborhood just like Michael’s was.”
Prior to their purchase of the Naples location, the Kronfli brothers had been considering opening a restaurant in the area for quite some time, he said in a previous interview.
Workers finalize interior details at Bacari’s newest location in Long Beach. (Photo by Jo Murray/SCNG).
Workers finalize interior details at Bacari’s newest location in Long Beach. (Photo by Jo Murray/SCNG).
Potted plants arrive at Bacari’s newest Long Beach location. (Photo by Jo Murray/SCNG).
Some beverage and food offerings at Bacari restaurants. (Photo courtesy of Jakob Layman/Bacari Restaurants).
Some beverage and food offerings at Bacari restaurants. (Photo courtesy of Jakob Layman/Bacari Restaurants).
Some beverage and food offerings at Bacari restaurants. (Photo courtesy of Bacari Restaurants).
Some beverage and food offerings at Bacari restaurants. (Photo courtesy of Bacari Restaurants).
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Workers finalize interior details at Bacari’s newest location in Long Beach. (Photo by Jo Murray/SCNG).
The restaurant group already owns and operates several other eateries throughout Southern California, which serve Mediterranean and Italian-inspired small plates, according to the company’s website.
The first Bacari location, Bacari W. Adams, opened in 2008, near USC. Both Daniel and Robert are USC grads. Daniel opened up the first location after a trip to Italy, inspired by the Bacari in Venice, Italy. Robert started his own underground supper club at USC in his apartment called Paladar Underground.
The new Long Beach location, meanwhile, will be more unique than Bacari’s other eateries, Kronfli said.
“We’ve put a lot of creativity, a lot of attention to detail, and a lot of work into the design of this space. It’s not going to look like any other Bacari — it’s going to have a similar vibe,” Kronfli said, “(But) it’s our first location that has a rooftop, so we went all in on that. I think it looks really beautiful, (and) I think people will be very impressed by the space as well.”
Other Bacari locations offer a 90-minute “open bar” special, which is popular with clientele — at least according to online reviews. At Bacari’s Silverlake location, for example, diners can pay $32 for the open bar experience, which allows them to sample as many small-production wines and unique craft cocktails as they want during that time, sort of like a buffet for alcohol.
That same special will be available at the new Long Beach location as well, according to Kronfli.
“I haven’t really decided where we’re going to do it, but maybe on the rooftop,” he said. “I think it would be kind of nice.”
Kronfliadded that there will also likely be live music at Bacari on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
In terms of the menu, Kronfli said some of those final details are still being nailed down ahead of the opening on June 1.
“I think the chef will be putting some new things on the menu,” Kronfli hinted. “Same with the cocktails.”
Over the next couple of weeks, Kronfli said, the focus is on putting together all those final details, hiring, and getting ready to welcome the public to the new space.
“We’re very humbled and very excited that everybody else is so excited for us to move in,” Kronfli said.
To learn more about Bacari, go to eatwithbacari.com.