Pacific Beach has been quietly growing up—at least culinarily.
Longtime PB seafood star The Fishery has new owners, a new chef, and a whole new life; Nico’s Fish Market finally found a brick-and-mortar home; and cult chicken favorite The Crack Shack will open its fifth location on Mission Boulevard this summer.
But there’s more to come on Thursday, June 20, when Southern California–based Baja Sharkeez Restaurant Group (Tower 12, Palmilla, Esperanza) opens Hideaway Pacific Beach on Mission Boulevard.
At first blush, Hideaway seems like a classic beachside eatery that makes tourists feel like locals and locals remember why we pay top dollar to live here. Crystal Pier is at the end of the block, the restaurant’s entire vibe centers around chilling out, and there’s a whole retro surf aesthetic going on that, thankfully, appears to be more tasteful than tacky. Owner Greg Newman says he spent months collecting authentic surf and skate memorabilia for the space.
“Everything in there that you see is all pictures from Pacific Beach history from the ‘70s and ‘80s—Gordon & Smith boards, every single surf and skate guy that you’ve ever heard of has stuff in there,” he says.
Newman says he’s been looking to open a restaurant in Pacific Beach for the better part of 20 years, and while he strives to fit into the laid-back, social atmosphere of PB, he wants to be a restaurant first and bar second. “Every place [in PB] is great in its own different way, but there’s a lot of places that are kind of clubby. We don’t want to be that,” he explains. “There’s a lack of really good food places and that’s what we’re very focused on.”
There’s still plenty to choose from in the beverage program, of course. Beyond the typical beer, wine, and spirits are sections like Mini Party Kegs and Social Bowls meant for sharing. (I have a feeling the “Flaming Volcano Bowl” will be an Instagram favorite.)
Hideaway’s food menu falls in line with standard beach prices—a half-pound All-American burger for $17 ($21 if you add fries). But there’s a range of options, from the more affordable shareables ($15-$25) like Hideaway Italian Meatballs to wood-fired pizzas and more elevated dishes like a 12-hour braised short rib or classic steak frites. Newman says they paid special attention to the pizzas, creating their own housemade dough that takes three days to fully prep before going into their woodfire pizza oven that can hold up to 10 pizzas at a time. There’s even a pizza bar with seating for 14 people to have front-row seats to the firing process.
With the promise of live music, brunch (eventually), 5,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor seating, and a decent-sized parking lot (hallelujah!), Hideaway is helping PB lean into its more refined years.
“We just want to be a part of the restaurant and bar community down there,” says Newman. “You’ve got everything [in PB]. You’ve got young professionals, college students, seniors that are 21, cool families… We’ve pretty much nailed every beach city, and this was the last one that’s still a real, quintessential California beach city.”
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
The 2nd Annual Lao Food Festival Is Coming June 22-23
I already put out the bat signal for finding more Laotian food around San Diego, and my distress call has paid off. The second annual Lao Food Festival returns to Mira Mesa Community Park on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23 with more than 50 vendors, carnival rides, beer garden, and a lot more. The family-friendly event put on by LAOSD sold out last year, but tickets for one or both days are still available here.
Beth’s Bites
BASTA! by Sam the Cooking Guy officially opens on Thursday, June 6 in Little Italy’s Piazza della Famiglia. I’m particularly looking forward to the bone marrow garlic bread, which very well might be my new favorite collection of words.
After 27 years, you’re ghosting us now? Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza closed their longtime Mission Valley location without warning this week. The writing was on the wall already, but damn, that still feels cold.
It’s no small feat to be named Critic’s Pick for Best Tacos in San Diego Magazine, but that’s exactly what Mike’s Red Tacos did in 2024. Their second location opens today in Point Loma. This news definitely helps ease the sting of Sammy’s loss…
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