IT’S PATIO SEASON AT EL PATRON

Goodyear Hts. Clean-up

On a drizly, gray Saturday in early May, several members and staff of The Devil Strip joined neighborhood volunteers and Akron City Councilwoman Sharon Connor (D-Ward 10) for a clean-up of Goodyear Heights to collect roadside litter from devil strips with bags and equipment supplied by Keep Akron Beautiful.

opening night back then, and those memories influenced his strategies this time around.

His degree has shaped his business and management philosophies. Being so processoriented helps him and his team stay organized, which makes everything flow.

“Engineering is all about systems, and a restaurant is made of systems.”

Executive chef James Phillips and Escudero developed the menu with help from his mom, Gabriela, and her recipes from Mexico City. He loves sharing his culture with his team, so they can share it with guests. Phillips is an Akron kitchen veteran.

Given the loungey vibe of El Patrón, most of the menu is organized into small plates — everything from vegan paddle cactus tacos to Kobe tartara. The ingredients are super fresh and most items are sharable, especially the big fajita plates. Behind the bar, you’ll find classic Mexican beers on tap, and of course, a huge selection of tequila and mezcal. Cocktails are organized into sections: Palomas, Traditional Margaritas, Craft Margaritas, and Craft Cocktails - all of which include tequila or mezcal. (Yes, you can get margarita flights!)

Escudero’s favorite part of starting his own place from scratch has been building his team. He says he’s been particularly blessed in this area, and that his staff has values that align with his when it comes to work ethic and a focus on positivity.

So what’s been the hardest part?

“Actually running the business — doing everything — it takes an immense amount of brainpower,” he says.

El Patrón is open for lunch at noon Monday through Saturday; they close at 10:00 pm Monday-Wednesday, but on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays they’re open until 2:00 am. They’re closed on Sundays.

WRITING AND PHOTOS BY EMILY ANDERSON

There’s a new tequila bar downtown called El Patrón Tequilería & Cuisine, and it’s just what we’ve been missing. As the weather warms for summer, you can expect their beautiful rooftop patio to fill up with Akronites. When the time is right, owner Luis Escudero plans to host live music there, too. Escudero, who set an ambitious sixmonth opening plan after he signed a lease for the Gothic Building space that once was home to “Nuevo Mod Mex,” completely remodeled the interior of the space with some help from friends and family, then developed bar and kitchen menus,

El Patrón Tequilería opens in time for outdoor dining season

and trained a full staff. His success so far, he says, is owed to his experience at his family’s restaurant and to his engineering education from the University of Akron.

The original El Patrón in Seville was opened 10 years ago by Escudero’s father. Like the rest of his family, Luis Escudero worked there through high school and college. When he graduated college, he took over as operations manager in Seville.

“I’ve worked every position, from busboy to general manager.”

Watching his father open a restaurant as a teenager taught Escudero a lot. He remembered specifically how unprepared they had been for the // Emily Anderson thinks a classic marg on the rocks with salt is perfection.