After more than two decades as a San Diego destination for live cabaret music and casual dining, Hillcrest's Martinis Above Fourth Table + Stage has announced it is permanently closed and filing for bankruptcy.
"This has been a year none of us could have expected and has given us a new perspective on all we hold dear," wrote Martinis Above Fourth ownership announcing the restaurant's permanent closure. "After much deliberation about how to reopen and survive the COVID era, we have concluded there is simply no real viable path forward for Martinis Above Fourth and decided to close the business and file for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Protection. Instead of focusing on COVID or the many challenges facing our industry that led us to this difficult conclusion, we would rather take this opportunity thank to the staff, customers, artists, and everyone that walked through our doors all these years. First, to our entire hardworking staff. We spent an incredible amount of time together through the last 10 years and through major ups and downs, but always as a team dedicated to each other and our guests. To customers that supported us for 10 years repeatedly, through our community events, fundraisers for various great causes, and most of all for the incredible friendships we developed. To all artists that blessed our stage with their presence. We will never forget all the music, comedy, and everything in between that lightened up our stage and the incredible talent you all brought to us and our customers. Although it is a hard blow to us and the entire MA4 family, it is nothing compared to the huge number of people that have lost their lives, health, or someone that they love in this pandemic. We will never forget the amazing memories we all made together, and we hope that you will not forget us."
Originally founded in 1997 as Martinis Bar & Grill, Martinis Above Fourth has been operated since late 2011 by James Simpson and Dumitru Tifui. The restaurant was known for its nightly live entertainment and panoply of more than 100 specialty martinis. There is no word on what will come of the second story space at 3940 4th Avenue in San Diego's Hillcrest community.
