San Diego native and UCSD alum Arsalun Tafazoli began his Consortium Holdings hospitality company - now also known as CH Projects - in 2007 with the opening of Neighborhood bar in the East Village. Fast forward to today, and Tafazoli holds ownership stakes in over 20 bars, restaurants, and hotels across the city.
Consortium Holdings' list of venues feels endless. There's cocktail-focused Polite Provisions, neighborhood bar & restaurant Craft & Commerce with adjacent tiki-speakeasy False Idol, two locations of its Japanese fusion restaurant Underbelly, seafood-centric Ironside Fish & Oyster, bi-level steakhouse Born & Raised, Westfield UTC bottle shop and speakeasy Raised By Wolves, flamboyantly-designed brunch perch Morning Glory, Americanized-Chinese restaurant Fortunate Son, and industry-focused East Village sandwich shop and Negroni bar J & Tony's Discount Cured Meats and Negroni Warehouse with neighboring coffee shop Invigatorium.
"As an industry person I don’t like to patronize them," wrote Reddit user m_olive14. "They have mediocre food at expensive prices, you're just paying for ambiance. I would rather spend my money at a small business. Small business keep our cities culture alive and boosts our working class. Consortium is really a lot of this vapid social media 'food just for pictures' thing that just gives more money for them to buy more property and drive small business out."
CH Projects has also faced accusations of cultural appropriation in several of its restaurant concepts. Some point to Underbelly, a ramen-focused spot, which is often called out for being far from authentic Japanese cuisine, with disparagers noting that the dishes lack the nuance and depth of traditional ramen. Fortunate Son, their Chinese-American eatery, features an intense, over-the-top decor reminiscent of a classic Chinatown, yet reports claim the staff is predominantly white, which some find disingenuous given the concept. Similarly, Leila, the group's Middle Eastern venture, has been scrutinized for having an executive chef - Wesley Remington Johnson, from New Jersey - who, despite his impressive culinary resume, is perceived by some as not representative of the cuisine's cultural origins.
"They've homogenized the city," wrote another commenter. "They have the money to take over numerous leases that were previously occupied by places of subculture and replaced them with overpriced frilly mediocrity."
Consortium Holdings' list of venues feels endless. There's cocktail-focused Polite Provisions, neighborhood bar & restaurant Craft & Commerce with adjacent tiki-speakeasy False Idol, two locations of its Japanese fusion restaurant Underbelly, seafood-centric Ironside Fish & Oyster, bi-level steakhouse Born & Raised, Westfield UTC bottle shop and speakeasy Raised By Wolves, flamboyantly-designed brunch perch Morning Glory, Americanized-Chinese restaurant Fortunate Son, and industry-focused East Village sandwich shop and Negroni bar J & Tony's Discount Cured Meats and Negroni Warehouse with neighboring coffee shop Invigatorium.
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| False Idol speakeasy |
There is also Seneca Italian trattoria on the 19th floor of the InterContinental Hotel in San Diego's downtown marina district with its adjacent, members-only social house The Reading Club. Part Time Lover is a Japanese-inspired listening & cocktail bar in the former Bar Pink space in North Park. Leila Middle Eastern restaurant unveiled this past summer to mixed reviews but huge influencer-driven fanfare.
Consortium Holdings also has several San Diego hotels in its growing portfolio. In March 2021, Tafazoli finalized the purchase of North Park's 75-year-old The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows for $25,815,000, then performed a $31 million renovation on the historic property to add several onsite bars, restaurants and even a music venue.
Later in 2021, Tafazoli purchased Little Italy's 67-room, European-style La Pensione Hotel for nearly $18 million. In 2022, he entered into a longterm lease for Coronado's 29-guestroom La Avenida Inn for an undisclosed price and is currently transforming the property to become The Baby Grand Crown City Hotel, which will house a new Greek-Mediterranean restaurant and reservation-only oyster & champagne bar.
Consortium Holdings also has several San Diego hotels in its growing portfolio. In March 2021, Tafazoli finalized the purchase of North Park's 75-year-old The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows for $25,815,000, then performed a $31 million renovation on the historic property to add several onsite bars, restaurants and even a music venue.
Later in 2021, Tafazoli purchased Little Italy's 67-room, European-style La Pensione Hotel for nearly $18 million. In 2022, he entered into a longterm lease for Coronado's 29-guestroom La Avenida Inn for an undisclosed price and is currently transforming the property to become The Baby Grand Crown City Hotel, which will house a new Greek-Mediterranean restaurant and reservation-only oyster & champagne bar.
Tafazoli also recently acquired six properties on Kettner, Juniper and India at the northern end of Little Italy at a cost of $13 million in order to build a project tentatively named Dreamboat, a boutique hotel with two restaurants, offices and a wellness center. He is pushing forward to appeal a decision by the San Diego Airport Authority that his proposed Little Italy hotel project violates land use regulations due to its presence in a flight path. This past July, the San Diego City Council overrode the airport's decision, although a second vote is expected to take place this fall before officially clearing the way for the ambitious development.
It hasn't been all triumph for the San Diego-based restaurant collective. Years ago, CH Projects offloaded its Petco Park-adjacent dual concepts, Rare Form & Fairweather, after a three-year run in the Simon Levi building, despite the initial buzz when they opened in 2014. The company also struggled to find its footing in the former Porter's Pub building on the UCSD campus, rebranding the space multiple times before ultimately pulling out in late 2023. Their Dover Honing Company barber shop in East Village had a decent run but was eventually sold. Meanwhile, the Soda & Swine location at Liberty Station proved to be another misstep, failing to capture the momentum of its other ventures.
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| Soda & Swine Liberty Station closed in 2021 |
Consortium Holdings continues to remain busy with several additional projects in the works, including restyling the 17-year-old Starlite restaurant on northern India Street in San Diego's highway-adjacent Middletown neighborhood. The company is also adding a spa concept inspired by Russian, Roman and Turkish bathhouses as part of its ongoing restoration of The Lafayette Hotel, as well as a fine-dining, French-inspired restaurant named Le Horse Continental Room.
Tafazoli also purchased the shopping plaza at 3401 Adams Avenue in Normal Heights, which sits across the street from Blind Lady AleHouse and approximately a half mile from CH's Polite Provisions. There is no word yet on what is planned for that space, although it is rumored he is building a commercial kitchen and bakery in the unit.
Tafazoli also purchased the shopping plaza at 3401 Adams Avenue in Normal Heights, which sits across the street from Blind Lady AleHouse and approximately a half mile from CH's Polite Provisions. There is no word yet on what is planned for that space, although it is rumored he is building a commercial kitchen and bakery in the unit.
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| Mothership in South Park |
In addition to all he oversees under his Consortium Holdings umbrella, Tafazoli also has ownership interests in Kindred vegan bar and restaurant in South Park, as well as its sister project Mothership and the incoming two dining venues under construction in University Heights.
Despite the majority successes, Tafazoli and CH Projects frequently find themselves on the receiving end of condemnation. A significant portion of this negativity stems from accusations that the company's focus is more on aesthetics and Instagrammable spaces than on quality food or service.
"As an industry person I don’t like to patronize them," wrote Reddit user m_olive14. "They have mediocre food at expensive prices, you're just paying for ambiance. I would rather spend my money at a small business. Small business keep our cities culture alive and boosts our working class. Consortium is really a lot of this vapid social media 'food just for pictures' thing that just gives more money for them to buy more property and drive small business out."
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| Invigatorium in East Village |
Critics argue that the venues are designed more for social media clout than for genuine dining experiences, drawing comparisons to places like Rainforest Café - themed destinations that rely heavily on spectacle but are often derided for their underwhelming culinary offerings. For some, Consortium Holdings embodies this trend in San Diego, with many questioning whether the company's restaurants have the substance to back up their style.
"We believe environment dictates behavior, and design dictates environment," said Tafazoli in a 2016 interview. "The best food on the planet shared with an asshole is a shitty meal, and shitty food with a great companion is still a good experience. So we try to design our spaces to encourage human interaction and good conversation."
In an industry driven by image and social media culture, this critique isn’t without merit. A quick scroll through popular San Diego Instagram pages show that many CH venues, like the glitzy Seneca or the extravagant Leila, attract influencers, many of whom receive comped experiences arranged by the company's public relations firm in exchange for promoting the venues. But does that mean the food and service are subpar? Some San Diegans seem to think so.
In an industry driven by image and social media culture, this critique isn’t without merit. A quick scroll through popular San Diego Instagram pages show that many CH venues, like the glitzy Seneca or the extravagant Leila, attract influencers, many of whom receive comped experiences arranged by the company's public relations firm in exchange for promoting the venues. But does that mean the food and service are subpar? Some San Diegans seem to think so.
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| Leila in North Park |
"The best way I can describe it is their restaurants are like Disneyland," wrote another Redditor. "It all feels the same. You can go to Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, all different themes…but all still Disneyland."
For many, the comparison to the Disneyland feels apt. The restaurant chain is seen by some to prioritize an immersive environment over culinary depth, with commentators claiming CH's establishments rely on flashy interiors and high-concept design to lure in crowds, potentially leaving seasoned foodies and locals disappointed.
For many, the comparison to the Disneyland feels apt. The restaurant chain is seen by some to prioritize an immersive environment over culinary depth, with commentators claiming CH's establishments rely on flashy interiors and high-concept design to lure in crowds, potentially leaving seasoned foodies and locals disappointed.
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| Fortunate Son in North Park |
One online pundit summed up a common sentiment: "They make beautiful places with okay food," commenting that CH Projects seems to prioritize aesthetic appeal over culinary authenticity. "Has gone further and further down hill over time. Really bad service at a lot of places now. Cool experience to go see the spaces, but they are so big as a company that the shine has worn off and is a bit of an empire. Not to mention some of their places are kitsch too. Fortunate Son, super over the top Chinese decor and all white people running the place. Weird."
This sentiment is further fueled by the perception that CH has become a monopoly in San Diego, dominating the city's bar and restaurant scene with its hipster-centric aesthetic while edging out smaller, independent businesses. Many locals still mourn the loss of North Park’s beloved dive, Bar Pink, harboring resentment toward CH for its role in transforming the neighborhood vibe.
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| The former Bar Pink is now Part Time Lover |
Former employees have also shared negative experiences working for CH, adding more fuel to the conversation. Just a quick peruse of online employer review site, GlassDoor, shows Consortium Holdings has a 2.2 rating, with only 13% of reviewers saying they would recommend working for the company to a friend and 10% approving of CEO Tafazoli.
"CH does not care about its employees," wrote one GlassDoor reviewer. "Granted most restaurants don't but at least they are upfront about it. The power distance from managers to employees is vast. Managers lack accountability and put customers (guests) ahead of you in public and behind closed doors. In other words, they do not have your back. The culture at CH is culty and full of cliques. CH does not foster a healthy work environment. The culture of corporate management consists of pinko-communists that rail against capitalism while at the same time practicing the worst attributes of capitalism within their company. I am a capitalist myself but one has to stand by in awe at the hypocrisy of this place."
More than one alleged former employee wrote us directly claiming that CH would go as far as to offer some staff members a significant cash incentive to quit their position as a way to test their loyalty. Others echo the sentiment that the company fosters a cult-like allegiance to its internal "culture." More concerning, though unverified, allegations have also surfaced, hinting at deeper issues within the company.
"It's just a toxic, patriarchal culture, helmed by a narcissistic sociopath who thinks he is some punk disruptor when in fact, he IS the embodiment of capitalist, colonist scum he thinks he despises so much," wrote a person claiming to be a former upper management employee of Consortium.
Yet, while the company faces its fair share of detractors, it continues to thrive and expand, revealing a gap between online perception and real-world patronage. In fact, much of CH's success can be attributed to its ability to create spaces that feel like destinations, where people come not just to eat but to experience something unique. Their concepts are designed meticulously, and while critics may lambaste the aesthetics as social media bait, it's clear that these spaces resonate with many San Diegans and visitors alike.
Consortium Holdings has quietly defied its critics over the years. Outside Craft & Commerce in Little Italy - a restaurant that truly put the company on the map - a brick wall boldly urges passersby to "Demand Less." Inside the establishment, the bathrooms feature a playful, yet audacious, touch: audio of voices reading negative reviews about the bar blares over the speakers, a clear nod to the company’s irreverent attitude toward its maligners.
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| Craft & Commerce in Little Italy |
"We have always strived to be a catalyst for analytical thought and get people outside of their comfort zone," explained Tafazoli in the above referenced interview. "We want to make an emotional connection and force people to form an opinion. Either love us or hate us, but don’t be indifferent. The places that try to be all things to all people never end up doing anything all that well. While challenging the status quo and mass consensus have never been the most profitable ethos, we are fortunate that we don’t need to win over every person to be successful."
At the heart of this ongoing debate lies a fundamental question: Is Consortium Holdings merely a stylish façade, or is it redefining the way San Diego experiences hospitality? In reality, it can be both. While critics liken it to chains like Rainforest Café, known for their style-over-substance approach, CH’s expansion into hotels and wellness spaces suggests Tafazoli has bigger ambitions. Whether his vision will continue to drive San Diego’s dining and nightlife scene - or eventually crumble under the weight of its own curated aesthetic - remains to be seen.
At the heart of this ongoing debate lies a fundamental question: Is Consortium Holdings merely a stylish façade, or is it redefining the way San Diego experiences hospitality? In reality, it can be both. While critics liken it to chains like Rainforest Café, known for their style-over-substance approach, CH’s expansion into hotels and wellness spaces suggests Tafazoli has bigger ambitions. Whether his vision will continue to drive San Diego’s dining and nightlife scene - or eventually crumble under the weight of its own curated aesthetic - remains to be seen.
For more information about Consortium Holdings and its properties, visit consortiumholdings.com.
Originally published on September 29, 2024.
