The San Diego Police Department confirmed the incident occurred around 2:21 pm inside the restaurant in the 3000 block of Mission Boulevard. Witnesses report that a local homeless man stabbed the Moe's employee approximately seven times.
Authorities said the victim was transported to a hospital with injuries that are not expected to be life-threatening. Another individual, described by police as a non-stabbing victim, may also have been injured and transported. The suspect was injured during the altercation, taken to a hospital, and is now in custody. Executive Chef Chris Osbourne was seen speaking with officers at neighboring Molly's.
Moe’s is located at 3768 Mission Boulevard in San Diego's Mission Beach. For more information, visit moesmissionbeach.com.
According to a information shared with SanDiegoVille, the incident was described as a random act of violence in which the assailant entered through a side door before the restaurant had opened. The bartender who was attacked underwent surgery and is expected to recover, though he will remain hospitalized for several days. The suspect was reportedly subdued by employees and a local resident before being taken into custody.
Moe’s, which opened in March 2022, carries the weight of history. The restaurant took over the storied Saska’s Steakhouse, a Mission Beach institution that first opened in 1951 and was once known as San Diego’s longest-running steakhouse. Saska’s closed in 2020 after nearly seven decades, following a troubled ownership stint under Gina Champion-Cain’s Patio Group. The property was later acquired by OMG Hospitality Group, the San Diego collective behind Pacific Beach Alehouse, Waterbar, and other popular venues. Though OMG initially planned to revive the Saska’s brand, the group instead rebranded the space as Moe’s, honoring CEO Eric Leitstein’s grandfather. Its adjacent companion, Molly’s, opened in the former Surf Rider Pizza space.
The stabbing has left locals rattled, given the building’s long history as a neighborhood anchor. While police continue their investigation, speculation is swirling both about the circumstances of the violence and the condition of the victim, who remains hospitalized but is expected to survive.
The stabbing has left locals rattled, given the building’s long history as a neighborhood anchor. While police continue their investigation, speculation is swirling both about the circumstances of the violence and the condition of the victim, who remains hospitalized but is expected to survive.
Moe’s is located at 3768 Mission Boulevard in San Diego's Mission Beach. For more information, visit moesmissionbeach.com.
This is a developing story, and we will provide updates as more details become available.
Originally published on September 18, 2025. Photos by Walden Keyes.
