The longtime sports bar and burger restaurant at 100 Orange Avenue near the Coronado Ferry Landing has reportedly been closed for the past several weeks without any public announcement from ownership. Yelp now lists the business as closed, the doors remain shuttered, and the restaurant's social media accounts have fallen silent.
Perhaps the strangest part is how the story unfolded. Rather than announcing any plans for closure, Nicky Rottens' final Facebook and Instagram posts, published on May 11, encouraged entrepreneurs to franchise the restaurant.
"Want to bring Nicky Rottens to your hometown?" the post asked, directing interested investors to contact the company for franchise opportunities.
Less than a month later, the original Coronado location appears to have ceased operations. The silence has fueled speculation throughout Coronado. In local community forums, residents have questioned whether the restaurant is permanently closed, being remodeled, sold, or preparing for an entirely new concept. Others pointed to inconsistent service or soaring menu prices, while some believed renovations were underway despite little visible activity inside the building.
No explanation has been provided publicly. Ironically, just three months ago, owner Simon Guindi was telling the Coronado City Council he had ambitious plans, not to close the restaurant, but to reinvent it. Guindi, a longtime Coronado resident who purchased Nicky Rottens in 2023, spent much of the past year battling City Hall over parking requirements he believed were unfairly holding back his plans for the restaurant.
Appearing before the Coronado City Council in March, Guindi said he was seeking equal treatment and clear guidance from the City as he prepared to invest in the business.
"I have plans to change the concept of Nicky Rottens into a new, family-friendly sports bar and restaurant," Guindi told councilmembers, explaining that several unanswered questions from the City were affecting future business decisions.
The issue centered around a parking agreement dating back to 2012. When Nicky Rottens expanded into an adjacent 500-square-foot space, the City approved the additional seating on the condition that the restaurant permanently maintain five off-site parking spaces behind Coronado Hardware.
Guindi argued that California Assembly Bill 2097, which eliminated many minimum parking requirements near major public transit, should exempt Nicky Rottens from the agreement because of its proximity to the Coronado Ferry Landing.
Former Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey appeared on behalf of the restaurant, arguing the City was incorrectly interpreting state law and urging officials to release the business from the parking obligation.
City staff disagreed, concluding that the legislation applied only to qualifying new development projects, not an existing restaurant operating under a long-standing agreement. The City Council unanimously sided with staff.
"We're looking at one thing: Is this a new development? And it's not," Councilmember Kelly Purvis said during the hearing. "It's been there for over a decade. We have a deal."
Councilmember Carrie Anne Downey likewise said she did not believe Guindi's proposed changes constituted a new use that would qualify for relief under state law. The appeal was denied. At the time, nothing suggested the restaurant might soon close.
For longtime Coronado residents, Nicky Rottens has rarely been just another burger restaurant. Almost from the day it opened in 2011 inside the former Island Saloon building, the business found itself at the center of neighborhood controversy.
Residents objected to noise, late-night activity, alcohol service, patio operations, parking, security concerns, and expansion plans. The City imposed extensive operating conditions that required windows to remain closed after 10pm, limited outdoor seating, required security patrols during late-night hours, prohibited televisions outside, regulated live entertainment, and tied future expansion to off-site parking agreements.
The relationship between the restaurant and the City deteriorated rapidly. In 2012, then-owners filed a $5 million federal lawsuit against the City of Coronado and then-City Manager Blair King, alleging unequal treatment, constitutional violations, and civil-rights violations. The complaint argued Nicky Rottens had been subjected to restrictions and conditions not imposed on other nearby restaurants.
That same year, tensions between ownership and neighboring residents spilled into public view after a confrontation outside the restaurant generated headlines across San Diego. The dispute led to allegations involving anti-Semitic and homophobic slurs, dueling accusations between those involved, police reports, and restraining orders issued against former owner Nick Tomasello and his father following a separate confrontation with a neighboring property owner. Criminal charges were ultimately not filed, but the incidents became emblematic of the contentious atmosphere surrounding the restaurant during its early years.
Many newer San Diegans may not realize Nicky Rottens was once envisioned as a growing local restaurant brand. Originally founded by Nick Tomasello, the concept expanded beyond downtown San Diego into Coronado before opening a third location in Rancho San Diego in 2014.
Not long afterward, Tomasello and his business partner split. The downtown and Coronado restaurants continued under separate ownership while Tomasello retained Rancho San Diego. The downtown restaurant was eventually rebranded into 1919 Sports Bar before later becoming El Chingon and Havana 1920.
In 2018, Tomasello closed the Rancho San Diego restaurant after its lease expired, thanking customers for five years of support and noting that the independently owned Coronado location would continue operating. That left Coronado as the final remaining Nicky Rottens. If the current closure proves to be permanent, it would mark the end of the once-growing San Diego restaurant brand.
The timing makes the apparent closure especially perplexing. As recently as March, ownership was publicly discussing investment and reinvention before the Coronado City Council. In May, the restaurant was advertising franchise opportunities and inviting entrepreneurs to expand the brand. Now, the flagship location appears to be closed.
Whether Nicky Rottens has permanently shuttered, is undergoing renovations, has been sold, or is preparing to reopen under a new concept remains unknown.
SanDiegoVille has reached out to ownership seeking clarification regarding the restaurant's status and future plans and will update this story if additional information becomes available.
Originally published on June 26, 2026.