Who’s Thirsty? Ay Chiwowa! Soft Opens With Crave-Worthy Cocktails

Photos by Tim Toomey

By Sarah Freeman

Billy Dec, CEO of Rockit Ranch, decided to open his latest project a bit counterintuitively. First, he found the space - the former location of Martini Ranch where Dec worked as a bouncer - then he crowdsourced a concept. The result is a Mexican dive bar (a nod to Rockit Ranch president Arturo Gomez's roots in Mexico) by the name of Ay Chiwowa!

Does this step on the toes of another popular restaurant group’s taco and whiskey dive? Perhaps, but this tequila and taco joint goes the route of distressed brick walls covered in folk art and graffiti, with a bar in front and tables in the back. Their food is a take on Mexican street classics such as tacos, tortas, tostadas and quesadillas. While they're still testing out specific dishes, they will have a final menu in time for the grand opening on the 15th.

One final point of note is that they are staying open until 4 AM. This late night destination, currently in soft opening mode, is open Thursday through Sunday from 5 PM-4 AM. They will expand their hours after the grand opening and hope to be open seven days a week by summer.

We got a sneak peek of a few cocktails on the menu - both kegged and handcrafted. Check out the thirst-inducing photos below.