Eight years to the month into serving the North Long Beach community, rightfully-loved aguas frescas and Mexican food joint Aguas Way will no longer operate.
“To our amazing community,” wrote owner Leoh Sandoval on Instagram. “After much thought and reflection, we’ve made the bittersweet decision not to reopen Aguas Way as a restaurant. The rising costs of produce and other supplies have made it challenging to keep things running the way we’d like. And, after taking some time off, we’ve realized how much we value this balance in our lives… That being said, we’re excited to focus on renting out our space for events and creating opportunities for others to shine.”
Aguas Way was a truly family endeavor—and one that catered to a neighborhood dominated by chain food.
Leoh—a proud Mexican immigrant who came to SoCal in the 1980s—knew one thing: His family’s aguas frescas was nothing short of awesome. From the traditional, like jamaica and pepino, to wonderfully experimental concoctions like blueberry horchata and strawberry oatmeal flavors, Aguas Way was defined not just by their drinks but by their food, their sense of community, and their love of blending Mexican and Californian cultures.
After Leoh’s brother jokingly said they should name the family business, “Aguas, Güey!”—a play on the Mexican-Spanish phrase “güey,” or translated into proper Californian as “dude”—Aguas Way was born in January of 2018. And it was a family endeavor.
His brother-in-law, Hector Santillan? He spent the last four months of 2016 installing new plumbing. Re-doing the electrical. Building two bathrooms. A new kitchen (that another brother-in-law would oversee for a bit—his first cooking job ever after literally Googling the basics). His wife? She would handle the aesthetic and menus of the place. And he would handle the marketing and finances. Together, the team often greeted lines of people waiting for their California burrito. Or shrimp tacos. Or, of course, their aguas frescas—one of the few air-conditioned spaces one could enjoy the treat on the northside.
Six siblings, six spouses: That was Aguas Way.
The need for less corporatized food in North Long Beach stil rings true—but there are some stellar places holding down the fort.
The stretch of Long Beach Boulevard where it meets Market Street happily dominated by ma’n’pa shops. Black Ring Coffee (still operating). Pho Daily (still operating). La Guanaquita (still operating). But it was Aguas Way that was there first. It was a refreshing stretch of North Long Beach that wasn’t dominated by drive-thrus or corporate chains.
And when it comes to Aguas Way, it is a permanent goodbye, as Leoh and the family will still be around in other forms, including popups and potentially catering.
“We’ll still keep the Aguas Way spirit alive with the occasional pop-up event, so keep an eye out,” Leoh wrote. “If anyone is interested in hosting a pop-up or using the space for a special event, we’d love to hear from you. Send us a message [through social media]. Thank you for your support, love, and understanding through this journey. This isn’t a goodbye, just a new chapter.”
Aguas, güey.
Aguas Way was located at 5248 Long Beach Blvd.
