Bay Area/ San Francisco/ Food & Drinks
Published on December 30, 2016
Market Street's Hecho Pivoting To Bar-Focused 'Hecho Cantina'Photo: Chris B./Yelp

Market Street's Hecho will be starting out the new year with a new focus, transforming into a cantina-style hangout that's more "bar with food" than "restaurant with cocktails."

SFist brings word of the changes, which will see Hecho temporarily close down next week for the revamp. This will entail eliminating the dining tables and adding a pool table, a pinball machine, some high tables and a “hangout area" in the corner, plus a name change to "Hecho Cantina."

The menu will also evolve away from sit-down fare and towards bar bites, with the weekend brunch option disappearing.

Hecho has had its share of issues over the year. Prior to its opening last year in 2014, it saw community backlash against its original name of "Bandidos." In the summer of 2015, the restaurant suffered from a kitchen fire that temporarily shut them and their neighbor, Brewcade, down.

Just before the fire broke out, owners Jesse Woodward and Dana Gleim, also proprietors of Hi Tops, hired on chef Cory Armenta, who changed up the menu to offer Mexican fare using sustainable ingredients, and has been running the kitchen ever since. In 2015, the owners said that Armenta's new menus helped them hit their stride, but they say the new focus on cocktails and retro gaming represents a "concept to better suit the neighborhood."

As Hecho Cantina, the business will continue to offer cocktails heavily inspired by its wide selection of mezcal. After closing next week, they expect to reopen in early January.