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San Francisco chef Coskun Abik secures liquor license for Melrose restaurant debut

San Francisco chef Coskun Abik secures liquor license for Melrose restaurant debut

Money Moves Los Angeles, CA local

Blind Butcher's first LA outpost moves forward at 7505 Melrose Ave

August 19th, 2026: Liquor license activated for Blind Butcher LA

Overview

Updated Sep 18

San Francisco chef Coskun Abik cleared a key hurdle for his first Los Angeles restaurant. The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control activated a full liquor license for Blind Butcher at 7505 Melrose Ave on August 19.

The license is one approval, not a green light to open. Abik's end-of-June target has already slipped past August, and the Melrose corridor's high rents and steady turnover make the debut a real test for an independent Bay Area operator.

Why it matters

A San Francisco chef's first LA restaurant on Melrose tests whether independent operators can survive the corridor's high rents.

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Key Indicators

Active
Type 47 full liquor license
California ABC license active at 7505 Melrose Ave since August 19, 2026
50+ days
Opening slip from June target
End-of-June target passed with license active but no opening announced as of August 19
6
Restaurant concepts by Abik
Dunya Bistro, Lark, Blind Butcher, Anatolian Table, Ophelia, and the new LA project

Voices

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People Involved

Coskun Abik
Coskun Abik
Chef-operator behind Blind Butcher
Pursuing first Los Angeles restaurant at 7505 Melrose Ave

Organizations Involved

Blind Butcher
Blind Butcher
Restaurant
Expanding from San Francisco to Los Angeles

New Urban American steakhouse and wine bar in San Francisco's Castro, expanding to Los Angeles.
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
State licensing agency
Regulator issuing the liquor license

California state agency that issues and regulates liquor licenses, including Type 47 full-liquor permits.

Timeline

2019 August 2026

4 events Latest: August 19th, 2026 · 2 months ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Liquor license activated for Blind Butcher LA

    Latest Licensing

    California ABC activates a Type 47 full liquor license for Blind Butcher at 7505 Melrose Ave.

  2. Abik confirms Melrose concept

    Announcement

    ABC filing surfaces at 7505 Melrose Ave; Abik tells What Now LA he has a concept heading there, targeting end of June.

  3. Anatolian Table opens in the Mission

    Opening

    Turkish street food concept built around pide and small plates opens on Valencia Street.

  4. Blind Butcher opens in the Castro

    Opening

    Abik takes over the former Beso space in San Francisco's Castro and repositions it as a steakhouse and wine bar.

Scenarios

1

Blind Butcher LA opens on Melrose

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: What Now Los Angeles, Hoodline

The license is active and the space is turnkey — existing kitchen, wood-burning ovens, patio, and full liquor. If Abik's team finishes staffing and any remaining build-out, the restaurant opens its doors on Melrose before year's end.

2

Opening slips into 2027

Possible Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: Smith Allen Group analysis

The end-of-June target already slipped past August. Build-out, staffing, or permit delays could push the debut into next year while the project stays active.

3

Project stalls, space re-listed

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Smith Allen Group

If the economics don't pencil out or the build-out drags, Abik's team could abandon the project and the 7505 space returns to the market for another operator.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2019

Blind Butcher's Castro debut (2019)

Abik took over the former Beso space in San Francisco's Castro and repositioned it as Blind Butcher, a New Urban American steakhouse and wine bar with a deep wine program.

Then

The restaurant became a Castro fixture and Abik's flagship.

Now

It gave him a base to build further concepts, including Anatolian Table in 2025.

Why this matters now

The Melrose space is also a turnkey takeover — existing kitchen, liquor license, patio — so Abik is applying the same playbook in a new market.

2015-2024

Lark's Castro run and closure (2015-2024)

Abik's Mediterranean-New American wine bar on 18th Street ran for nearly a decade before closing, two doors down from where Blind Butcher later opened.

Then

The closure freed Abik to focus on Blind Butcher and newer concepts.

Now

It showed his independent projects have a lifecycle — some close.

Why this matters now

The Melrose bet carries the same risk: a concept that doesn't find its customer on a high-rent corridor.

Ongoing

Melrose corridor restaurant churn

The 7501-7507 Melrose block has cycled through multiple tenants, and nearby West Hollywood recently saw a 28-year sushi landmark close its doors.

Then

Turnkey spaces with liquor licenses attract new operators.

Now

The corridor rewards concepts that draw consistent foot traffic.

Why this matters now

The active license and existing kitchen lower the barrier to entry, but the corridor's turnover shows the risk of the bet.

Sources

(4)
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control What Now Los Angeles Hoodline Smith Allen Group