San Diego Restaurants Closures & Downgrades This Week (October 16 - October 22) Due To County Health Department Inspections

A location of San Diego-born pot pie chain, a popular Convoy District yakitori restaurant, a well-known San Diego coffee chain, a couple fast food restaurants, a burger destination, some local sushi spots, and several other restaurants and eateries across San Diego County are among the 18 food establishments ordered temporarily closed or downgraded following health inspections from October 16 through October 22, 2026.

San Diego's Pop Pie Co. & Stella Jean's Publicly Admit Health Closure Over Vermin

Two of San Diego's most recognizable homegrown food brands have temporarily closed their original University Heights locations after their owners reported that health inspectors discovered evidence of vermin, but rather than quietly shutting their doors, Pop Pie Co. and Stella Jean's Ice Cream took the unusual step of publicly announcing the closure, explaining the findings and accepting responsibility. Newly released county inspection records, however, present an unexpected discrepancy: the official public report makes no mention of vermin or pest droppings despite confirming the closure.

'Friday' And 'Elf' Star Faizon Love Avoids San Diego Assault Trial Despite History Of Violence

Actor and comedian Faizon Love, who grew up in San Diego before becoming a Hollywood fixture in films including Friday and Elf, has avoided an upcoming felony assault trial over allegations that he attacked a female hotel employee in Mission Valley. A San Diego Superior Court judge granted the 58-year-old actor two years of mental health diversion on October 21, allowing him to pursue treatment rather than face immediate prosecution, despite objections from prosecutors who pointed to his history of confrontations and a previous assault conviction.

Controversial San Diego Restaurateurs Take Over Hotel La Jolla Rooftop With Aries, Led By Acclaimed Chef James Montejano

Acclaimed San Diego chef James Montejano is taking the lead in the kitchen of Aries Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge, an ambitious new coastal dining and nightlife destination coming to Hotel La Jolla. But while the chef brings an impressive culinary pedigree to one of San Diego's most spectacular restaurant settings, the restaurateurs behind the venture arrive with a complicated history of health department closures, disputed workplace allegations and a seemingly endless cycle of restaurant rebrandings.

REVIEW: Weezer, The Shins And The Songs That Outlive The People We Used To Be

On a rainy Wednesday night at San Diego State University, three generations of alternative rock converged for a sold-out celebration of music, memory and the remarkable realization that the songs of our youth can somehow become the soundtrack to someone else's.

Billionaire Developer's Secretive San Diego AI Data Center Pitch Exposes Trump Ties, Housing Questions And 99-Year Navy Land Deal

A billionaire developer, a secretive 400-megawatt AI data center proposal, close ties to the Trump administration and a potential 99-year deal involving prime San Diego Navy land. What happened to the promise of thousands of homes, and could residents end up paying higher electricity bills? Newly obtained public records also reveal that the former head of San Diego's public electricity provider retained her $505,270 annualized salary in a remote advisory position while securing a separation agreement potentially worth more than half a million dollars.

San Diego Burger Bar Key & Cleaver's Original City Heights Location Listed For $1.45 Million

Less than four years after opening its original San Diego restaurant and months after expanding into North County, locally owned burger bar Key & Cleaver is facing an uncertain future at its flagship City Heights location. The property at 4727 University Avenue has been listed for sale for $1.45 million, with the offering including the fully equipped restaurant, liquor license and other assets, raising questions about whether the neighborhood establishment will remain in its original home.

San Diego Supervisor's $250,000 Taxpayer-Funded Ad Blitz Raises Questions Over Congressional Campaign Ties

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond reportedly spent nearly a quarter-million dollars in taxpayer funds promoting his official social media presence while running for Congress. But newly examined campaign finance records raise an even more troubling question: Why was the county employee overseeing Desmond's public communications also personally paying for digital advertisements for his congressional campaign, later collecting tens of thousands of dollars in reimbursements from the campaign, while public money was being spent advertising on some of the same platforms?

San Diego Moves To Kill Flock Surveillance Cameras As Mayor And Police Chief Fight Back

San Diego's controversial network of more than 500 automated license plate readers moved one step closer to extinction Wednesday after a City Council committee voted to advance efforts to terminate the city's contract with surveillance technology giant Flock Safety, setting up a potentially explosive confrontation with Mayor Todd Gloria, Police Chief Scott Wahl and a newly emboldened coalition of privacy advocates demanding an end to mass vehicle surveillance.

Carlsbad's Cinépolis Luxury Cinema Closing After 35 Years

Another longtime San Diego County movie theater is closing permanently, as Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas La Costa Paseo Real in Carlsbad prepares to shut its doors on Thursday, October 29, ending 35 years of movie screenings at the property. The six-screen theater at 6941 El Camino Real has operated under the Cinépolis brand since 2011 and was among the Mexican cinema giant's earliest locations in the United States.

San Diego Mexican Restaurant Celebrates 55 Years Weeks After Health Shutdown And Retraction Demand

One of San Diego's most recognizable Mexican restaurants is preparing to celebrate 55 years of margaritas, mariachi music and handmade tortillas, but the milestone comes just weeks after county health inspectors ordered the establishment closed over major food safety violations and its representatives demanded that SanDiegoVille retract reporting based on official inspection records. Now, a glowing anniversary feature published by Times of San Diego is highlighting Casa de Pico's celebrated history without mentioning the recent shutdown or the controversy surrounding it.

Encinitas' $33.6 Million Trump Rail Grant Sparks ICE Controversy As Residents Question City Hall's Approval

Encinitas is celebrating a $33.6 million federal railroad grant from the Trump administration, but a controversial immigration enforcement provision buried in the funding documents has raised questions about what city leaders authorized, what residents were told and whether the public will ever see the final agreement.

San Diego Woman Says Man Masturbated Next To Her In United Airlines First Class As FBI Warns Of Rising In-Flight Sex Crimes

A San Diego woman who paid for a first-class seat on an overnight United Airlines flight says she found herself trapped beside a man openly masturbating while watching pornography, only to discover that the flight crew allegedly failed to offer immediate protection or summon law enforcement. The disturbing account is the second similar incident involving United Airlines to attract national attention in less than a month, raising serious questions about passenger safety, airline accountability and whether flight attendants are adequately trained to respond to sexual misconduct at 35,000 feet.

La Jolla Sea Lion Kicker Avoids Jail For Now As Sentencing Delayed Until 2027, Sparking Favoritism Allegations

He kicked a defenseless sea lion on camera, pleaded guilty to a federal crime, and is still walking free. Now, La Jolla teenager Tyler Muehl's sentencing has been pushed into 2027, sparking explosive allegations of special treatment involving his former prosecutor mother. SanDiegoVille obtained the federal court documents revealing what really happened, the details of his plea deal, and why he hasn't been sentenced yet.

Stone Brewing's $165 Million Sellout Comes Full Circle As Greg Koch Unveils Quarry Escondido In San Diego's North County

After selling Stone Brewing for $165 million, co-founder Greg Koch unveils Quarry Escondido Restaurant & Gardens as the former brewery empire faces layoffs, restructuring and health inspection fallout.

Drew Brees-Linked Company Behind Del Mar Wine + Food Festival Faces Explosive Fraud Lawsuit Alleging Financial Turmoil

The corporate empire behind San Diego's celebrity-studded Del Mar Wine + Food Festival is facing serious questions about its financial health and business dealings following a sweeping fraud lawsuit alleging a secret multimillion-dollar investment arrangement, a massive earnings shortfall, an unexplained executive departure and a costly payout connected to a former company founder. Among the businesses named in the litigation is a company associated with former NFL superstar Drew Brees, one of the festival's most recognizable public faces.