Editor's note: This story was originally published on Dec. 28, 2023. We're republishing it in April 2024 because Chela's Latin Cuisine is set to open on Thursday, April 18 from 4-10 p.m. 🥳 Reservations are recommended. Call 520-867-6069.
More than two decades ago, El Sur opened its doors serving enchiladas, tostadas and bowls of albondigas to Tucsonans.
About a year ago, the Mejia family opened Ocean View, a boutique hotel and restaurant in Honduras, where family patriarch Luis Mejia Sr. is from.
Now, the family is gearing up for their third venture: a Latin-inspired restaurant and nightclub that’s an ode to Honduras, the Caribbean and a little bit of Sonora. Chela’s Latin Cuisine is expected to open in downtown Tucson at 256 E. Congress St. in late February or early March.
“My mom was the influence of the space. Chela is the nickname she was given by her aunt — basically it means someone who is lively, vibrant and fun,” says Luis Mejia Jr., who owns Chela’s Latin Cuisine with his mom Isela Mejia, dad Luis Mejia Sr. and brother Leo Mejia.
Brothers Leo, left, and Luis Mejia pose for a photo in what will be their restaurant/nightclub Chela’s Latin Cuisine, 256 E. Congress St.
Initially, the family had two ideas in mind: opening a restaurant on the north side or opening an eatery-slash-nightclub in downtown Tucson. When they started to look at locations and eventually toured the space on Congress Street, which was most recently home to the now-closed Elvira’s, the Mejias fell in love.
Chela’s Latin Cuisine will focus on dinner service, but the space will transform into a nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights. Brunch will be served on weekends.
“When it comes to a restaurant, we understand there’s a couple Mexican restaurants within a mile radius, but we’re combining Sonoran Mexican recipes from El Sur with our recipes from Honduras,” Mejia Jr. says. “It’s a clash of Latin American food and Sonoran food.”
A cup of traditional chicken tortilla soup at El Sur Restaurant, 5602 E. 22nd St. The restaurant, which makes about three gallons of soup a day, uses family recipes passed down by owner Isela Mejia’s mother and aunt.
El Sur, 5602 E. 22nd St., is known for their casual atmosphere and very homey Sonoran food made from recipes that have been passed through the Mejia family or brought in from the chef who has been at the restaurant for the last 15 years. Though some of those recipes will make their way into the Chela’s kitchen — like the beloved menudo and caldo de queso — expect more elevated and upscale dishes at the new restaurant.
There will be lobster tail and sopa marinera, a seafood soup with coconut milk. Isela Mejia also created a dish with shrimp sautéed in a special poblano sauce. Vegan options will also be on the menu, like tacos de calabaza.
The Mejias are also excited about a Caribbean cocktail, dubbed Agua de Chela, that they learned how to make thanks to mixologists in Honduras.
“I was traveling almost every month getting (Ocean View) going. My dad always wanted to build something in his homeland, so that’s why we did something there,” Mejia Jr. says of the family's hotel in Roatan, Honduras.
“We decided that it would be cool to open something here in Tucson, especially with our record — a lot of people know us so it wouldn’t be difficult from the get-go.”
The Mejia brothers grew up in El Sur, watching their parents work and helping bus tables and serve customers when they were able. When they got older, they fell into managerial roles. Leo Mejia always knew he wanted to work in the family business. Mejia Jr. studied fashion design and business in LA before returning to Tucson — and his El Sur roots — when the pandemic hit.
Chela’s Latin Cuisine will be open 4-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday, 11-2 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday. Keep up with the restaurant's progress on Instagram.
