The closure report shows inspectors cited the bar for a major vermin violation, along with a minor violation involving food contact surfaces and additional out-of-compliance findings related to toilet facilities, premises and exclusion measures, and floors, walls, and ceilings. Later the same day, a separate site investigation was marked “Complete” with “No Violations Found,” indicating corrective action had been taken promptly.
Chad Cline, co-owner of The Waterfront, confirmed to SanDiegoVille that the bar has since been cleared and is back open following remediation efforts and compliance with county requirements.
For many San Diegans, the temporary closure lands differently than a typical restaurant shutdown because The Waterfront is not just another neighborhood bar. Opened in 1933, the year Prohibition ended, The Waterfront identifies itself as San Diego’s oldest tavern, and multiple historical accounts have described it as holding the city’s oldest full liquor license. The bar originally served workers tied to the nearby tuna fishing industry and has long been one of Little Italy’s most recognizable legacy businesses.
The ownership story is also part of the bar’s long local lineage. The Waterfront has been family-run for decades, and today is operated by cousins Chad Cline and Jason “Rocky” Nichols, whose family has controlled the property since the late 20th century. In recent years, the pair have become two of the most active dive-bar and nightlife operators in the region, steadily assembling a portfolio of legacy San Diego establishments while generally preserving their existing character rather than rebranding them beyond recognition.
That portfolio now extends well beyond Little Italy. Cline and Nichols also own and operate Aero Club in Middletown, Sycamore Den in Normal Heights, Hearth House in La Mesa, Club Marina in Point Loma, and recently took over the former Fluxx nightclub property in the Gaslamp Quarter, which they purchased earlier this year along with its liquor license. Earlier reporting has also tied them to Werewolf Bar and other neighborhood concepts over the years, underscoring how influential they have become in San Diego’s bar scene.
The closure comes at an awkward moment for the operators, who have remained in the public conversation in recent months for reasons unrelated to food safety. In January, The Waterfront became a flashpoint in a broader cultural debate after a dispute over a patron’s anti-ICE shirt triggered online backlash and renewed discussion about neutrality, private business policies, and politics in nightlife spaces. That controversy did not appear to have any connection to Wednesday’s health action, but it did keep the venue unusually visible in local discourse.
For county-regulated food and beverage businesses, a major vermin violation is among the most serious inspection findings because it can indicate an immediate public health concern. Closures tied to vermin have become increasingly common across San Diego County over the past year, with hundreds of restaurants, bars, bakeries, and cafés in neighborhoods across the region temporarily shuttered until operators complete remediation and pass follow-up inspection. There were more than 300 such closures in 2025 alone.
The Waterfront Bar & Grill is located at 2044 Kettner Boulevard in San Diego’s Little Italy. For more information, visit waterfrontbarandgrill.com.
For many San Diegans, the temporary closure lands differently than a typical restaurant shutdown because The Waterfront is not just another neighborhood bar. Opened in 1933, the year Prohibition ended, The Waterfront identifies itself as San Diego’s oldest tavern, and multiple historical accounts have described it as holding the city’s oldest full liquor license. The bar originally served workers tied to the nearby tuna fishing industry and has long been one of Little Italy’s most recognizable legacy businesses.
The ownership story is also part of the bar’s long local lineage. The Waterfront has been family-run for decades, and today is operated by cousins Chad Cline and Jason “Rocky” Nichols, whose family has controlled the property since the late 20th century. In recent years, the pair have become two of the most active dive-bar and nightlife operators in the region, steadily assembling a portfolio of legacy San Diego establishments while generally preserving their existing character rather than rebranding them beyond recognition.
That portfolio now extends well beyond Little Italy. Cline and Nichols also own and operate Aero Club in Middletown, Sycamore Den in Normal Heights, Hearth House in La Mesa, Club Marina in Point Loma, and recently took over the former Fluxx nightclub property in the Gaslamp Quarter, which they purchased earlier this year along with its liquor license. Earlier reporting has also tied them to Werewolf Bar and other neighborhood concepts over the years, underscoring how influential they have become in San Diego’s bar scene.
The closure comes at an awkward moment for the operators, who have remained in the public conversation in recent months for reasons unrelated to food safety. In January, The Waterfront became a flashpoint in a broader cultural debate after a dispute over a patron’s anti-ICE shirt triggered online backlash and renewed discussion about neutrality, private business policies, and politics in nightlife spaces. That controversy did not appear to have any connection to Wednesday’s health action, but it did keep the venue unusually visible in local discourse.
For county-regulated food and beverage businesses, a major vermin violation is among the most serious inspection findings because it can indicate an immediate public health concern. Closures tied to vermin have become increasingly common across San Diego County over the past year, with hundreds of restaurants, bars, bakeries, and cafés in neighborhoods across the region temporarily shuttered until operators complete remediation and pass follow-up inspection. There were more than 300 such closures in 2025 alone.
The Waterfront Bar & Grill is located at 2044 Kettner Boulevard in San Diego’s Little Italy. For more information, visit waterfrontbarandgrill.com.
Originally published on March 26, 2026.