Azul Kitchen & Bar is in the works at 115 NW 1st Avenue in Portland’s Old Town, where Beaverton businessman Alex Guerra is planning to open a new restaurant and nightlife concept by mid-August, according to the Portland Business Journal. The new business would bring lunch, dinner, and weekend entertainment to a nearly 7,000-square-foot space that has been vacant for years.
The restaurant is planned for the ground floor of the Fleischner Block, inside the former Jones Bar space. Jones Bar operated as a dance club for eight years before closing in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guerra envisions a two-shift operation: a daytime restaurant serving lunch and dinner, and a late-night destination keeping the energy going on weekends after dinner hours.
Guerra, who owns a restoration and construction business, is currently finalizing the lease and has begun the process of obtaining a liquor license. Although this will be his first time running a dedicated restaurant space, he has experience in the entertainment industry through concerts and events for the Hispanic community.
The menu is still being developed, but Guerra already has a chef lined up from Costa Rica, whom he met through mutual friends. Since Guerra is originally from Venezuela, the food is expected to have a South American focus with some Mexican influence.
