In an update this week, the ownership group confirmed the addition of Chris Wood as partner and General Manager. Wood is a familiar name in the local dining scene, last serving as General Manager at TRUST Restaurant Group and formerly managing Consortium Holdings’ Ironside Fish & Oyster in Little Italy, where he worked alongside incoming Boatyard Executive Chef Jason McLeod. That pairing reunites one of San Diego’s most respected front-of-house leaders with a Michelin-starred chef who helped shape Ironside, Born & Raised, and Morning Glory into city landmarks.
Beyond leadership, the team has made progress on both design and buildout. Local designer Paul Basile’s plaza design was recently approved, allowing immediate construction without city permits. Inside, original cedar lumber from the former Fiddler’s Green has been repurposed into the build, preserving a piece of the site’s history while cutting costs. Structural testing also brought a major win: engineers confirmed the building can support the additional 1,500-square-foot top-floor expansion without costly reinforcements.
Chef McLeod recently led a two-day intensive with the team to finalize labor timelines, service style, and back-of-house buildout, while Wood has already introduced new investors and begun mapping staff training and onboarding systems. The group says delays caused by city permits and historical reviews, though frustrating, have allowed them to refine operations and strengthen planning.
Originally anticipated to open in 2025, the Boatyard is envisioned as a “Blue Collar Yacht Club,” delivering wood-fired steak and seafood in a refined but approachable setting, paired with a hidden speakeasy tucked behind a harbor-side entrance. It’s being built on the former site of Fiddler’s Green, the beloved nautical restaurant that served Point Loma for nearly three decades before being shuttered by health inspectors in 2023.
The Boatyard is projected to open in summer 2026 at 2760 Shelter Island Drive. For more information, visit theboatyardsandiego.com.
Originally anticipated to open in 2025, the Boatyard is envisioned as a “Blue Collar Yacht Club,” delivering wood-fired steak and seafood in a refined but approachable setting, paired with a hidden speakeasy tucked behind a harbor-side entrance. It’s being built on the former site of Fiddler’s Green, the beloved nautical restaurant that served Point Loma for nearly three decades before being shuttered by health inspectors in 2023.
The Boatyard is projected to open in summer 2026 at 2760 Shelter Island Drive. For more information, visit theboatyardsandiego.com.
Originally published on October 2, 2025.
