The Casbah reopens doors for first time since the pandemic

Many live music venues are still shuttered throughout San Diego, but the Casbah is ready to welcome the community back — at a distance.

The Casbah announced via Facebook that it will reopen its patio and Razzmatazz room for guests starting April 9. The midtown establishment is partnering with ¡SALUD! Tacos, a Mexican eatery based in Barrio Logan, to offer socially-distanced dining and cocktails.

The new setup does not include live music, but the reopening will feature DJs, kicking off with Tre3BEATles on April 9 and 10.

Casbah will also continue its livestream shows, hosting a virtual performance from Zack Oakley on Monday, April 5, and Tori Roze and the Hot Mess scheduled for May 27.

“It’s free, but we’d love to see you support our staff who continue to makes these (livestreams) possible,” the Casbah wrote in an email newsletter sent Friday morning.

With the reopening announcement happening on April 1, one commenter on the Facebook post speculated the news could be an April Fool’s Day joke.

“We decided to do it deliberately on April Fool’s Day actually, just because,” the Casbah’s co-owner Tim Mays responded on Facebook. “I assure you it is no joke though!”

READ MORE: The Casbah, Soda Bar have closed due to coronavirus concerns

The Casbah’s new hours are 5 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Starting April 15, the venue will also be open on Thursdays. COVID-19 protocols will be followed, including mandatory masks for entry and when not seated. A food purchase is also required for every order.

To help recoup some of the financial losses caused by the pandemic shutdown, the venue is also promoting its merch, including a new t-shirt in collaboration with the South Park bar Kindred. The shirt, created by local graphic designer Andrew McGranahan, is available for preorder for $20 at casbahmerch.com.