As summer draws near, there’s plenty of activity on the retail front in Pacific and Mission beaches. Cerveza Jack’s / Moonshine Beach
Cerveza Jack’s/Moonshine Beach has taken over the former Fred’s Mexican Cafe/Typhoon Saloon at 1165 Garnet Ave. in Pacific Beach.
Recently opened Cerveza Jack’s Mexican eatery-cantina is part of a two-in-one concept that includes Moonshine Beach, a live country-western music entertainment venue and sister concept.
Both are under the stewardship of Good Time Design, best known for opening some of San Diego’s most popular restaurants and bars, including Moonshine Flats, The Blind Burro, Cat Eye Club and Bub’s at the Ballpark.
Moonshine Beach and Cerveza Jack’s inhabit the 20,000-square-foot space previously occupied by Fred’s/Typhoon. The adjoining businesses are part of a $4 million renovation that will accommodate 1,500.
Cerveza has created a lush environment, mixing Mexican elements with a laid-back beach style that includes grass floors and driftwood and bamboo accents as well as palapa-style roofing.
Open to ocean breezes, Cerveza Jack’s interior features two bars with televisions, a dining room, patio seating, an outdoor fire pit and arcade games. The menu includes authentic Mexican cuisine and twists on modern street food. Meat and seafood is woodfired or smoked and served in tacos, burritos, bowls, fries, and nachos.
Opening the weekend of May 13 as Pacific Beach’s only major live music entertainment venue, Moonshine Beach will serve up a southern Gulf Coast hospitality feel and will feature live music four nights a week during winter months and four-plus nights a week during summer months.
Weekend entertainment will include today’s young and high-energy country acts, regional and national touring acts and special concert events. Weeknights, Moonshine Beach will present reggae and indie rock acts.
Cerveza Jack’s is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 3 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 1:30 a.m., serving food until midnight daily. Muscle Mill Grill & Cafe / The Training Room
Another new dual business enterprise, Muscle Mill Grill and Cafe/The Training Room, at 2830 Garnet Ave., No. 100 and No. 200, respectively, has set up shop.
Co-owned by Michelle Ronsen and Mike Kuenning, the two businesses are separate and distinct, though they do support each other.
“Muscle Mill is a restaurant,” said Ronsen. “We do meal preps for people who come in, whether they want one meal, a week’s meals or 40 meals. It’s healthy, gourmet food and meal prep — great food at affordable prices.”
Ronsen noted The Training Room offers physical therapy, massage and air-brush spray tanning.
The two businesses opened nearly two months ago.
On its website, musclemill.net, the restaurant’s cuisine is described as “healthy blazing fast.”
“… We offer a traditional menu as well as a create your own menu,” states the website. “Creating your own menu provides you with options for your protein, carbs and fats — both in quantity as well as selection in each category. Our more traditional menu will offer our signature items as well as weekly and monthly specials.” El Prez
Yet another restaurant-bar conversion is taking place in the Promenade at Pacific Beach Shopping Center at 4190 Mission Blvd., where The Wood sports bar, dance club and eatery has been closed since January for a remodel to transform it into El Prez.
“We’ve been here five years and just wanted to change it up, change the concept,” said El Prez’s general manager, Tico Garcia, who added the newly themed establishment is shooting to reopen by the end of May.
Garcia said El Prez will have “a little more Mexican feel to it” while continuing to offer a number of tacos on the menu.
“It will not be like a traditional Mexican restaurant,” Garcia said. “We’re going to add our twist to it.”
But not to worry. Garcia promised that “we’re still going to be a taco bar and have good food and music and a great rooftop. We’re going to extend our rooftop so it’s twice as big — one of the best rooftops in PB.”
One other important thing is staying the same: El Prez will continue to be a Green Bay Packer bar. Pueblo
Pueblo Baja coastal cuisine, formerly The China Inn, at 877 Hornblend St., is taking just a little bit longer than expected to reopen following remodeling.
“As it often goes with new construction, we are dealing with delays and probably will not be open to the public until sometime around June 10th or 15th,” said restaurant owner Mark Oliver, who was once part of the executive team at George’s La Jolla.
Previously involved with Mission Valley’s Randy Jones All American Sports Grill, Oliver is the general partner in the new restaurant venture along with a group of local investors.
Oliver chose Pueblo as his new eatery’s name “because it’s historic — and something San Diegans can relate to.” He added Pueblo also denotes a “gathering place” as well as referring to a design style of North America’s Southwestern flat-roofed architecture. “Our concept will relate to each of these meanings,” Oliver said.
The restaurateur has said Pueblo will feature “traditional Baja foods that can be found along the coastal communities of Baja, using ingredients that are regional to Baja.”
Oliver added Pueblo’s cuisine will be “contemporary and ever-changing” and be subject to the chef’s interpretation and imagination. Miss B’s Coconut Club
Recently opened at Mission Boulevard and Santa Clara Place, at 3704 Mission Blvd., is something new: Miss B’s Coconut Club.
The enterprise is adding a Caribbean beat to the heat this spring and summer, bringing a new theme to the beachfront.
Owner Peter Cich noted that he chose a page from history in selecting “Miss B,” which refers to the fictitious curvy pin-up girl used to promote MB real estate sales in the 1920s. She’s been “reconsistuted” as a lifesize mural welcoming patrons.
Miss B’s menu features both American dishes and coastal favorites with a Caribbean flair.
The establishment’s open-air bar and dining concept creates a great environment for people-watching and hanging out.