After five years away, Argentinian restaurant Ché is returning to its first O’Bryonville space at 3009 O’Bryon Street. Its sister restaurant, Butcher & Barrel, will open a new location where Ché currently resides in the neighborhood.
“Ché has always been personal to us. It was built around the food, flavors and culture we love, and bringing it back to this space feels like coming home in every sense,” said Ignite Entertainment owner Juan Imeroni in a statement.
Ché, the restaurant known for its empanadas, dips and sandwiches, opened its inaugural location in Over-the-Rhine in 2016. Imeroni, an Argentinian native, has opened several restaurants influenced by his home country across the city, including Butcher & Barrel, the decade-old Argentinian steakhouse downtown, which will open a second location in Ché’s current space at 2038 Madison Road in O’Bryonville. That space was formerly occupied by Pampas, Ignite’s gastropub that closed in 2023.
Opening the new Butcher & Barrel while keeping Ché around will “allow Ignite to double down on the neighborhood,” Imeroni said. The restaurant’s current location in Over-the-Rhine will not be affected by the transition.
When Ché O’Bryonville reopens, a new menu will follow. Imeroni and new kitchen leader Erica Rodriguez will lean further into Ché’s Argentine and Latin American connections with new items like chicken milanga, choripán and a patty melt, alongside new empanadas, salads and soups.
“Erica understands that connection in a very authentic way. She brings her own Argentine roots to the kitchen, along with everything she has learned and contributed since joining our team. We’re excited for people to experience what she and the team are creating,” Imeroni said.
With the relocation, Ché is back to where its neighborhood story began, while one of Ignite’s most popular concepts opens a second location nearby to give the area even more dining options.
“We love this neighborhood, and we believe in it,” Imeroni said. “This gives us the chance to let Ché be Ché, while bringing another concept we’re incredibly proud of to O’Bryonville. There’s a lot of history for us on this block, but we’re much more interested in what comes next.”
Ché O’Bryonville reopened Sept. 2 at 3009 O’Bryon Street. The restaurant opens at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit Ché’s website.
