The surprise performance took place Friday night at Breakers Hawaiian Bar & Grill, the laid-back surf-inspired spot recently opened by professional surfer and Encinitas local Benji Weatherley. Weatherley, who grew up on the North Shore of Oahu and is a longtime figure in the Hawaiian surf community, has deep ties to Johnson, who also hails from Hawaii and came up through the same tight-knit surf world. That connection likely explains how the beloved singer-songwriter ended up on the small Breakers stage, treating stunned guests to renditions of “Upside Down,” “Better Together,” and “Good People.”
The bar, which pays homage to Weatherley’s family’s former Breakers restaurant in Haleiwa, has quickly established itself as a community hub in North County, offering Hawaiian-style comfort food, surf nostalgia, and live entertainment. Sunday’s pop-up set from Johnson, however, instantly elevated the venue’s reputation and gave fans a rare chance to see one of Hawaii’s most celebrated musicians in a casual, up-close setting.
Breakers Hawaiian Bar & Grill is located at 481 Santa Fe Drive in Encinitas. For more information, follow @breakerscbg on Instagram.
Originally published on September 21, 2025.
