Customers enjoy their dinner at Paz Cantina in downtown Phoenix on a busy Wednesday night. (Celisse Jones/DD)
Nestled at the corner of Third and Roosevelt streets, Paz Cantina is succeeding in a location where many other businesses have failed.
Paz made its debut on Roosevelt Row in November 2014, filling the void left by restaurant The Local, which only lasted six months in the location. Before Paz, businesses opened and closed, none of them sticking around for long.
Since its opening, Paz Cantina has expanded to include community meets, practice areas for artists and local events and gatherings. From open to close, classic rock and roll plays at a high volume. The walls are decorated with Mexican-influenced art, including many vibrant paintings of calaveras, or sugar skulls.
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“I think they push the limits a little,” said Wayne Rainey, owner of the MonOrchid gallery and co-working space across the street from Paz.
Rainey said he has heard complaints about the noise from nearby residents, but he thinks the restaurant is still doing well.
As for its location, Rainey said Roosevelt Row is the ideal spot to host the Paz ideology. The restaurant is close to the freeway and easily accessible. It also has a parking lot, which Rainey said is a huge deal for the business.
“I think the key to the success has a lot to do with timing,” he said.
Nicole Underwood, the director of operations for Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation, said Paz joined the Roosevelt Row community in the perfect timeframe. She said affordability is another factor in Paz’s success.
“You can’t beat $3 margaritas and street tacos!” she said.
All of Paz’s entrees are less than $12. The menu includes a wide selection of tacos, tortas and brunch items, and its website offers online ordering.
Underwood said the exciting food and the variety of activities the restaurant hosts also make them successful. She also said Paz’s owner, Michael Reyes, is passionate about the arts district and local community.
Reyes, a longtime Phoenix resident, describes the Paz recipe as “cultura, comunidad, y comida,” or culture, community, and food. Embedded in the restaurant’s philosophy is a genuine love for the culture of downtown Phoenix, he said.
“It’s very sincere. We mean this and we put our heart and soul into it and we serve our community very well,” he said. “We have a lot more to do and a lot more to serve.”
Reyes believes Paz Cantina is filling a void that could not be filled by the previous businesses.
“The other ventures that tried to bring things to this location were French in style, uppity in style, and they were expensive in style. I never intended to do that, nor would I,” he said. He strives to make Paz Cantina a genuine local Chicano experience.
“We’re gritty and we’re not perfect but it’s all about expression. We’re in the heart of the art and so we want to pump up the volume and pump up the experience a little bit more,” Reyes said. “Our name says it all. Paz. Ultimately our recipe is love, peace and taco grease.”
