The fire was reported at approximately 6:42pm Monday at 575 South Coast Highway 101, the downtown Encinitas building occupied by Temaki Bar. When firefighters arrived, they discovered the fire burning in the basement of the restaurant and found that the building's automatic sprinkler system had activated, helping keep the flames contained.
A second alarm was subsequently requested, bringing additional firefighters and resources to the scene as crews worked to extinguish the fire and assess the building. The cause remained unknown and under investigation following the response.
Temaki Bar confirmed the fire Tuesday and announced that the restaurant will remain closed while damage is evaluated and repairs are considered.
"Due to an unexpected fire, Temaki Bar will be temporarily closed while we assess the damage and work toward reopening safely," the restaurant announced on Instagram. "Most importantly, we are incredibly grateful that everyone is safe."
The restaurant thanked first responders and the Encinitas community for their support while emphasizing that management intends the closure to be temporary.
"This is only a temporary pause," Temaki Bar stated. "We'll be back rolling hand rolls and welcoming you to the bar as soon as we can."
No reopening date has been announced, and the extent of fire, smoke or water damage inside the restaurant has not yet been disclosed. The activation of the sprinkler system that helped contain the basement fire could also mean water damage will need to be evaluated before the restaurant can reopen, although Temaki Bar has not yet detailed what repairs may be necessary.
The fire interrupts a nearly four-year run for the Japanese-inspired restaurant, which opened at the prominent Coast Highway 101 location in 2022. The approximately 4,000-square-foot space previously housed EVE Vegan Eats before Las Vegas-based Clique Hospitality transformed it into Temaki Bar, an offshoot of its Tekka Bar Handrolls & Sake concept at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Temaki Bar debuted with a menu developed under San Diego chef JoJo Ruiz centered on made-to-order Japanese hand rolls filled with seafood including blue crab, yellowtail, salmon and scallops. The restaurant also built out a sake-focused beverage program and incorporated Encinitas' surf culture into the concept, including artwork dedicated to professional surfer Rob Machado.
The restaurant has since expanded its offerings beyond hand rolls to sashimi, nigiri, specialty rolls and other Japanese-inspired dishes while becoming a fixture along the increasingly restaurant-heavy stretch of South Coast Highway 101. Just last month, Temaki Bar hosted another installment of its "Surf Sessions" series combining sushi, drinks and live music.
For now, however, the handroll bar is dark as crews and management determine the extent of the aftermath from Monday evening's fire.
"We'll share reopening updates soon," Temaki Bar stated. "Thank you for the love and support."
Temaki Bar is located at 575 South Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas. For more information, visit temakibarsushi.com.
Originally published on September 2, 2026.
