Media Noche, the stylish Cuba restaurant at 19th and Lexington streets, is closing at the end of the month.
“We are saddened to announce that, after feeding you for the last 6 1/2 years, we will be shuttering our doors on Saturday, October 28th,” the restaurant wrote in an Instagram post.
On Friday afternoon, while other restaurants were buzzing, Media Noche was mostly empty. One customer waited for a drink inside, and five others prepared to leave their patio tables outside. Media Noche’s manager acted as the only server.
“I hate to sound like a cliche and say we never bounced back from Covid,” said founder Jessie Barker. But “it’s very hard to be profitable,” she said.
The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the closure.
In early July, the last straw came in the form of a broken transmission on their food truck, which was set up during the pandemic to attract more diners. “Once we said goodbye to that, it was tough for us to really rebound with the restaurant,” said Barker.
She also cited the shift in Media Noche’s clientele, and the diminished number of tourists. “This time would be a very busy time of year, and it’s very much the opposite [now],” Barker said, sitting in her deserted restaurant. “The lunch crowd has really died down around here.”
Customers lamented the loss.
“I really like this place. I’m sad to see it go,” said Tristi Bee, who has patronized Media Noche some six times in the past two years for its Cubanos. “It’s a nice, quiet lunch spot. It feels different than a lot of the other restaurants around this place.”
Barker, who’s in her early 40s, has worked in the restaurant business for 22 years, but the last couple months have been especially “emotionally draining,” she said. “I’m emotionally burnt out.”
When asked about her fondest memories of her time here, she fell silent for a moment before expressing her gratitude to the community again. “I’m just really grateful to my staff, to our clientele, folks that would come in every other day and really continue to support us over the years,” she said. “Sorry. It’s hard for me to think of positive things right now.”
She plans to take a break after Media Noche while she searches for a new tenant to help her close out the restaurant’s 10-year lease.
Business will remain as usual in the restaurant’s final two weeks, with some complimentary snacks and drinks on Oct. 28.
Oh no! I am so sorry to hear this.
Media Noche was one of our go-tos during the pandemic. We are grateful for its quality food, and will miss it a lot.
Thank you, Jessie, for feeding us. Please enjoy your time off. We wish you well in whatever you do next.