Readers Karl and Sara let me know that Endless Summer Bar-Cafe and Chuck’s Waterfront Grill, both located at the Santa Barbara Harbor, have closed permanently. Apparently they businesses were cleared out about a week ago.
A message from Chuck’s Waterfront Grill’s Instagram page reads:
“Chuck’s Waterfront Grill update: It is with heavy hearts that we announce we have closed our doors for good. Thank you for your constant support. The memories will never be forgotten.
A message from Endless Summer’s Instagram page reads:
“To our Endless Summer Fam, It is with heavy hearts that we announce we have closed our doors for good. Thank you for your constant support. It truly is the end of an incredible era.”
Matt Kettmann at the Santa Barbara Independent reports that, according to the City of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront Department, the owners of the restaurants have been seeking to sell the businesses since last August. They recently found a buyer, Aaron Petersen, who owns Chomp, Brekkies, and Mortensen’s Danish Bakery in Solvang. Peterson is planning to turn the upstairs Endless Summer spot into a traditional deli café while opening a restaurant like Chomp, featuring burgers, fries, and shakes, in the downstairs Chuck’s Waterfront Grill space.
I hope there is some sort of bar still attached to one of those spaces. What a waste of a location of it’s a deli and burger joint. I truly loved sitting on the outside patio/deck enjoying Endless Summer mai tais in the sunshine. So sad to see it go.
So ends a most wonderful era of Bruce Brown memories, fellowship and his movie Endless Summer.
So very sad. We will miss Steve H. as well.
Nothing last forever, but this is still the sad end of a memorable era in Santa Barbara, as it was with the original owners of the Paradise Cafe, who were all related one way or the other business-wise through common links. I hope the owners will enjoy their retirements, or whatever they might have planned for their futures. Best wishes, and long-time patrons and friends will miss you. Time marches on, as my dad was fond of saying.