The longtime Liberty Station outpost of the once-hyped burger-and-bacon chain has been replaced by a new concept called The Mixer, marking another turning point for a restaurant group whose San Diego footprint has steadily shrunk over the past several years.
Slater’s 50/50 first opened at Liberty Station in late 2011 during the early wave of redevelopment that helped transform the former Naval Training Center into a dining, retail, and arts destination. At its peak, the Southern California-born chain was a regional phenomenon, known for its signature 50-percent-beef, 50-percent-bacon burgers, sprawling beer lists, and aggressive expansion strategy. First founded in Anaheim in 2009, the Liberty Station location was one of the brand's most prominent, benefiting from heavy foot traffic and its role as a neighborhood gathering place.
That popularity, however, proved difficult to sustain. After founder Scott Slater sold the chain to Elite Restaurant Group in late 2016, Slater’s 50/50 entered a long period of contraction. Locations across California and beyond closed one by one, leaving just a single remaining California outpost in Torrance, with a few others out of state. The Liberty Station restaurant lingered longer than most, but by late 2025, the Slater’s name was removed from the building altogether.
In its place now stands The Mixer, a newly branded neighborhood bar and kitchen that positions itself as more community-focused and less concept-driven, although the menu is eerily similar to Slater's 50/50. According to Liberty Station promotional materials, The Mixer emphasizes cocktails, beer, sandwiches, and shareable plates, along with a more casual, all-occasions atmosphere geared toward families, game days, and social gatherings.
Despite the visible rebrand, public records suggest the transition may not represent a full change in ownership. California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control filings show the liquor license for the space remains active under the Slater’s 50/50 business name, held by R&D Business Holdings LLC. The license has not yet been updated to reflect The Mixer branding, indicating the shift likely occurred in late 2025 and may represent a rebranding or operational pivot rather than a clean break. Such delays between branding changes and license updates are common, particularly when concepts are retooled rather than sold outright.
The development further underscores how far Scott Slater’s presence in San Diego has receded. Once a prolific local restaurateur, Slater’s remaining ties to the city appear limited. He currently operates a single Early Bird Breakfast Burritos location and may still hold a partnership stake in the central bar at Del Mar’s struggling Sky Deck restaurant collective. Meanwhile, his most consistent success in recent years has come outside California, particularly in Idaho, where several of his newer ventures have reportedly gained traction.
The Liberty Station transition also reflects a broader recalibration happening across San Diego’s restaurant industry. High-rent, high-volume concepts that thrived in the 2010s are increasingly giving way to smaller, more flexible neighborhood-driven operations designed to weather rising labor costs, inflation, and shifting consumer habits. Whether The Mixer can recapture the community relevance once held by Slater’s 50/50 remains to be seen. For now, the space remains open and operating under its new identity.
The Mixer is now open at 2750 Dewey Road, Suite 193, in San Diego’s Liberty Station. For more information, visit themixersandiego.com.
Originally published on January 10, 2026.
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