Arcata's Plaza Grill Set to Reopen After October 2024 Closure

After more than 18 months away from Arcata's downtown dining scene, the Plaza Grill is coming back. Owner Bill Chino has announced the iconic Jacoby's Storehouse restaurant will serve its first night of familiar Plaza Grill fare on Wednesday, April 8, revived by a group of former employees who approached Chino and asked if they could bring the beloved eatery back to life.

The restaurant, a neighborhood institution for more than three decades, closed in October 2024. The third floor of Jacoby's Storehouse where it operated had since been occupied by Havana, a Cuban-Arcatan fusion spot that itself closed a few weeks ago, leaving the space vacant and, as it turned out, available.

"It will be a little different this time around," Chino said. The business model is being restructured around two distinct entities: Chino will retain ownership of the bar, while the kitchen will operate as a separate entity. That split could mean a dual ordering setup for customers. "There's a possibility you may have to go to the bar to order, and then your drinks will be delivered, and you will also order your food at a counter. But it will be delivered to your table," Chino said.

The menu is being pared down as well. Chino described it as "condensed" — a subset of the prior offerings, a deliberate choice to hold down prices. "We're trying to streamline the process," he said. "We're trying to serve it fast and keep the price down."

While he called the schedule "a work in progress," Chino said the Plaza Grill may operate Wednesdays through Saturdays from 5 to 8 p.m., with a nightly Happy Hour and a nightly menu special. The focus, he said, is on affordability and quick service without losing what regulars recognized as the Plaza Grill experience.

Anyone stopping by on opening night might get an extra dose of that familiarity. According to the Mad River Union, customers could see "a bright and shiny Bill greeting you at the door, just like in the olden days."

The returning staff's specific identities and the exact legal structure of the bar-and-kitchen arrangement have not been confirmed publicly. The menu's full contents and pricing also remain unannounced ahead of the April 8 opening.