Located at 105 Eucalyptus Grove Lane in the campus’s Old Student Center, Shores Diner opened in early 2024 under the direction of Dirty Birds co-founders Adam Jacoby and Paul Cagnina. The concept was envisioned as a modern American diner, offering an all-day menu of comfort food staples ranging from breakfast items and burgers to milkshakes and classic desserts. The restaurant occupied a historically significant space that had previously housed Porter's Pub for more than two decades before undergoing a series of short-lived rebrands under Consortium Holdings/CH Projects, including Soda & Swine, Uncle Italian, and Underbelly.
According to reporting by the The UCSD Guardian, Shores Diner’s closure is tied in part to internal business considerations rather than solely financial pressures. Bar manager Matthew Poremski told the outlet that the restaurant’s ownership faced competing priorities, including expansion efforts tied to the Dirty Birds brand and personal commitments, making it difficult to continue investing in the concept. He also pointed to structural challenges specific to the campus environment, including a limited base of drinking-age customers, which can constrain revenue potential for concepts serving alcohol.
In a statement provided to SanDiegoVille, co-owner Adam Jacoby offered additional context on the decision to close. “Basically, we have too much on our plate to be able to be full time operators for a new brand. Between new Dirty Birds projects, PJ having a new baby soon and moving away, it's time to move on,” Jacoby said. “We are very appreciative of the School and all they have done to support us and look forward to continuing that relationship through Dirty Birds at the Price Center.”
The closure comes alongside the recent shutdown of neighboring Taco Villa, a locally owned Mexican restaurant that operated on campus for a decade before closing earlier this month. In contrast to Shores Diner, Taco Villa’s departure was attributed in part to financial pressures tied to its lease. As reported by the UCSD Guardian, owner Ryan McGuffie cited rising costs and a revenue-sharing structure with the university as contributing factors, stating that UCSD collected approximately 10 percent of the restaurant’s revenue, alongside additional operational expenses that made the business increasingly difficult to sustain.
Taken together, the back-to-back closures highlight the complexities of running independent food concepts within a university setting, where seasonal fluctuations, student demographics, and institutional cost structures can create unique operational hurdles. For Shores Diner, the decision not to renew its lease appears to reflect a combination of these broader challenges and the owners’ shifting focus toward more established ventures.
The closure also adds another chapter to the long and often turbulent history of the former Porter's Pub space, which has seen multiple concepts come and go in recent years without long-term stability. Once a cornerstone of campus social life, the location has struggled to maintain a consistent identity despite significant investment and repeated reimaginings.
Shores Diner will serve its final customers on April 15. It remains unclear what concept, if any, will next take over the high-profile UCSD location.
Originally published on April 14, 2026.