Javier’s, a Mexican restaurant chain with six Southern California locations, plans to temporarily close its Newport Beach restaurant in January for a remodel, resulting in 239 layoffs.
Javier Sosa, a managing partner with parent company Mexi-Grill LLC, announced the move in a recent notice sent to the state Employment Development Department.
The temporary closure is set for Jan. 2 and will affect 52 cooks, 50 servers, 44 busboys, 16 cocktail servers and 12 janitors, among others.
General Manager Javier Sosa Jr. said it’s difficult to predict exactly how long the restaurant at 7832 E. Pacific Coast Highway will remain closed, but he figures about two months.
“You know how it is with construction,” he said. “You never know for sure … but we’re shooting to reopen in early March. We have crews that have already started work outside.”
Office Manager Cynthia Aguirre said all of the employees who wish to return will get their jobs back once the remodel is finished.
Sosa said they plan to expand the kitchen and remove the wall that separates the indoor dining area from the patio to create a more open feel. And upgrades will be added to the patio area.
“We’re going to add a full bar out there and raise and expand the patio with a higher ceiling, so customers get a better view,” he said. “We had a big temporary structure in our parking lot during the pandemic, and it provided a little higher view. Customers really liked it, and that’s what we’re trying to recapture.”
Perched above the highway at the Crystal Cove Promenade, Javier’s offers everything from carnitas and chili negro, to fajitas de carne and steak picado.
The restaurant currently seats around 300 customers, Sosa said, and the expansion will add another 50 to 60 seats.
Javier’s operates additional locations in Irvine, Century City, La Jolla, Las Vegas and Los Cabos.
