Heading into the former McCarter's Bar & Grill space in the San Carlos area of San Diego's East County is The Pioneer, a barbecue-focused bar and restaurant from the founding chef of Carnitas' Snack Shack and the co-owner of local hospitality company Cohn Restaurant Group (Coasterra, BO-beau, and many more).
In 2014, along with longtime friend and colleague Chef Ivan Munoz - who is currently manning the smoker at The Deck at Moonshine Flats in downtown San Diego - Hanis debuted The Smokehouse Kings roving line of barbecue trailers as a traveling San Diego event and catering vendor. Hanis will take his BBQ prowess to the next level with the impending opening of The Pioneer, which will be a full-service, chef-driven barbecue restaurant and neighborhood bar operated in conjunction with Chef Willie DePascale, who currently works at San Diego's Moceri Produce. Munoz will be a barbecue consultant for the project. The restaurant is also co-owned by Cohn Restaurant Group founder David Cohn, although it will not be operated under his company's lineup of more than twenty restaurants. Cohn also recently invested in Renegade Country Bar in El Cajon and purchased the former Junk House space at 5351 Adobe Falls Road in Mission Valley for the opening of a commisary kitchen and smallscale restaurant.
At The Pioneer, expect a menu centered around "barbecue, burgers and brews" with low-and-slow smoked meats like chicken, pork, ribs, seafood, in addition to a list of burgers, sides and entrees and a full bar with craft cocktails and plenty of taps devoted to San Diego beers. The 4,600 square foot standalone building will undergo a renovation in the coming month that will be headed by longtime Cohn Restaurant Group designer Philippe Beltran. Details on the concept are still developing and the restaurant is not expected to open until June 2018 at the earliest.
At The Pioneer, expect a menu centered around "barbecue, burgers and brews" with low-and-slow smoked meats like chicken, pork, ribs, seafood, in addition to a list of burgers, sides and entrees and a full bar with craft cocktails and plenty of taps devoted to San Diego beers. The 4,600 square foot standalone building will undergo a renovation in the coming month that will be headed by longtime Cohn Restaurant Group designer Philippe Beltran. Details on the concept are still developing and the restaurant is not expected to open until June 2018 at the earliest.
Chef Hanis has also been working on a consulting basis with Grain & Grit Collective, a newly formed company that holds the primary ownership interest in Carnitas' Snack Shack, on developing the Little Italy Food Hall. The Little Italy Food Hall is anticipated to debut by this Summer. Hanis will also be overhauling the menu at Carnitas' Snack Shack in the near future, adding items like a grilled cheese bun Sloppy Joe.
The Pioneer will be located at 8622 Lake Murray Boulevard in the San Carlos area of East San Diego County. For more information, visit pioneerbarbecue.com.
