GBOD Hospitality Group

What GBOD Hospitality Group does

GBOD Hospitality Group is a privately held, founder-controlled multi-concept restaurant and nightlife operator headquartered at 515 5th Avenue in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. The company was founded in 2012 with Mezé Greek Fusion by brothers Raymond and Patrick Davoudi alongside Greek Chef Aleko Achtipes, was formally established as GBOD Hospitality Group in 2016 with the addition of Chief Operating Officer Joe Santos, and operates a portfolio of six-plus owned venues across three U.S. metros: San Diego (Mezé Greek Fusion, El Chingon, Havana 1920, Prohibition), Fort Worth (El Chingon, La Chingona, opened 2023), and Dallas (El Chingon, opened spring 2026, with two additional concepts planned). Concepts span Greek fusion, high-energy Mexican, Cuban, and a 1920s speakeasy, targeting adults seeking immersive dining and nightlife experiences in entertainment districts.

The company monetizes primarily through food and beverage sales (dine-in, patio, takeout, delivery) across its owned venues, supplemented by private events and venue buyouts, an e-commerce merchandise channel (shop.elchingon.com including Lost Boys Spirits), and a hospitality consulting practice that sells concept design, menu and bar program development, front-of-house systems, staff training, and business plans to third-party operators. There is no disclosed pricing model and no published price points; revenue is generated transactionally at the venue level and on a project/engagement basis for consulting. GBOD employs 101-250 people across regions, with dedicated California and Texas regional operations managers, a Corporate Controller, beverage and nightlife directors, and on-site general managers for each venue.

GBOD has no disclosed external funding, no institutional investors, no M&A activity, no patents or proprietary technology beyond standard hospitality operations, and no AI/ML capability signals. Distribution is dominated by physical venues in prime entertainment districts with organic social (Facebook, Instagram, X), email marketing, and earned media as the marketing stack. The company is privately held by the Davoudi brothers and Joe Santos, with no parent company or controlling entity identified.

Name

GBOD Hospitality Group

Legal name

GBOD Group

Website

https://gbodgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

GBOD Hospitality Group is a privately held, founder-controlled multi-concept restaurant and nightlife operator running six-plus owned venues across San Diego, Fort Worth, and Dallas, serving adult consumers seeking immersive dining and bar experiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurant and Nightlife Hospitality Services

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (7225), Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Nightlife Venue Groups & Operators (Multi-Location) (MPAGAIAL)

Keywords

• Restaurant operations
• Nightlife venues
• Hospitality consulting
• Bar and beverage development
• Restaurant concept development

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Restaurant and Bar Operations: Primary revenue from food and beverage sales at owned restaurant and nightlife venues including El Chingon, Havana 1920, Prohibition, Mezé Greek Fusion, and La Chingona. Revenue generated through dine-in, patio dining, takeout, and delivery services.
2. Private Events: Revenue from hosting private events including corporate gatherings, celebrations, and special occasions at their venue spaces.
3. Consulting Services: Revenue from hospitality consulting services including design concept development, new restaurant openings, operational magic, menu development, bar operations, staff training, and business plans for external clients.
4. E-commerce / Shop: Online sales through shop.elchingon.com and Lost Boys Spirits merchandise.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

GBOD Hospitality Group operates a portfolio of company-owned restaurant and nightlife venues across California and Texas under distinct concepts including El Chingon (Mexican), La Chingona, Havana 1920 (Cuban), Prohibition (1920s speakeasy), and Mezé Greek Fusion. In addition to operating its own venues, GBOD sells hospitality consulting, operations & management, and restaurant/bar development services to external hospitality operators, covering concept design, menu development, bar operations, staff training, and expansion strategy.

Product overview

GBOD Hospitality Group is a hospitality development, management, and consulting company operating a portfolio of restaurant and bar venues across California and Texas. The company was founded in 2016 and manages multiple distinct concepts including Mezé Greek Fusion (Greek cuisine), El Chingon (Mexican), Havana 1920 (Cuban), Prohibition (speakeasy bar), and La Chingona. Beyond operating its own venues, GBOD offers consulting, operations management, and development services to other hospitality businesses. The company is expanding nationally with new locations planned.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• El Chingon Multi-location Mexican restaurant and bar brand offering high-energy dining, margaritas, and nightlife experiences in San Diego, Fort Worth, and Dallas for adult consumers seeking memorable evenings out.
• La Chingona Mexican dining concept co-located with El Chingon Fort Worth, offering bold Mexican flavors and a Texas-market dining experience for adults.
• Havana 1920 Cuban-themed restaurant and bar in San Diego that brings Hemmingway's Cuba to life with authentic Cuban dishes, drinks, and entertainment in an intimate setting for diners.
• Mezé Greek Fusion Greek fusion restaurant in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter featuring small plates inspired by Greek island cuisine and hospitality for diners seeking a Mediterranean experience.
• Prohibition Secret 1920s-style speakeasy bar in San Diego featuring expertly crafted cocktails, live music, and an immersive Prohibition-era atmosphere for nightlife patrons.
• GBOD Consulting Services Hospitality consulting services for external restaurant and bar operators covering bar/mixology and beverage development, front-of-house services and systems, menu development, and bar operations.
• GBOD Operations & Management Services Restaurant operations management services for hospitality operators covering expansion and growth strategies, staff training and development, and purchasing and procurement.
• GBOD Development Services Restaurant and bar development services for hospitality ventures covering design concepts, new restaurant openings, and business plans.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hakkasan Group: Hakkasan operates upscale Pan-Asian restaurants and nightclubs (Hakkasan, Omnia, Wet Republic) across Las Vegas and global cities. Directly comparable premium nightlife + dining model with immersive themed experiences and high-energy atmospheres similar to Prohibition and El Chingon.
• Hillstone Restaurant Group: Hillstone operates upscale-casual restaurant brands (Hillstone, Houston's, Bandera, R+D Kitchen) across the U.S. Comparable multi-location full-service restaurant group with strong beverage programs, premium real estate footprint, and disciplined expansion cadence.
• Tao Group Hospitality: Tao Group operates high-energy restaurant, lounge, and nightlife venues (Tao, Marquee, Lavo) across Las Vegas, New York, and other major markets. Directly comparable multi-concept operator with strong experiential dining and nightlife emphasis, similar prime-district real estate strategy, and cross-brand beverage programs.
• The ONE Group Hospitality: The ONE Group operates STK Steakhouse and other upscale-casual concepts globally with a focus on vibe-driven dining and bar programs. Comparable multi-concept operator with shared DNA around experiential full-service dining, beverage-led positioning, and franchise/licensing strategy.
• The h.wood Group: LA-based hospitality operator running nightlife-forward restaurant/lounge concepts (Delilah, Bootsy Bellows, The Peppermint Club). Comparable founder-led, multi-concept operator focused on experiential dining and celebrity/influencer-driven nightlife, similar vibe-led positioning to GBOD's Prohibition and El Chingon.
• Catch Hospitality Group: Catch operates Catch Steak and Catch Seafood across NYC, LA, Las Vegas, and other markets. Comparable upscale experiential dining operator with multi-city expansion, strong beverage program, and event-driven revenue model similar to GBOD's private events business.
• Major Food Group: Major Food Group operates Carbone, Dirty French, The Grill, and other high-profile NYC dining concepts with expansion to other markets. Closely comparable founder-led, multi-concept upscale restaurant group with strong brand equity, premium real estate, and rapid multi-market expansion playbook.
• Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises: LEYE is a Chicago-founded multi-concept restaurant group operating dozens of distinct brands (RPM Steak, Summer House, Beatrix, etc.) across multiple U.S. cities. Closely comparable model: founder-controlled, multi-cuisine portfolio, with private events and consulting capabilities, and multi-state expansion playbook.

Broad incumbents

• Restaurants America (RA) / Specialty Restaurant Group: Specialty Restaurants Corporation operates a portfolio of established dining venues including The Colony Club, Castaway, and others in California. Comparable California-rooted multi-concept restaurant operator with private events focus and long-tenured venues, though broader/more legacy in positioning.

Emerging players

• Strategic Restaurants Acquisition Corp: BurgerFi is a publicly-traced restaurant holding entity. Less directly comparable but illustrative of the publicly-marketed restaurant holding company model; relevant for benchmarking capital markets access and exit pathways for privately-held restaurant groups like GBOD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gbodgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/gbodgroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/gbodgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gbodgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GBOD Hospitality Group