La Nacional on Third Avenue in Chula Vista's downtown district is a cantina specializing in agave spirits and Oaxacan-inspired plates, built by the same team that launched Machete Beer House in National City in 2015. The mezcal-forward back bar anchors a cocktail program that runs parallel to the craft-beer tap walls at 3 Punk Ales Brewing Co., giving the Third Avenue nightlife corridor both agave and hops depth within a two-block stretch. Counter-service plates include steak quesadillas, carnitas tacos, cabeza tacos, chicharrones with guacamole, and a spiced lentil soup, all rooted in the cantina's Mexico City and Oaxaca influences. Weekend brunch expands the menu with chilaquiles and egg-forward plates, while Friday and Saturday nights bring live music sets that shift the space into a late-night venue. The Third Avenue dining strip clusters this cantina with Italian, Korean, and brunch concepts, positioning La Nacional's agave program alongside the handmade pasta and Neapolitan-style plates at Italianissimo Trattoria a few doors north. The tequila and mezcal shelf runs blanco, reposado, and anejo expressions sourced from Oaxacan and Jalisco distilleries, anchoring a spirits program the ownership developed through a decade of bar operations on the South Bay corridor.