Mesa 14

To put himself through school while working towards his business degree, Mike Cloghesy found part-time work serving tables. In 1994, he took a new job at a popular Mexican restaurant on Bishop Street, where he would remain for several years. He took a liking to the place and when the current owners put it up for sale in 2004, Mike and his best friend and business partner took it over, renovated it and made it their own.

Mike and his business partner felt that the usual sombreros and sizzling fajitas, typical of Mexican restaurants, were outdated. As the restaurant’s new owners, they had vision for the type of place they wanted it to be, and began combining their business acumen and creativity to reinvent the experience of Mexican cuisine. Mesa 14 would champion the evolution of Mexican fare.

“I wanted to focus on authentic Mexican tacos and do away with some of the tacky concepts," says Mike. He named it Mesa 14, and began spicing up the menu and enhancing the decor. "Mesa 14 takes Mexican cuisine to the next level with a more authentic experience in an upscale lounge setting."