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How The Blind Pig got national publicity — it was a case of mistaken identity – Orange County RegisterSkip to content
Tony Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar with locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and Yorba Linda, was dealing with a case of mistaken restaurant identity. The owner of the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan appeared on a national campaign ad for Joe Biden. Suddenly Monaco’s two bars were taking angry phone calls and seeing mean social media comments from folks who thought his restaurants were taking a political stand. The bar and dining room at newly opened The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar in Yorba Linda on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Last Sunday was Tony Monaco’s day off and all he wanted to do was sit home and watch football but during the game his phone started blowing up. Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar in Yorba Linda and Rancho Santa Margarita, was dealing with a case of mistaken restaurant identity.
Joe Malcoun, co-owner of the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan, had just appeared on a national campaign ad for former Vice President Joe Biden, set to music by the Beastie Boys, blaming President Trump for the downturn in his business. Suddenly Monaco’s two bars were addressing angry phone calls and downright mean social media comments from folks who thought the restaurant was taking a political stand.
“I got at least 10 to 15 phone calls at the two locations on Sunday. I probably got at least 50 emails through our website and 10 private comments on our Instagram,” Monaco said. Then the negative Yelp reviews starting rolling in.
“Yeah. So it’s definitely not how we were expecting to spend our football Sunday,” he said.
Tony Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar with locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and Yorba Linda, was dealing with a case of mistaken restaurant identity. The owner of the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan appeared on a national campaign ad for Joe Biden. Suddenly Monaco’s two bars were taking angry phone calls and seeing mean social media comments from folks who thought his restaurants were taking a political stand. The bar and dining room at newly opened The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar in Yorba Linda on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tony Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar with locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and Yorba Linda, was dealing with a case of mistaken restaurant identity. The owner of the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan appeared on a national campaign ad for Joe Biden. Suddenly Monaco’s two bars were taking angry phone calls and seeing mean social media comments from folks who thought his restaurants were taking a political stand. One of the end of prohibition themed photo at The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar in Yorba Linda on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tony Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar with locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and Yorba Linda, was dealing with a case of mistaken restaurant identity. The owner of the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan appeared on a national campaign ad for Joe Biden. Suddenly Monaco’s two bars were taking angry phone calls and seeing mean social media comments from folks who thought his restaurants were taking a political stand. The Statesman, a whiskey smash with mint and dehydrated orange peel at The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar in Yorba Linda on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tony Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar with locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and Yorba Linda, was dealing with a case of mistaken restaurant identity. The owner of the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan appeared on a national campaign ad for Joe Biden. Suddenly Monaco’s two bars were taking angry phone calls and seeing mean social media comments from folks who thought his restaurants were taking a political stand. The draft beer board at The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar in Yorba Linda on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tony Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar with locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and Yorba Linda, was dealing with a case of mistaken restaurant identity. The owner of the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan appeared on a national campaign ad for Joe Biden. Suddenly Monaco’s two bars were taking angry phone calls and seeing mean social media comments from folks who thought his restaurants were taking a political stand. Dining booths at The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar in Yorba Linda on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tony Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar with locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and Yorba Linda, was dealing with a case of mistaken restaurant identity. The owner of the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan appeared on a national campaign ad for Joe Biden. Suddenly Monaco’s two bars were taking angry phone calls and seeing mean social media comments from folks who thought his restaurants were taking a political stand. 1920’s inspired decor at The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar in Yorba Linda on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tony Monaco, owner of The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar with locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and Yorba Linda, was dealing with a case of mistaken restaurant identity. The owner of the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan appeared on a national campaign ad for Joe Biden. Suddenly Monaco’s two bars were taking angry phone calls and seeing mean social media comments from folks who thought his restaurants were taking a political stand. The bar and dining room at The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar in Yorba Linda on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
As he continued to watch the game he did see the ad. In it Malcoun rants about what the pandemic has done to ruin an iconic college town bar known for hosting acts such as Soundgarden and Nirvana.
“For 50 years, the Blind Pig has been open and crowded, but right now, it’s an empty room. This is the reality of Trump’s COVID response,” Malcoun says in the spot. “We don’t know how much longer we can survive without any revenue. A lot of restaurants and bars that have been mainstays for years will not make it through this. This is Donald Trump’s economy: There is no plan and you don’t know how to go forward. It makes me so angry. My only hope for my family and for this business and my community is that Joe Biden wins this election.”
Malcoun made his views clear. But Monaco wants to stay out of politics and just pour his killer old-fashioneds. It’s a lesson in how treacherous the hospitality business has become, he said. “As a restaurant owner, we’re trying to survive through COVID and I thought this to be just another thing we need to deal with,” he said.
It was an easy mistake to make. The name Blind Pig goes way back to Prohibition. Bar owners would skirt the law by charging for private showings of sideshow animals such as a blind pig, tiger, rabbit or other creature and then serve each person in the audience a draft of rum, beer or anything they couldn’t sell legally.
It’s just unfortunate for Monaco that the name is so common that Instagrammers, Yelpers and Facebookers aren’t checking to see who they’re flaming. “Take a deep breath, look into what this commercial is about, who did the commercial, and if you’re really upset, I mean at least make sure you’re talking to the right person,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that some people, without even looking into what restaurant this is, they’re wishing you failure.”
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Monaco says his views will stay firmly in the polling booth. He just wants customers to have some good food, good drinks and good times at both locations. He’s rolling out a new cocktail menu and he’s offering specials every day. So if you accidentally lit him up on social media you can always drop by and make it up to him.
“We do happy hour every day from 3 to 6 [in Yorba Linda] and 4 to 6 in Rancho Santa Margarita, even on Saturdays and Sundays.” Weekends too? “Yeah! Why not?”
Find it: 4975 Lakeview Ave., Yorba Linda, 714-485-2593; 31431 Santa Margarita Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, 949-888-0072, theblindpigoc.com.
Open: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; noon-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday in Yorba Linda. 4-10 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday in Rancho Santa Margarita.
