More Orange County restaurants decide to stay open, declaring their views on Instagram

Chaak Kitchen in Tustin on Saturday, December 12, 2020 is one of several Orange County restaurants openly defying the shutdown. Theres a patio area and an inside area with large ceiling vents that help circulate the air.

More Orange County restaurant owners were joining the ranks of a mini-movement to defy the state’s latest stay-at-home order, adding their names to a list of bars and eateries on Instagram that had grown to 63 by Saturday, Dec. 12. 

The list, under the hashtag #OpenSafe, ranged from fine dining establishments to mom-and-pop diners that pledged to follow safety guidelines set by the state but which are banding together in their views and staying open. 

Some restaurateurs are calling it a protest but others, such as Ed Patrick, owner of Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen in Orange and Chaak Kitchen in Tustin, say they’re just doing what they need to do to survive. 

“We’re just getting by and people are supporting us, which is nice,” he said. 

A much-lauded fine dining establishment which has been dubbed a “discoveries” restaurant by Michelin in 2020, Chaak has a retractable roof and outdoor patio, and Patrick is welcoming diners in both spaces. 

His reasoning, like many taking this stand, is largely employee driven. “Between both restaurants, there are 98 employees, and what? I’m going to put them out of a job right before Christmas?” he said. 

“From what I understand, L.A. is going to end their suspension on the 20th. I think L.A. is going to open back up for outdoor dining. And when that happens, everybody’s back to the same thing that was going on before.”