R Place: Owners Juan Carlos Flores and Demecio Meneses

By Cesar A Reyes

Give our readers a bit of history. Where do you guys come from and how did you come to be in San Diego?

We started our corporation in a small town named Monroe WA as a breakfast diner in 2017. In 2018, we found an opportunity to buy our 2nd business (Alki Beach Pub in West Seattle WA). We weathered Covid thanks to our regular patrons and neighbors from Alki, West Seattle for which we are very grateful. We vacationed in San Diego and fell in love with the weather. When we discovered Hillcrest, we knew then that this was where we wanted to open a business. Unfortunately, there were no suitable locations available at that time. We ended up opening a bar in the East Village named R Place Sports Bar & Grill located right across from Petco Park. 

We were fortunate to have an amazing crew, regulars, neighbors, Padres fans, and tourists. We rapidly became a destination, capturing the attention of TV stations such as Telemundo, NBC, CBS, and Fox. This would not have been possible without our great team and the people that put their trust in us.

Tell us about R Place Bar & Eatery?

We will run extremely similar menu items as our previous restaurants, both in beverages and in food. Our prices are very competitive in addition to our featured specials and Happy Hour plan.

Our years of managerial experience make us great employers who understand the industry. We believe a hands-on approach to management drove our success in our previous businesses so we intend to do the same things here.

How will you get involved with the Hillcrest community?

We believe in supporting our LGBTQ+ community by sponsoring different activities and sport teams such as softball, rugby, and other sport organizations. We want to sponsor the LGBTQ+ sports teams in many different ways like uniforms, field banners, social posts, fundraisers, etc. 

Now more than ever, coming together and being inclusive is important for everyone in our community. How is R Place planning on getting involved?

By supporting social events, support groups, and overall activism. 

How can folks follow R Place?

Through our social media platforms (IG @RplaceHillcrest) or visiting our website (www.rplacesandiego.com).