Advertisement for La Plaza Restaurant from December 8, 1955 La Jolla Light.
Although doubt persists as to who originated the Margarita, the Americanized version that many know today likely originated at La Plaza Restaurant, which was located in what has become our Fellowship Hall.
According to a 1986 article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, in 1947 a new cocktail was created when Al Hernandez, bartender at La Plaza restaurant, stirred together a new mixture hoping that customers would enjoy it and business would improve. At the time, La Plaza Restaurant was owned by Morris Locke, who frequented Mexico and reportedly brought the idea to San Diego from Rancho La Gloria midway between Tijuana and Rosarita Beach. Legend has it that Carlos “Danny” Herrera, bartender at Rancho La Gloria, mixed a drink for actress Marjorie King and called it the Margarita.
In 1954 the La Jolla Methodist Church voted to buy the property adjacent to the new Sanctuary, which we know as our Chapel. That property housed two businesses, La Plaza Restaurant and El Toro Bar. When the church bought the property, the restaurant and bar continued to operate for the two years remaining on their lease. Thus, for a short time, the church became the landlord of the bar and held the liquor license for the property.