Today we’d like to introduce you to Sergio Kehl.
Hi Sergio, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Our Story: From Partners to “Cuates”
It all started when the three of us were working together in Mexican restaurants. As partners, we quickly became Cuates (twins/close friends). Together, we fell deeply in love with the food, the vibrant spices, and the rich aromas of authentic cooking.
In 2008, right in the middle of the housing crisis, we took a leap of faith and opened our first location in Georgetown. Times were incredibly tough, but we managed to survive by scraping by and leveraging credit cards. Through sheer determination, business finally improved, allowing us to expand and open our second location at 1116 King Street in Alexandria in 2016.
By the time we opened our fourth location in Adams Morgan, the pandemic hit. The devastation of COVID-19 forced us to restructure and ultimately part ways with one of our partners, leaving them with that location. When pandemic relief funding finally arrived, we tried to pivot and adapt by opening a new location in Falls Church. Unfortunately, the subsequent wave of severe inflation and aggressive immigration raids hit our community hard, costing us our core Latino customer base. This forced us to sell Falls Church and close our D.C. doors for good.
Today, we are back to where our heart is: our Alexandria location. Because the restaurant industry remains incredibly challenging, we’ve stepped back onto the floor to do all the heavy lifting ourselves. We are cooking, serving, and running the daily operations until things get better. We poured our lives into this food, and we aren’t giving up.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a hands-on restaurateur with over two decades of deep, multifaceted experience in the hospitality industry. Having started from absolute zero, my specialization isn’t just in managing a restaurant—it is in understanding and executing every single heartbeat of the operation.
Since 2000, I have personally worked in every imaginable role. In the front of the house, I’ve worked as a busser, dishwasher, runner, server, bartender, host, and manager. In the back of the house, I’ve served as a prep cook and chef. Behind the scenes, I handle payroll, inventory, and supply logistics.
Because I built this business from the ground up, my work extends far past traditional restaurant roles. Leveraging my background in IT and my Graphic Design studies from Argentina, I personally designed our entire brand, menu, and website from scratch—long before AI tools existed to make it easy. Furthermore, I serve as our internal contractor; I handle our plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, equipment repairs, painting, and general maintenance. My days are long—frequently starting at 9:00 AM and wrapping up at 2:00 AM after our karaoke nights—but every hour is dedicated to the success of this business.
What Sets Me Apart
What truly sets me apart is the unique intersection of my skills and my relentless work ethic as an immigrant. When I first arrived in the United States from Argentina, I immediately rolled up my sleeves and worked in landscaping, painting, and construction. Before that, I fixed computers.
This diverse background means I don’t just manage a restaurant; I fix it when it breaks, I brand it so it stands out, and I lead my team with the authentic empathy of someone who has actually stood in the dishwasher’s shoes. I don’t need to outsource critical technical, creative, or mechanical problems because I have spent 25 years teaching myself how to solve them.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
The independent restaurant industry is currently facing an existential crisis. Looking ahead over the next 5 to 10 years, my primary concern is the brutal economic squeeze caused by inflation and shifting consumer behavior.
Right now, operators are caught in a dangerous trap: the cost of ingredients, labor, utilities, and general operations continues to climb, yet everyday consumers are tightening their belts and cutting back on dining out. At the same time, we have hit a hard ceiling—we simply cannot raise our menu prices any further without alienating our loyal customer base and driving them away.
The reality is that the current business model for independent restaurants is incredibly fragile. If macroeconomic conditions do not stabilize and food supply costs do not ease, many hands-on, community-focused establishments like ours will simply not survive. To navigate the coming years, the industry will have to pivot away from traditional structures and lean heavily into hyper-efficiency, creative revenue streams, and unique, experience-driven concepts—like our community karaoke nights—just to keep the lights on. It is a grueling environment, and only the most adaptable will endure.
Pricing:
- happy hour beer $4 – Margaritas $7
- starters from $9
- brunch menu $ 16- $23
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cuatesgrillmenu.com/
