Dead Perezidents Brewing joins busy bar hub in Five Points
The latest addition to El Paso's brewery scene, Dead Perezidents Brewing Co., has officially opened in the Five Points neighborhood. Entrepreneurs Albert and Ivonne Perez extend their business ventures on Pershing Drive, making it their third establishment on the same block.
Already seeing favorable results with their two other businesses, Aviators, next to Dead Perezidents, and Papa Doble, a cocktail bar, across the street, the Perezes are hopeful the area continues to be a draw for people going out on any given night.
The couple has been in the bar business for 11 years. They previously owned Aviators Pub & Grill when it was on Dyer Street until they had to close it two years ago because the owner of the building sold it.
Aviators, at 3002 Pershing Drive, has been in business for seven years. The couple were able to purchase the property where Aviators is located but were not able to find a suitable renter for the adjacent side. And that's when they decided to open something new — the brewery.
"We like places where we enjoy going ourselves. And we were missing a brewery in this area. I didn't know anything about it, but we did nothing but research and study. And we asked a lot of questions," Perez said.
The businessman considers himself lucky to be able to align himself with a talented brewer, Jonathan Barraza. Barraza, 36, originally from El Paso, worked at Independents Brewing Company for five years in Austin before being the head brewer at Aurellia's Bottle Shop and Brewhouse.
Barraza said he is excited about the six accessible beers they are focusing on at the brewery. They will have a food menu as well with smash burgers and other items.
"We're trying to find the perfect combination of what people want to consume," Barraza said. The beers range from $6 to $8 for a 16-ounce draft.
For those who like a Mexican lager, there's the Perezidente Cerveza, super light and crisp. The Lincoln Lager is their interpretation of an American classic. The Witty Washington is a wheat, fruity summertime beer.
For the dark beer drinkers, there is the Irish Stout, with a lot of dark chocolate and coffee. The Tricky Dick is a fruity-flavored beer with a soft body.
Another unique element to their brewery is that they do water chemistry, since beer is 90% water, it's an important ingredient to focus on.
"We build the water. If you want a beer that tastes like a German beer you have to do it with German water," Perez said. "We soften it and then we filter it and we put it through our osmosis system."
With parking at a premium along Piedras Street and Pershing Drive, Perez believes the businesses can thrive along with other well-known establishments, sharing customers. And that seems to be the case, as you can hear the music blaring from adjacent bars and people walking along the sidewalk.
The brewery has seating for 65 people, with visible brewery tanks in a room adjacent to the bar.
"You go across the street and there is a fancy restaurant," he said, referring to Casa Pantera, an upscale restaurant that serves chilled beets as an appetizer, Tomahawk steaks, chilled seafood towers, among other dishes.
More: See photos of Casa Pantera, Wood-Fired Mexican Chophouse in Central El Paso
"You have the neighborhood bar next door. If you feel like cocktails, you can go get cocktails. Everything is in this space. And then you also have Love Buzz (3011 Pershing Drive) which is more of a younger crowd. Around the corner, you have Piedras and those bars along there," he said. Coconuts Bar & Grill is at 816 N. Piedras St., and 1/8 Pizza Pub, 830 N. Piedras St.
Perez said his businesses aim for all ages, wanting everyone to feel comfortable and relaxed at his establishments. His wife did all the decorating, mixing both cozy sofas and chairs with bar stools and high tables.
Dead Perezidents hours: 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 2 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 2 p.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday.
Aviators is well-known bar and grill
Aviators, the first business for the Perez couple, is a neighborhood bar with plenty of televisions for sports watching. Some of the TVs are inside the booths. There is good music playing but you can still have a conversation.
The bar is known for its drink specials, Perez said. It offers $3 drinks and beer.
On a recent Friday night, we thought it would be packed because the parking lot was full. However, we walked into a rather empty bar playing good music. Perhaps we started the night too early at 7 p.m.?
The menu consists of an affordable mix of popular bar foods, including mozzarella sticks, fully-loaded fries, wings, nachos, burgers and tacos.
We sampled a few different appetizers and entrees, and our favorites were the flautas ($6.50), three shredded chicken rolled tacos, topped with queso fresco, lettuce, tomatoes, crema Mexicana and chile con queso.
The Fully Loaded Fries ($7.50) also were delicious. The thick fries were topped with more queso, pieces of juicy steak, jalapeno slices and green onion.
While the drinks were alright, there was a noticeable hesitancy in their alcohol strength.
Hours: 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday and Monday, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Papa Doble is sophisticated, grown up bar
Papa Doble opened in 2021 and was a huge risk for the Perez couple. They spend a lot of money transforming a 100-year-old house at 3029 Pershing Drive into a chic bar with exposed beams and ducts in the ceiling and an open, welcoming vibe. There are fun quotes on the walls.
There are numerous spots to gather and celebrate, either as a couple or with friends. The entrance hall features comfortable couches and tables with chairs for guests to relax. Moving into the main area, patrons will find a bar equipped with stools, as well as additional tables and high stools.
After dinner at Aviators, we walked across the street to Papa Doble and immediately felt at home. It's a grown-up place to hang out and have good laughs and conversations.
The bar is named and themed after novelist Ernest Hemingway. The name is a tribute to his nickname Papa and his favorite drink a doble daiquiri.
We scanned the QR code for the menu and found some tempting drinks to try. This time we could taste the liquor.
My favorite was the Cantarito, ($9) with 1800 Silver Tequila, fresh lime juice and orange juice, grapefruit juice, and chamoy and chile rim and served in a cantarito. Another favorite was the Whiskey Mule, which was strong but not overpowering.
Our server was attentive throughout the night and even found us when we moved spots to the front. We will definitely be back and recommend it.
Hours: Closed Sunday and Monday, 5 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
More: Dave's Hot Chicken is good, crunchy, but spicy hot? Here's how it went.
María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; [email protected], @EPTMaria on Twitter; eptmariacg on TikTok.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Dead Perezidents, Aviators and Papa Doble part of bar scene in Five Points El Paso