Old Harbor Distilling Company was previously scheduled to open a tasting room and restaurant in downtown San Diego's Seaport Village, but those plans have fallen through and now part of the space will house a new tap house from Mike Hess Brewing.
It was announced in May 2021 that Old Harbor Distilling Company signed on to open its second San Diego location in Seaport Village’s Lighthouse District on the east side of the waterfront shopping center in the space last occupied by Village Café. Old Harbor's plans included a craft tasting room combined with a fast-casual seafood restaurant concept offering chowders, lobster rolls, and fish plates from San Diego's Verant Group (Barleymash, Tavern at the Beach). Old Harbor has operated its flagship location in San Diego’s East Village since it was founded by former Mike Hess Brewing Company staffer Michael Skubic in September 2014.
Fast forward nearly two years and Old Harbor Distilling Company is no longer moving forward with its Seaport Village location. The front portion of the space, which includes a 1,000 square-foot interior and 1,300 square-foot outdoor deck and patio, has now been leased by Mike Hess Brewing Company, which also has another brewery restaurant sited about a thousand feet away in Seaport Village. The new location will be used solely as a tasting room, offering 26 tap handles of Mike Hess beers, hard selzers, frozen drinks and house-made root beer, as well as merchandise and beverages to-go. Guests will be able to bring in food from any of the other area restaurants.
Mike Hess Brewing's second Seaport Village location is anticipated to open by this summer at 849 West Harbor Drive, Suite E4-A, in downtown San Diego. For more information, visit mikehessbrewing.com.
