A handwritten sign posted at the entrance of The Mixer at 2750 Dewey Road, Suite 193, announces, "WE'RE CLOSED!" and thanks customers for their support and for allowing the business to serve the community. The message, signed "XOXO The Mixer," offers no explanation for the shutdown, which appears to have caught even neighboring businesses by surprise.
The closure surfaced publicly on October 24, when a Reddit user reported attempting to visit The Mixer the previous evening only to discover that the restaurant appeared permanently closed. According to the post, an employee at neighboring Sea Hive was unaware of the shutdown and indicated the establishment had been operating earlier in the week, suggesting the decision may have been sudden.
The Mixer's brief existence marked the final chapter of a restaurant location that had been synonymous with Slater's 50/50 for more than 14 years. The popular burger-and-bacon chain opened its Liberty Station outpost in late 2011, becoming one of the early dining anchors of the former Naval Training Center's transformation into a bustling destination for restaurants, shopping and entertainment.
Founded in Anaheim in 2009 by restaurateur Scott Slater, Slater's 50/50 became a Southern California sensation with its signature burgers made from a blend of 50 percent ground beef and 50 percent bacon, unconventional toppings, extensive beer selections and unapologetically indulgent menu. The Liberty Station restaurant remained a neighborhood fixture even as the once-expanding chain experienced years of contraction following its sale to Elite Restaurant Group in 2016.
By late 2025, the Slater's name had disappeared from the building, replaced by The Mixer, a neighborhood-oriented restaurant and bar emphasizing cocktails, craft beer, burgers, sandwiches and shareable plates. Despite the new identity, the transition was not simply an unrelated business taking over a vacant restaurant space.
According to a February 2026 report by Times of San Diego, Rhyse and Monica Davis had purchased the Liberty Station location in 2020 and subsequently decided to reinvent the business under The Mixer name. Restaurant manager Ryan Rappa told the publication that the owners retained much of the existing Slater's 50/50 staff during the transition, positioning the new concept as a locally operated neighborhood gathering place rather than another outpost of a declining national restaurant chain.
The couple's decision to rebrand followed years of changes within the Slater's 50/50 organization, whose footprint had steadily diminished since the brand's heyday. The Davises sought to establish a more independent identity for the restaurant while retaining the familiar location, bar infrastructure and existing customer base.
The change also reflected a broader effort to distance the establishment from the declining reputation of its predecessor. Some longtime customers had expressed disappointment with Slater's 50/50 in its later years, and The Mixer appeared designed to appeal to a wider audience through a less narrowly focused menu and a more casual neighborhood atmosphere.
The business nevertheless encountered controversy only months after its debut. In June, The Mixer attracted attention for displaying signs that appeared to mock neighboring Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe, the popular bakery operated by Cohn Restaurant Group. Con Pane had established itself in Liberty Station in 2010, predating Slater's arrival, and the signs prompted a dispute between the neighboring businesses.
Signs posted on a rear window behind The Mixer and facing Con Pane's entrance urged customers to come to the neighboring restaurant for a "real sandwich." When SanDiegoVille contacted The Mixer on June 15 about the signage, the operators defended their actions and accused a representative of Cohn Restaurant Group of entering the restaurant to demand the signs be removed.
"We put the sign up because we believe in what we're serving and we're not shy about it," The Mixer stated in a written response to SanDiegoVille. "We are a small family-owned bar and we are proud of everything we are building here. We welcome competition."
The shutdown has nevertheless renewed discussion about the challenges facing restaurants in Liberty Station, particularly businesses attempting to reinvent spaces previously occupied by established brands.
In the Reddit discussion announcing the closure, one commenter claimed The Mixer's ownership had been struggling to attract customers and had repeatedly used Instagram stories to encourage people to visit, including appeals for assistance from local influencers.
Another commenter recalled visiting Slater's 50/50 shortly before its transformation into The Mixer and being disappointed by the food quality, suggesting that the former restaurant's declining reputation may have affected perceptions of its successor. Others expressed nostalgia for Slater's earlier years, when its unusual burger combinations and bacon-heavy creations helped make it a regional phenomenon.
The shutdown is especially striking given how recently The Mixer was being promoted as a new beginning for the location. The restaurant had sought to attract families, sports fans and casual diners with an approachable menu and social atmosphere, yet its tenure proved remarkably brief compared with the more than 14 years Slater's 50/50 occupied the space.
For longtime San Diego diners, the closure marks the second disappearance of a restaurant identity from the prominent Liberty Station location in less than a year. What began as an attempt by Rhyse and Monica Davis to breathe new life into the former Slater's 50/50 has ended with another shuttered dining establishment in one of the city's best-known restaurant districts.
Originally published on October 25, 2026.
"We put the sign up because we believe in what we're serving and we're not shy about it," The Mixer stated in a written response to SanDiegoVille. "We are a small family-owned bar and we are proud of everything we are building here. We welcome competition."
The shutdown has nevertheless renewed discussion about the challenges facing restaurants in Liberty Station, particularly businesses attempting to reinvent spaces previously occupied by established brands.
In the Reddit discussion announcing the closure, one commenter claimed The Mixer's ownership had been struggling to attract customers and had repeatedly used Instagram stories to encourage people to visit, including appeals for assistance from local influencers.
Another commenter recalled visiting Slater's 50/50 shortly before its transformation into The Mixer and being disappointed by the food quality, suggesting that the former restaurant's declining reputation may have affected perceptions of its successor. Others expressed nostalgia for Slater's earlier years, when its unusual burger combinations and bacon-heavy creations helped make it a regional phenomenon.
The shutdown is especially striking given how recently The Mixer was being promoted as a new beginning for the location. The restaurant had sought to attract families, sports fans and casual diners with an approachable menu and social atmosphere, yet its tenure proved remarkably brief compared with the more than 14 years Slater's 50/50 occupied the space.
For longtime San Diego diners, the closure marks the second disappearance of a restaurant identity from the prominent Liberty Station location in less than a year. What began as an attempt by Rhyse and Monica Davis to breathe new life into the former Slater's 50/50 has ended with another shuttered dining establishment in one of the city's best-known restaurant districts.
Originally published on October 25, 2026.