By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com San Diego Nightlife Blogger
Nick Jonas is singing more than songs these days.
He’s also singing praise for Villa One Tequila Gardens, a new bar he co-owns in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.
The bar is as beautiful as its location, which is pretty sweet in its own right. Located on the rooftop of Theater box and Sugar Factory on Fifth Ave., between F and G streets (the entrance is on G Street), it is a lush setting with plants all around and a Wrigley Field-type of ivy wall with the bar’s name on it.
It also has 160 tequilas and mezcals, including the bar’s own brand. It is true to its name, a tequila garden.
Jonas was there for the opening, conducting red carpet interviews and getting behind the bar. Also at the opening were “The Bachelorette” season 17 star Katie Thurston, “Bling Empire” stars Kevin Kreider and Devon Diep. Along with PubClub.com. It was an eye-opening evening at the classy/casual rooftop bar with several fashionably-dressed guests.
That last part should be no surprise since Jonas opened the bar along with high-end fashion designer John Varvatos. San Diego is its first location and more are planned for other major party cities, including Las Vegas (right now a pop-up bar is open there) and Los Angeles.
Drinks include he Cantarito, made tableside with Villa One Tequila, freshly hand-squeezed lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit juices served in a ceramic “jarrito” vessel; and the V1, Villa One’s top margarita made with Villa One Tequila, fresh lime juice, prickly pear puree, house-infused castile rose simple syrup, Crème de Violette, lavender essence and garnished with black volcanic rock salt. I had it and it is a very good and strong margarita.
The bar also has sangria, but what you’ll notice most of there are all the tequilas on the shelfs. In there are more than 240 cocktails and spirits. The bartenders must have gone through one heck of a training program.
View this post on Instagram
@pubclub.com hubclub.com drinking tip of the day. Villa One tequila bar in San Diego. #pubclub #tequlabar #margarita #margaritas #drinkingtipoftheday #drinkingtip ♬ original sound – PubClub
There’s hip music playing, giving the place a real nightclub feeling. It even has Vegas-style service with girls walking certain drinks out to customers with flames. But with a capacity of just 160, it’s pretty intimate, too.
Villa One Tequila Gardens is also a restaurant with high-end Mexican food. This includes the Green Aguachile, fresh shrimp tanned in lime and lemon juice, served with serrano and cilantro green sauce, sliced cucumber and purple onions served with corn tostadas; the Poblano Roll, filled with beef chorizo, cream cheese, jalapeño peppers and avocado topped with pico de gallo and roasted poblano crema; and lobster and shrimp machaca tacos, served with tomatillo and jalapeño confit salsa, chipotle crema and salsa macha.
So how much? The Traditional Margarita is $14. Not bad. There is an automatic 20% gratuity added which makes it $17.89 with that ($2.80) and tax.
The Villa One Tequila Gardens address is 701 Fifth Ave.
Its website is: Villa One Tequila Gardens.
Leave a Reply