The relocation marks a major expansion for the restaurant, which has operated in San Marcos since 2005 and gradually outgrew its original space as its popularity increased across North County.
Owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Michael and Kristen Herrera, the restaurant was named in honor of Michael’s mother, “Mama Kat,” whose values of hospitality and community remain central to the brand’s identity. Michael originally purchased Grandpa Allen’s Family Restaurant in 2005 and began transforming the concept before officially renaming it Mama Kat’s in 2008.
Over the years, the restaurant has developed a loyal following for its classic Americana comfort food menu, particularly its scratch-made pies, house-baked cinnamon rolls, biscuits and gravy, skillet breakfasts, and brunch favorites. As business grew, the owners gradually expanded into neighboring retail units in their San Marcos Boulevard strip center, but even those additions eventually proved insufficient for the restaurant’s demand.
The new location offers dramatically more room. The Rancheros Drive property spans approximately 17,000 square feet and previously housed My Yard Live, a large brewery, restaurant, beer garden and family entertainment venue that closed in November 2024 after five years in business. The ambitious concept had transformed a former Hometown Buffet building into a sprawling indoor-outdoor gathering space complete with a brewhouse, arcade, playground, fire pits, and live music stage.
While My Yard Live struggled with pandemic disruptions and rising operating costs before ultimately shuttering, the building’s size and layout provide a rare opportunity for another operator looking to expand into a large-format restaurant space.
Renovations are now underway to convert the building into Mama Kat’s new flagship location. Ownership has not yet announced whether the former brewery equipment or live entertainment elements will remain part of the concept. In preparation for the move, the restaurant has also launched several community-focused fundraising initiatives tied to the new space.
Through its “Founders Row” and “Founding Families” programs, customers and local businesses can purchase engraved chairs or plaques inside the new dining room, securing reserved seating privileges and recognition as early supporters of the restaurant’s next chapter. Another program, called “Pave the Way,” allows supporters to purchase engraved bricks that will be installed around the restaurant’s outdoor fire pit patio. The programs reflect the restaurant’s longstanding emphasis on community involvement and its close ties to local families and businesses in San Marcos.
According to the restaurant, the new building will allow Mama Kat’s to continue expanding its menu offerings while creating additional gathering spaces for customers who have supported the business for decades. The move also signals a new chapter for the Rancheros Drive property, which had remained vacant since My Yard Live closed in 2024.
Mama Kat’s is currently targeting a spring or summer 2026 opening, and will at that time relocate from 950 West San Marcos Boulevard to 288 Rancheros Drive in San Marcos. For more information, visit mamakats.com.
Originally published on March 12, 2026. Information first reported by Pam Kragen of the San Diego Union Tribune.