'Mr. Tempo' caught heat back in 2022 when L.A. preservationists came after him for gutting the 94-year-old Hollywood legend, the Pig ‘N Whistle restaurant, without permits. The restaurant is now closed.
Back in 2021, we detailed the concerns of Los Angeles preservationists over the unpermitted destruction of Hollywood’s nearly 100-year-old Pig n’ Whistle restaurant.
At the time, there was still some slight chance of plausible deniability for the building’s new tenant, Jorge “Mr. Tempo” Cueva, despite some of the controversies that followed the expansion of his hospitality empire from L.A. to Ensenada. Maybe he’d realize the errors of his ways, express contrition, and find a way to reverse the damage done.
Two and a half months later and the picture of this restaurateur’s character is becoming more complete. Cueva has released a video essentially mocking anyone who feels offended over his plans to convert the historic restaurant into a cantina called Mr. Tempo.
This week, Cueva posted a video on Instagram showing him ripping the place up by hand. It begins with the words “Remodeling a 100-year-old restaurant,” followed by scenes of the heavily inked entrepreneur finishing his hatchet job, marveling at the original ceiling, and ripping various interiors apart with his own two hands.