Carlsbad’s dining scene is getting a moody new neighbor this summer. The crew behind Same Same and Good Enough Cocktail Club, partners Shawn Seaman, Mike Mayaudon and chef Ryan Mencik, is set to launch Amor Y Magia in mid-June, serving shareable plates that pull from Venezuelan, Mexican and broader Latin American cooking alongside a cocktail list built on house riffs. After two years in the works, the goal is a small, intimate hangout tucked into Carlsbad’s growing restaurant lineup.
Menu and drinks
Amor Y Magia is leaning hard into communal plates and drinks that nod to Latin traditions. As listed on the Amor Y Magia menu, the bar program includes Jaguar’s Milk and chicha morada riffs, while the comida side features pao de queijo, elote, tajadas and a rotating raw bar with crudo and ceviche.
The team behind it
The project comes from the same partners who built Carlsbad’s late-night staple Same Same and its sibling spot Good Enough Cocktail Club. Same Same’s site shows off the technicolor, after-hours vibe they are known for, and SanDiegoVille and other local outlets have tracked their earlier expansion into Little Italy before the team shifted focus back to North County.
Space and opening plans
Most of the action will be on a covered patio that seats about 60 guests, with an interior 12-seat bar and a four-seat chef’s counter, according to San Diego Magazine. Amor Y Magia is slated to open in mid-June at 505 Oak Avenue, Suite C in Carlsbad, with initial hours running Monday through Saturday, 4 PM to 10 PM. The team plans to roll out a small chef’s counter experience alongside the patio seating from the jump.
Chef’s notes and sourcing
Executive chef Ryan Mencik told San Diego Magazine, “I want to balance tradition with creativity by honoring the roots of Latin America and Latin cuisine, but also pushing the boundaries with experimentation.” To that end, the kitchen is growing its own merkén peppers, a roughly 100-day process, since those chiles are not yet readily available in the United States.
What to expect
Diners can expect compact, shareable plates paired with a cocktail program that leans into Peruvian- and Brazilian-inspired riffs rather than one-note themes. With the team’s track record for inventive drinks and late-night energy, Amor Y Magia looks poised to slide into neighborhood-favorite status once it opens this summer.
