According to local sources, the long-promised Leucadia restaurant will begin friends-and-family soft opening nights over the early part of this week, with official opening set for Thursday, November 6, and a grand opening to follow over the weekend. After nearly five years of development and delays, the project appears to have finally stuck the kick flip.
Originally publicized in 2021 and “coming soon” since the summer of 2022, Chick & Hawk’s journey from concept to completion has been a study in endurance. The 1,421-square-foot space at 145 Leucadia Boulevard, once home to the notorious Fulano’s Café, sat in near-stasis for years while neighboring businesses opened, thrived, and sometimes even closed again. By now, it’s fair to say Chick & Hawk has taken longer to open than the lifespan of most food trends - including, arguably, the fried chicken sandwich craze it was built around.
Chef Andrew Bachelier, who co-founded acclaimed restaurants Campfire and Jeune et Jolie, was once hailed as one of San Diego’s most promising culinary voices. But while those Carlsbad restaurants went on to earn Michelin stars only after his quiet departure, Chick & Hawk has spent the better part of four years teasing its arrival with little to show beyond branding, permit delays, and sporadic “Underground Nights” pop-up dinners across North County.The team’s intermittent event series - billed as a way to “test recipes and connect with the community” - only heightened curiosity (and skepticism) as months turned to years without a single plate of fried chicken emerging from the Encinitas kitchen. Meanwhile, fellow skateboarding legend Mike McGill managed to conceptualize, build, and open his own Johnny Rad’z Pizza just blocks away in what felt like record time - all while Chick & Hawk’s sign remained dark.
Despite the drawn-out process, the space itself promises plenty of personality. Designed by Taylor Morgan of Fictional Fabrication alongside Larah Bachelier, the restaurant channels 1980s and 1990s skate and surf nostalgia with graffiti murals, neon metal accents, concrete finishes, and even furniture made from old skateboards. Hawk contributed more than 30 hours of vintage skate footage and music videos that play on loop in the dining room. The exterior artwork includes murals by Shepard Fairey, Mark Gonzales, and David “Bunny Kitty” Persue, while California Skateparks poured the concrete patio to resemble a skate bowl (though it’s not actually skateable...for amateurs).
The menu, led by Bachelier, is described as “fast fine dining” - a high-low fusion of skatepark attitude and culinary precision. Signature items include The Birdman, a spicy fried chicken sandwich topped with purple cabbage slaw, kimchi comeback sauce, and sweet-spicy pickles, available in varying “rotations” of heat levels up to “900 degrees” - a nod to Hawk’s legendary 900-degree spin. Other offerings include duck fat fries, fresh seafood, the Kona Bowl, and even a caviar service with crème fraîche and housemade potato chips.
The beverage program, curated by creative director Nick Sinutko, features cocktails, beer, and natural wine - including a custom lager called “Cheep Skate” made with Viewpoint Brewing in Del Mar, and sparkling wines meant to pair with fried chicken.
Most of the produce is sourced from Sage Hill Ranch Gardens in Escondido, and the restaurant’s companion concept, Atelier Manna - Bachelier’s daytime spot known for its $28 French Toast that he opened in 2023 as a financial lifeline during Chick & Hawk’s construction - will remain open, possibly expanding to dinner service.
Whether Chick & Hawk can live up to its years of hype remains to be seen. But after repeated false starts and endless “coming soon” signs, even the most skeptical foodies might allow a bit of cautious optimism that this bird may finally take flight.
If all goes according to plan, Chick & Hawk will open to the public this weekend, marking the end of a saga that has outlasted multiple building permits, shifting culinary trends, and a fair amount of online skepticism - including, notably, from this very publication, which was blocked by the restaurant’s social media accounts after covering its slow progress. Still, in the spirit of objective reporting, we’ll simply say: congratulations, Chick & Hawk - it seems the wait might actually be over.
Chick & Hawk is located at 145 Leucadia Boulevard in Encinitas. Reservations are available for lunch and dinner, but walk-ins are welcome. For more information, visit chickandhawk.com.
If all goes according to plan, Chick & Hawk will open to the public this weekend, marking the end of a saga that has outlasted multiple building permits, shifting culinary trends, and a fair amount of online skepticism - including, notably, from this very publication, which was blocked by the restaurant’s social media accounts after covering its slow progress. Still, in the spirit of objective reporting, we’ll simply say: congratulations, Chick & Hawk - it seems the wait might actually be over.
Chick & Hawk is located at 145 Leucadia Boulevard in Encinitas. Reservations are available for lunch and dinner, but walk-ins are welcome. For more information, visit chickandhawk.com.
Originally published on November 3, 2025.
