San Diego's Oscar’s Mexican Seafood Warns Of Yet Another Copycat After Closing Original North PB Location

After 14 years in North Pacific Beach, the original Oscar’s Mexican Seafood has permanently closed its doors—but not without a sharp warning to loyal customers. In a candid Instagram post shared shortly after the closure, the beloved San Diego seafood spot accused its former landlord of attempting to launch a knockoff version of the eatery at the same location. And it’s not the first time the popular mariscos brand has been ripped off.

A photo of the now-vacant storefront at 703 Turquoise Street was posted to Oscar’s social media with a cardboard sign reading "Open Back Soon," which Oscar’s quickly clarified was misleading. The caption made their stance clear: "Don’t be deceived. Our location at Turquoise will not be reopening soon. We have permanently left the building. Landlord is making a knock off version of Oscar’s. Please don’t be fooled."
The message struck a chord with longtime fans of the brand, many of whom have watched similar scenarios unfold before. After Oscar’s vacated its former Ocean Beach location at 5060 Newport Avenue years ago, that space quickly became Mike’s Taco Club - offering a strikingly similar menu, including a nearly identical salsa bar and copycat takes on signature items like the Fisherman Torta and the Taco Especial. Mike’s later expanded into the Harry’s Taco Club mini-chain, continuing to serve items that mirror Oscar’s creations, such as Harry’s Trifecta Taco - a doppelgänger of Oscar’s famed Taco Especial.

Owner Juan Bernardo Montes de Oca launched Oscar's in 2011, and over the years, it became a local institution known for its flavorful, Baja-inspired seafood tacos and mariscos. With accolades including a spot on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. list, a feature on Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods, and even visits from celebrities like Drew Barrymore, Oscar’s built its reputation on freshness, authenticity, and casual beachside charm.
The Oscar's situation mirrors what happened in San Diego’s East Village when the longtime pizza institution Bar Basic was ousted from its 410 Tenth Avenue home after nearly two decades - only to be replaced by a remarkably similar concept run by the landlord’s family. That new venture, Far Corner Bar & Pizzeria, opened in March 2025 with a pizza-and-bar model nearly identical to Basic's, prompting accusations that the property owners were capitalizing on the brand equity and customer loyalty built by their former tenant. Basic is in the process of relocating to a new space within the Petco Park-adjacent Park 12 mixed-use community.

While the loss of the Turquoise Street location marks the end of an era, Oscar's continues to operate two San Diego locations: its newly remodeled outpost at 746 Emerald Street in Pacific Beach, and the Hillcrest branch at 646 University Avenue. The Emerald Street spot reopened in March after a six-month renovation, offering a modernized space while preserving its fan-favorite menu items like the Surf & Turf Taco, Smoked Fish Taco, and ceviches.

Oscar’s has not indicated whether any legal action is being considered over the alleged imitation, but their message to the public was unmistakable: accept no substitutes.

For updates and official information, visit oscarsmexicanseafood.com.

Originally published on May 26, 2025.