Besha Rodell51 Tavern in Highland Park has closed. A somewhat confusing message on the restaurant's Facebook page reads: “After 8 years and a million customers later, we are sad to say that we are now closed. We thank you for your support and love of Chef Sevan's creations and hope we'll break bread together one day soon.”
The “8 years” claim is a little odd, given that 51 Tavern was only 7 months old, having taken over the space previously occupied by Recess Eatery. But it was the same team of owners, and while Recess Eatery itself opened in January 2106, it was the second iteration of the concept: Chef Sevan Abdessian had previously run a restaurant of the same name in Glendale. In the past few months, the York Boulevard restaurant had some tension with neighbors over late-night noise from customers.
A nearby business owner posted on NextDoor that the space has been taken over by Claudio Blotta, the restaurateur who owns Barbrix in Silver Lake and All'Acqua in Atwater Village. (The business owner did not respond to a request for comment.) According to the NextDoor comment, Blotta is planning a French restaurant in the space. We reached out to Blotta for confirmation but have not yet heard back from him. Here's hoping that whoever takes over the space has more longevity than the previous occupants.
Claudio Blotta, said to be taking over the 51 Tavern Space, at his restaurant All'Acqua; Credit: Anne Fishbein
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