Urbana Mexican Gastronomy announced this week that it will close its location at The Sky Deck Del Mar after five years in operation, with its final day of service scheduled for Sunday, May 31. The restaurant emphasized that its Anaheim location near Disneyland will remain open.
“After 5 amazing years, we’ve made the decision to close our Del Mar SkyDeck location as we move forward with the sale of our restaurant,” Urbana wrote in an Instagram statement. “Thank you to every guest, regular, friend, family member, and team member who supported us throughout this journey.”
The closure marks another significant tenant turnover for The Sky Deck, the sprawling food hall concept that opened in 2021 at Del Mar Highlands Town Center following years of anticipation and more than $120 million in redevelopment investment into the shopping center by Donahue Schriber Realty Group.
Conceived as a high-end, chef-driven communal dining destination inspired by Barcelona’s famed La Boqueria market and El Nacional food hall, The Sky Deck was originally envisioned by Donahue Schriber former chairman and CEO Pat Donahue as a sophisticated “dinner-centric” culinary experience anchored by local restaurateurs, craft cocktails, breweries, dramatic architecture, and communal gathering spaces.
When the project was first announced, it was pitched as something transformative for North County dining - an elevated alternative to the traditional suburban food court concept, complete with retractable roofing, soaring glass walls, rooftop beer spaces, and curated local restaurant concepts.
But five years later, the reality has been more complicated. While several tenants continue operating successfully and the venue still draws steady crowds during peak periods, The Sky Deck has struggled to fully solidify itself as the kind of dominant culinary destination many expected when the project launched. Restaurant turnover has steadily emerged as a recurring theme, particularly among independent operators facing the realities of premium lease rates, operational costs, and the challenges of sustaining traffic in a somewhat isolated upper-corner section of Del Mar Highlands Town Center.
Urbana now becomes the second original Sky Deck restaurant to shutter in recent years. Modern Greek concept Zizikis Street Food closed in 2024 and was later replaced by Zen Modern Asian Bistro, which expanded into multiple adjacent spaces within the complex. Other concepts have quietly evolved, rebranded, or adjusted operations as ownership groups attempt to find workable formulas within the unique but demanding environment.
The physical location itself has long posed challenges despite the project’s aesthetic appeal. Although visually striking, The Sky Deck sits tucked into the eastern edge of Del Mar Highlands Town Center, somewhat disconnected from the center’s more naturally trafficked retail flow. Industry observers and former operators have privately questioned whether the economics of the project have ever fully aligned with the realities of sustained restaurant traffic in Carmel Valley, particularly given the substantial overhead associated with operating within the development.
The result is a space that often feels architecturally successful but commercially inconsistent. That tension has become increasingly visible as San Diego’s restaurant industry continues navigating post-pandemic operational pressures, inflation, rising labor costs, shifting consumer habits, and a broader pullback in discretionary dining spending.
Urbana itself had generally been well-received critically during its run at The Sky Deck. Founded by restaurateur Javier Cuadra, Urbana built a reputation around elevated Mexican cuisine inspired by Cuadra’s upbringing in Michoacán and his desire to showcase authentic Mexican street food traditions using fresh ingredients and more refined presentations. The original Anaheim Packing House location earned multiple accolades over the years, including a Golden Foodie Award and recognition from Congressman Lou Correa as Immigrant Owner of the Year in 2020.
The Del Mar location offered dishes including mole enchiladas, lobster tacos, birria, ceviche, handmade tortillas, and extensive tequila-forward cocktails and mixology offerings. Executive Chef Ernie Alvarado’s menu drew praise for balancing authenticity with polished presentation inside the energetic food hall setting. Still, positive reviews and strong food do not always guarantee long-term viability in expensive modern food hall environments.
Ironically, Urbana’s closure arrives just days before The Sky Deck is scheduled to host a heavily promoted five-year anniversary celebration touting the project’s success, community atmosphere, live music, and restaurant lineup. The June 6 event will feature promotional specials, giveaways, and anniversary-themed dining incentives across participating vendors.
But Urbana’s departure underscores a broader reality facing many highly curated food hall concepts across California: while they often succeed as visually attractive lifestyle destinations, sustaining long-term profitability for independent restaurant operators inside them can prove significantly more difficult.
The economics are particularly unforgiving in affluent areas like Carmel Valley, where ambitious design, premium buildouts, and upscale positioning frequently come with equally premium lease structures.
There is currently no public word on what concept, if any, will replace Urbana within the Sky Deck lineup. For now, the closure serves as another reminder that even some of San Diego County’s most polished and expensive hospitality projects remain vulnerable to the same pressures reshaping the broader restaurant industry and that beautiful architecture alone is not always enough to create a lasting dining institution.
The Sky Deck is located at 12841 El Camino Real, Suite 206, within Del Mar Highlands Town Center in San Diego's North County community of Carmel Valley. For more information, visit delmarhighlandstowncenter.com/skydeck.
Originally published on May 28, 2026.
