A Dozen High-Profile San Diego Restaurants We Would Not Bet On Making It Through 2026

San Diego loves denial almost as much as it loves a soft opening. But restaurants don’t close because of vibes, bad Yelp reviews, or one slow month. They close because the math breaks, the narrative collapses, or the room stops making sense for the moment it’s in. We're being realistic and have compiled a list of twelve high-profile San Diego restaurants we would not bet on making it through 2026. 

This list isn’t about hate. It’s about trajectory. Each of the places below shows clear, public signals of strain. Some are already pivoting. Some are quietly shrinking. Some are leaning hard on influencer content and nostalgia instead of fixing structural problems. If history is any guide, 2026 is when the bill comes due.

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