Jose Reyes is finally making good on his dream.
Next month, the local wedding venue owner will open JP Restaurant and Lounge in the former Sarto’s space in Jefferson Park.
“About 10 years ago … I thought opening a restaurant would be a great idea,” the former McDonald’s manager said.
Reyes, not to be confused with the short-lived Rockies shortstop, said he ran several locations of the fast-food chain and flipped “a bunch” from in the red to profitability.
“But just a restaurant sometimes is tough,” he continued, noting that the timing wasn’t right then. “So what could be something that people always have money for? If it’s just a restaurant they might say, ‘I’ll eat at home.’ But people always want to drink and watch sports.”
Reyes’ 3,000-square-foot spot at 2900 W. 25th Ave., which has two outdoor patios, will serve typical bar fare amid a suite of TVs, where patrons can enjoy the latest game. Wings, tenders and burgers will be served along with some Mexican dishes, such as tacos.
Reyes will also serve breakfast and brunch. That portion of the menu will also feature both American staples — omelets, French toast, Eggs Benedicts — and things like chilaquiles, a Reyes favorite that features egg-topped tortilla chips fried in a brothy sauce.
“In this neighborhood, there’s really nothing for American breakfast. And all the bars around here open after 3 p.m.,” he said. “Early, it’ll be a lounge-y vibe with some bottomless mimosas, and between 2 and 3 p.m. we’ll switch to a sports bar.”
Reyes signed a 10-year lease in mid-June for the spot, which has been sitting vacant since Sarto’s Italian eatery left unceremoniously in late-2020.
Reyes is happy to be in the second-generation space. All he had to do was fill it with tables, chairs, appliances and a fresh coat of paint. He hopes to open the building’s brick-walled basement with pool tables and a bar sometime in the future — a process that Sarto’s started before it closed, he said.
After Reyes left McDonald’s several years ago, he went into the auto industry, working in the finance department for local Buick and Nissan dealer Alpine. About a year and a half ago, he said, he opened Royal Event Center in Thornton, which hosts quinceañeras and weddings.
For the restaurant, Reyes said he looked around the metro area before settling on Jefferson Park.
“We were all over the place, but here it was more neighborhood and family oriented, more community. It was more interesting,” Reyes said. “This checks all the needs that I had from the start.”
David Schneider of Axio Commercial represented landlord Jefferson Park LLC, whose operating manager is local businessman Ken Wolf. Marin Dornseif of Kaufman Hagan represented the tenant.
