House of Xelas, a Boyle Heights staple, announces closure

Andrea Flores
·2 min read
Xelas in Boyle Heights, photographed on Tuesday Aug. 8, 2023, will close Aug. 27, 2023. Xelas is a comida Xicana bar with a menu that bridges Los Angeles street food, Cordon Bleu training and abuelita's kitchen with a wide selection of beer and drinks, according to their website.
The Xicana-inspired bar Xelas in Boyle Heights opened in 2018. (Martina Ibanez-Baldor / De Los)

The well-known and loved bar and restaurant House of Xelas in the Boyle Heights neighborhood will be closing its doors at the end of the month after serving the community for five years.

The restaurant owners announced on their Instagram page that they are closing their doors on Aug. 27 due to differences with the landlord.

“It’s important for us to be transparent with you about this decision as our relationship with the landlord has posed challenges that no longer align with our mission to create a space of unity and celebration,” reads an excerpt of the Instagram announcement.

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Though the owners, Corissa Paredes-Hernandez, Gabriel Paredes and Dominic Saldaña have made the decision to not renew their lease, they emphasize that this is “but a pause in [their] journey,” and when they return they will be “closer than ever, ready to continue the celebration and connection that define us.”

Comments under the post expressed their gratitude for time well spent at Xelas. “What a light y’all have been to our beautiful city,” wrote De Los contributor Yesika Salgado. “Thank you for opening your doors and giving so many of us a space to dance, celebrate and share joy.”

The Boyle Heights bar opened in September 2018. According to its website, Xelas is a Xicana-inspired bar that embraces the East Los Angeles culture and community.

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Patrons of the bar could enjoy craft beer like Horchata Stout or cocktails like the Piña Papi, with a side of carne asada nachos. Rotating among live music, local DJs and karaoke nights , Xelas offered a place for community members to connect.

Xelas also embraced the queer Latino community with BIPOC Drag Brunch, queer Loteria and pop ups like Cosas and Mimosas. Events are planned until the end of the month.

As the owners put it in their statement bidding farewell, “Let’s dance, laugh, and raise our glasses to the memories we’ve etched into the very walls of Xelas.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.