GLENDALE, AZ — Jorge Cueva, better known as Mr. Tempo, is bringing his concepts to Arizona!
The entrepreneur and high-profile restaurateur in California and popular among the Hollywood celebrities is owner of several concepts: King and Queen Cantina, Mar Chingon, Tempo Cantina, and Mr. Tempo Sports Bar.
In an interview with ABC15, Cueva shared why he is bringing his concepts to the Valley
WEST VALLEY FIRST
Cueva is set to open a Mr. Tempo in the city of Glendale, marking it as its first location in Arizona.
If you’re asking yourself, why open the first location in the West Valley? Here’s his response.
“We received 1,000’s of messages on social media… 1,000s for the last, maybe, six years [about] Phoenix and Scottsdale,” said Cueva who then shared to ABC15 that he hadn’t known about the city of Glendale until he attended an event inside State Farm Stadium.
“So, when we finished the event, we [went out for drinks] and [went to …] Westgate. So, when I saw that place, I was like, 'wow,' the water, the energy, [it] was a Saturday night. I'm like, we need a Tempo here. So that's when I sent my team and my real estate team and said start looking for one,” recalled Cueva to ABC15.
The Glendale location will take over the former Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant at Westgate [6915 N 95th Ave]. This location is set to open in June, according to Cueva.
“We're planning to do a big party for the community and for the community to party with the celebrities, their favorite celebrities,” said Cueva. “There’s going to be a big party [and] open to the public. That's the plan for the grand opening,” said Cueva.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Mr. Tempo promises a one-of-a-kind experience at his restaurant.
"You're [going to] see from a tomahawk [steak] to a taco. From a $200 plate to a $5 plate. So, it's for everyone. It's up to you how much money you want to spend. But it's very unique, it’s different; the energy, the drinks, the ingredients, everything is fresh. We do everything from scratch, including the ketchup. Even the mayo, we make from scratch,” said Cueva.
The entrepreneur shared with ABC15 that the menu for his restaurant involves five chefs, each specializing in different areas, which include: a chef that specializes in steaks, the other in seafood, the next one in Mexican seafood, another in Mexican Food and the fifth one in Japanese cuisine.
“[The] five different chefs [tour] the restaurants to make sure that we have the most authentic and diverse food possible. So, it's, it's different. I don't I don't think [there’s] a restaurant out there that has those five options under one roof, well executed,” said Cueva.
VALLEY EXPANSION
Cueva told ABC15 that Arizona is great market for his business ventures due to the entertainment aspect, the “great fans and […] the Latino community” here.
“Our plan is to do for four locations in Arizona. Second [location] we're looking in Phoenix, third is going to be Scottsdale and number four… I don't know where, but there's going to be four locations,” said Cueva.
The next three concepts may not be a Mr. Tempo. They could even be a nightclub, a sports bar or his rendition of a fish market.
“You never know [with] Mr. Tempo, I’m crazy – a little bit- and that's what keeps the fans interested,” said Cueva.
Cueva prides himself in creating and brining a modern Mexican restaurant concept to the United States that dates back to 2012.
“Back then it was not common to walk into a Mexican restaurant, and not get chips and salsa, not get rice and beans. The music was loud. It was more like a loud bar with really good food,” said Cueva. “We lost a lot of customers at the beginning because people [… would] walk in and sit down, notice that [there were no] chips and salsa, no rice and beans [and would] walk out. So, we struggled for a year and after that, it took off and now everybody's doing that. So, I feel proud that we're the first ones to start presenting Mexican food in a different way.”
From California to New York, Cueva and his team are in the process of opening 21 locations in the next 18 months across the country.
The video in the player above showcases the best things to do in the Valley this May. Read more about it right here.
