Bars and restaurants are back to full capacity. What does that look like in downtown SLO?

Editor’s note: This week, The Tribune is publishing a series of stories looking at California’s June 15 reopening and what it means for San Luis Obispo County.

Linda Halisky has been eating at Big Sky Cafe in San Luis Obispo for 30 years.

The San Luis Obispo local ordered take-out from the restaurant about three times during the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday, after a 15-month break, she dined in the restaurant again.

Halisky said she feels “terrific” to be back.

“The food is fabulous and the waitstaff are friendly. They remember you,” Halisky said. “It’s just one of my favorite places in town.”

California lifted its color-coded tier system of coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday — allowing bars and restaurants to decide how they enforce mask wearing, social distancing and other limits.

Bars and restaurants in downtown San Luis Obispo differ on how they plan to operate now. While some will stick to strict mask and indoor capacity rules, for instance, others say they’re more flexible.

McCarthy’s Irish Pub

On Monday, the day before California eliminated its Blueprint for a Safer Economy plan, the sounds of “Surfin’ USA” by the Beach Boys poured out of McCarthy’s Irish Pub at 600 Marsh St.

Underneath the neon red McCarthy’s sign, customers — mostly mask-less — talked with each other at tables outside.

“You get to drop your whole identity at home, your job, and just be who you are and talk to people,” McCarthy’s general manager Colin Wenzel said. “Just what everybody needs right now.”

McCarthy’s, which is owned by ASH Management Inc., stayed open during the COVID-19 pandemic by catering burgers, fish sandwiches, pizza and tacos from another ASH Management property, Mother’s Tavern, Wenzel said.

McCarthy’s stopped serving food when San Luis Obispo County moved into the yellow tier of COVID-19 restrictions in June, as bars were no longer required to serve meals to remain open.

With state restrictions lifted, McCarthy’s will still require staff to wear face coverings, and ask patrons to wear masks when they’re not sitting at their own table, eating or drinking, Wenzel said.

Though bars can now open at 100% indoor capacity, McCarthy’s will stick to 80% capacity.

“There’s no need to push it,” Wenzel said.

Wenzel said the bar also plans to continue sanitizing surfaces, and will update mask requirements as needed.

“McCarthy’s has always been the long-game bar,” Wensel said. “We’re not trying to make a bunch of money over one weekend, we’d like to be the community bar.”

Paso Robles Club Pilates manager Mallory Harris has been a customer at McCarthy’s for about four years. Before the pandemic, she enjoyed meeting friends there, but she said she didn’t go to the bar much during the height of the COVID-19 crisis.

She started going back to the bar in about March when local coronavirus cases declined.

“It’s nice to be able to go get a beer with friends again,” Harris said.

The Mark Bar & Grill

Throughout the pandemic, The Mark Bar & Grill used its front and back patios to serve tacos, chicken wings and more — which helped the bar stay open, bartender Heather Smith said Tuesday.

The venue, located at 673 Higuera St., has large front doors that keep fresh air circulating — a bonus during COVID-19.

The Mark will ask unvaccinated customers to wear masks, but vaccinated customers will be free to unmask, Smith said.

On Tuesday, retired San Luis Obispo resident Tom Head was drinking a bourbon at The Mark’s front bar. He said he’s happy COVID-19 restrictions are lifting.

“I’ve been vaccinated” against coronavirus, he said, adding that the virus “doesn’t scare me.”

Mint + Craft

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Mint + Craft was making about 50% of its usual revenue, and dropped from 15 employees to four employees.

So the restaurant at 848 Monterey St. adapted, Mint + Craft general manager Joshua Ashby said Wednesday.

Mint + Craft also reduced its menu and eliminated table service; instead, customers ordered and picked up meals at the front counter. The cafe also expanded its to-go food program using DoorDash.

Now Mint + Craft is making about 75% of its usual revenue, Ashby said.

According to the general manager, the cafe’s regular customers still ordered food during the pandemic. One customer previously came in almost every single day, but when the pandemic started, staffers didn’t see him anymore, Ashby said.

Ashby then learned the customer was ordering through DoorDash everyday, and he started sending thank you notes with his food.

“It’s been really fun,” Ashby said.

Mint + Craft will continue its take-out program and, now that restrictions are lifted, plans to return to 100% indoor capacity. As the cafe’s customer base grows, it will hire more staff.

When it comes to Mint + Craft’s policy on face masks, Ashby said he’s flexible.

During Cal Poly’s busy graduation weekend, Ashby required masks in the restaurant because there were so many people coming in. On slower days, he said, he may not require face coverings.

Big Sky Cafe

On Wednesday, Big Sky Cafe owner Greg Holt said he’s glad to see COVID-19 restrictions lift.

“The opportunity to have more people and feed more people is a blessing,” Holt said.

Located at 1121 Broad St., the restaurant has a door about the size of its front wall that slides open and allows fresh air inside, which Holt said made customers feel comfortable to eat there during the pandemic.

Though restaurants are allowed to open to full capacity, Holt said Big Sky Cafe will stick to about 70% capacity — with indoor dining making up 50% and the outdoor patio 20%.

Kitchen employees will have the option to unmask if they’re vaccinated, but servers will continue to wear masks as they interact with a large number of people each day, Holt said.

The cafe will ask unvaccinated customers to wear masks, but vaccinated customers will be free to go mask-less, Holt said.

This story was originally published June 16, 2021 at 2:02 PM.

Stephanie Zappelli

The Tribune

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Stephanie Zappelli is the environment and immigration reporter for The Tribune. Born and raised in San Diego, they graduated from Cal Poly with a journalism degree. When not writing, they enjoy playing guitar, reading and exploring the outdoors.