The 9,000-square-foot historic San Diego Rowing Club site, which spans 1.2 acres with a wraparound patio, boat dock, and 56 parking spaces, has been a focal point of redevelopment efforts since the Port announced plans in 2022 to replace Joe's Crab Shack with a "high transformative operator" capable of boosting revenue. While The Rustic's likely arrival promises a fresh dining and entertainment experience, the Port’s apparent preference for a Texas-based operator over local hospitality groups has sparked questions about prioritizing community-rooted businesses in such a prime waterfront location.
The Rustic, founded in 2013 by Kyle Noonan, Josh Sepkowitz, and Texas country artist Pat Green, has built a reputation in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio for its farm-to-table American comfort food and vibrant live music scene. With a focus on regional sourcing - 40% of ingredients come from within 150 miles of its locations - The Rustic's menu features dishes like smoked brisket sandwiches, Gulf shrimp tacos, wild boar meatballs, and beer can chicken, complemented by a bar program boasting 18 Texas craft beers on tap and agave-based cocktails like the Spicy Rustic Water.
Its Dallas flagship is known for "Pat’s Backyard," an award-winning patio with picnic tables, fire pits, and live music from local and national artists, creating a family-friendly atmosphere during the week and a lively concert venue on weekends. The Rustic's recent expansion into Houston’s Hobby Airport in February 2025, highlights its growing footprint, offering travelers a taste of Texas with live music and local brews.
Its Dallas flagship is known for "Pat’s Backyard," an award-winning patio with picnic tables, fire pits, and live music from local and national artists, creating a family-friendly atmosphere during the week and a lively concert venue on weekends. The Rustic's recent expansion into Houston’s Hobby Airport in February 2025, highlights its growing footprint, offering travelers a taste of Texas with live music and local brews.
The San Diego Rowing Club site, located at 525 E Harbor Drive behind the San Diego Convention Center, has a storied history, first leased as a restaurant in 1981 to Chart House before transitioning to Joe's Crab Shack in 2002. Joe's, a casual seafood chain known for its buckets of seasonal seafood, has been on a month-to-month lease since October 2022, after failing to submit a proposal to improve operations and increase revenue, which last year totaled $137,000 - up from $120,000 in 2021 but below the Port’s expectations for the site’s potential.
The Port received proposals from eight operators in 2023, including the San Diego Symphony, which operates The Rady Shell and expressed interest in expanding its culinary offerings, as well as Free Range Concepts, The Rustic's parent company.
A Port representative stated, "The Port and The Rustic are in active and confidential lease negotiations for the San Diego Rowing Club site. Staff anticipates that an Option to Lease and Lease agreement with The Rustic will be presented to the Board of Port Commissioners for consideration at an upcoming Board meeting, along with details on a potential timeline to transition operations of the site from the current operator to The Rustic."
While The Rustic’s concept aligns with the Port’s goal to capitalize on the site's proximity to The Rady Shell - a cultural gem that has increased pedestrian traffic since its 2021 debut - its selection raises concerns about the Port's decision-making process. The site’s challenges, including limited vehicular access and visibility from major roads, make it a unique but demanding location.
A Port representative stated, "The Port and The Rustic are in active and confidential lease negotiations for the San Diego Rowing Club site. Staff anticipates that an Option to Lease and Lease agreement with The Rustic will be presented to the Board of Port Commissioners for consideration at an upcoming Board meeting, along with details on a potential timeline to transition operations of the site from the current operator to The Rustic."
While The Rustic’s concept aligns with the Port’s goal to capitalize on the site's proximity to The Rady Shell - a cultural gem that has increased pedestrian traffic since its 2021 debut - its selection raises concerns about the Port's decision-making process. The site’s challenges, including limited vehicular access and visibility from major roads, make it a unique but demanding location.
Its proximity to the Convention Center and The Rady Shell offers significant opportunities for the right operator. However, with local restaurateurs and the San Diego Symphony among the contenders, the Port's inclination toward a Texas-based chain over a homegrown hospitality group prompts scrutiny. San Diego’s dining scene thrives on local talent, with establishments like Urban Kitchen, BiGA, and LOLA 55 already contributing to The Rady Shell's culinary program. Choosing an out-of-state operator risks sidelining local businesses that could better reflect the city's cultural identity and economic priorities, especially when lease revenues are reinvested into public amenities around San Diego Bay.
The Rustic’s track record is not without hiccups - its San Antonio location at The Rim closed in 2024 due to highway construction, though the company expressed a "vision to relocate," and its Dallas and Houston venues remain popular. Free Range Concepts has ambitious expansion plans, with new locations slated for Arizona, Denver, Orlando, and Tampa, alongside a Tex-Mex concept, Joe Leo Fine Tex-Mex, aimed at markets outside Texas.
Yet, as the Port moves forward with The Rustic, the decision underscores a broader tension between attracting high-profile operators and nurturing San Diego's local hospitality ecosystem. The community awaits further details on the lease agreement and timeline, but the question lingers: in a city rich with culinary talent, why look to Texas for the next chapter of this historic and important waterfront site?
The Rustic’s track record is not without hiccups - its San Antonio location at The Rim closed in 2024 due to highway construction, though the company expressed a "vision to relocate," and its Dallas and Houston venues remain popular. Free Range Concepts has ambitious expansion plans, with new locations slated for Arizona, Denver, Orlando, and Tampa, alongside a Tex-Mex concept, Joe Leo Fine Tex-Mex, aimed at markets outside Texas.
Yet, as the Port moves forward with The Rustic, the decision underscores a broader tension between attracting high-profile operators and nurturing San Diego's local hospitality ecosystem. The community awaits further details on the lease agreement and timeline, but the question lingers: in a city rich with culinary talent, why look to Texas for the next chapter of this historic and important waterfront site?
For more information about The Rustic, visit therustic.com and check out the draft menu below.
Originally published on March 24, 2025.
