In a statement released Tuesday morning, the team behind the the dual-concept restaurants announced they will permanently close both concepts on Sunday, February 8, bringing a swift and definitive conclusion to one of the city’s most talked-about, and short-lived, restaurant projects of 2025.
“We have made the heartbreaking decision to close VULTURE and DREAMBOAT,” the statement read, citing high opening and operating costs and “the economic realities of today” as the driving factors behind the shutdown. Ownership emphasized pride in the spaces and gratitude toward staff and supporters, while encouraging customers to visit during the final three weeks of service and redeem outstanding gift cards before closing.
The announcement confirms what many in the local dining community had already suspected.
Both restaurants opened beneath the iconic University Heights sign following a five-year, design-heavy renovation of the two-story building at 4608–4610 Park Boulevard. Dreamboat Diner opened in May 2025, followed by Vulture in June, positioning the property as a dual-concept, plant-based destination pairing a bright, retro diner up front with a moody, fine-dining-style restaurant hidden behind it.
From the outset, the concept raised eyebrow not for lack of creativity, but for its business logic. Putting a vegan-only diner at the front door of an already niche project proved to be a major strategic misstep. Diners unfamiliar with the brand were effectively filtered at the entrance, long before ever seeing the more ambitious (and expensive) Vulture dining room. Instead of broadening appeal, the layout narrowed it, an especially risky move in a neighborhood that relies on walk-in traffic and repeat locals rather than destination-only diners.
As previously reported by SanDiegoVille, the building at 4608–4610 Park Boulevard was listed for sale in November, just months after the restaurants debuted. The LoopNet listing described the property as a fully renovated, turnkey restaurant space with two kitchens and minimal parking—language that immediately fueled speculation that the operators were already looking for an exit.
In October, ownership further acknowledged financial strain in a candid social media post, describing conditions as “tougher-than-expected” and urging community support. That message, combined with the property listing, made it increasingly clear that the numbers were not working.
The project was led by owner Kory Stetina, with Arsalun Tafazoli, co-founder of Consortium Holdings/CH Projects, involved as a silent partner independent of CH’s broader portfolio. The pair previously found success with vegan and cocktail-forward concepts like Kindred and Mothership in South Park, but Dreamboat and Vulture were operating at an entirely different scale, price point, and real estate cost structure.
More broadly, the closure underscores a hard truth the industry continues to avoid: vegan-only restaurants remain an extremely difficult business, especially when paired with large footprints, high build-out costs, and fine-dining aspirations. While plant-based dining has its audience, it is still a limiting one, particularly in a tightening economy where diners are more cautious, less experimental, and increasingly price-sensitive.
In this case, influencer buzz, glowing press, and aesthetic ambition were not enough to overcome the math.
According to the announcement, the remaining weeks of service are intended to support staff and allow the restaurants to wind down responsibly. After February 8, both spaces will go dark, ending a project that was years in development but lasted barely a year in operation.
Dreamboat Diner and Vulture are located at 4608-4610 Park Boulevard in University Heights. For more information, visit dreamboatdiner.com and vulturerestaurant.com.
Read our full, unfiltered assessment of this closure on SanDiegoVille's Patreon.
Originally published on January 20, 2026.
