The historic Saska's Steak & Seafood in Mission Beach is set to reopen its doors on Thursday, February 23 after a five month restoration by its new owners The Patio Restaurant Group. Now known simply as Saska's, San Diego’s longest standing steakhouse features a fresh new design and menu centered on a bold strategy - to remain a staunchly traditional, unflinchingly classical steakhouse of yesteryear. The neighboring space, which previously housed Saska's sushi bar and rooftop lounge, will become the second location of Surf Rider Pizza Co., set to open in this summer.
Owned by the Saska family since 1951, the Mission Beach institution has had a diverse 65-year-old history as a steakhouse, sushi bar, and sports bar. With the grand reopening of Saska's, The Patio Group, which purchased the restaurant in the summer of 2015, aims to move forward by looking back to the past. After closing on September 12, 2016, for an interior renovation of the original space, the new Saska's showcases a sleek, refined interior with a dim, intimate setting that harkens back to the good old days. Now advertised as "San Diego’s Original Steakhouse," Saska's design embraces originality over novelty, and timelessness over the fleeting fads that so many San Diego hospitality groups are attempting to tap into.
"Saska's is one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego - I’ve been a regular for over 20 years," says Patio Group owner and CEO Gina Champion-Cain. "Restoring the long-standing restaurant to its former glory is a dream come true, and a passion project brought to life."
Saska’s new menu takes heavy cues from the classic menu of the 60s and 70s. By highlighting their protein-centric dishes, including signature cuts such as The Duke sirloin and The Original filet mignon, Saska’s is aiming to put the "steak" back in "steakhouse." Executive Chef Michael Ground is taking Saska’s storied meat program under his helm to give some much-needed love to an essential pillar of Saska’s identity.
"A steakhouse isn't rocket science," says Ground. "It's really about taking the best cuts of a cow and preparing them simply to elevate their quality.” All steaks are hand-cut daily to ensure consistent quality and grilled over an open flame for an optimal sear.
Saska’s new menu takes heavy cues from the classic menu of the 60s and 70s. By highlighting their protein-centric dishes, including signature cuts such as The Duke sirloin and The Original filet mignon, Saska’s is aiming to put the "steak" back in "steakhouse." Executive Chef Michael Ground is taking Saska’s storied meat program under his helm to give some much-needed love to an essential pillar of Saska’s identity.
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| Saska's Executive Chef Mike Ground |
The drinks program at Saska’s extols the same virtues of staying true to history, opting for cocktails inspired by the classics. Traditional steakhouse greats such as the Old-Fashioned, the Whiskey Sour, and the Last Word are heavily featured, exhibiting simple sophistication without pretense or novelty. Behind the bar, there will also be a few taps dedicated to craft beer and wines offered by the glass and bottle.
"We’re not trying to emulate a classic American steakhouse," says general manager Ryan Rohrbacker. "We are a classic American steakhouse that’s going back to our roots and sticking to what we do best."
The neighboring space that previously housed Saska's fish shop, sushi bar component and rooftop bar will become the second outpost of Surf Rider Pizza Cafe, originally founded in Ocean Beach by Hilary Rossi in 2010 and purchased by The Patio Group last spring. Hilary Rossi is now the Director of Food and Beverage at The Patio Restaurant Group. The Patio Group will complete the Surf Rider project in two parts, aiming to finish renovation of the interior by this summer and then focus on rebuilding the rooftop deck. Another Surf Rider Pizza Cafe is also planned for La Mesa.
Saska’s is located at 3768 Mission Boulevard in Mission Beach and will provide dinner service daily once it reopens, with brunch offered during the weekends. For more information, visit saskas.com and check out the new dinner menu below.
Saska’s is located at 3768 Mission Boulevard in Mission Beach and will provide dinner service daily once it reopens, with brunch offered during the weekends. For more information, visit saskas.com and check out the new dinner menu below.
