Bar Chucho, a new cantina from the team behind Michelin-starred Corima, has quietly slipped into the Chinatown nightlife scene as a laid-back hangout for service-industry regulars and neighbors. The space leans heavily into its bar identity, with the food built around shareable plates, micheladas, and several nonalcoholic options rather than a full-on tasting menu.
A Bar Built For Late Nights And Friends
The project is led by Jesse Kranzler, with chef Fidel Caballero and co-owner Sofia Ostos, while beverage director Edward Hardebeck steers the drinks program. The team opened Bar Chucho for service on Thursday night (April 2), aiming for a casual, late-night spot for friends and guests, as reported by Time Out.
Food And Drinks To Know
The menu leans into bold, snackable flavors. A hamburgesa styled like carne asada uses dry-aged beef seasoned in beef garum and comes topped with queso Chihuahua, chiles toreados, and bone-marrow mayo. It shares menu space with yuzu-and-chive guacamoles, chamoy dips, and chilindrinas crowned with raw bluefin tuna. The bar pours three kinds of micheladas, including a fermented tomatillo version with kombu, alongside several nonalcoholic choices and tortillas sourced from the team’s Vato outpost in Park Slope, per Eater.
Corima's Fine-Dining Roots
Corima, the group’s tasting-menu restaurant, holds a Michelin star, according to the Michelin Guide. Corima’s own menu lists a tasting option at $140 per person, per Corima, which helps explain why the team is now playing in a more accessible, a la carte lane with Bar Chucho.
Award Recognition
Chef Fidel Caballero was also named a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist in the Best Chef: New York State category, per the James Beard Foundation. That level of industry attention has turned even the group’s quieter projects into destinations for critics and nearby diners.
Where And When
Bar Chucho is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until late, and is meant as a casual, late-night complement to Corima rather than a replacement, according to Eater. For now, the spot reads like a straight line from tasting-menu technique to bar food, the kind of tight, focused setup that can quickly turn into a neighborhood staple.
