If bayfront-patio and fast-casual are your favored kind of dining space, then Charli’s Landing in Mission Bay is your kind of place.
Previously Royal Rooster at Seaforth Marina at Quivira Basin, the waterfront space recently changed hands morphing into Charli’s Landing at 1717 Quivira Road.
Business partners Ryan Tuller and Brant Crenshaw have updated their new retail space, named for Crenshaw’s daughter. They’ve altered it to pay homage to the local fishing community with walls decked out with historic photos.
This is all altogether appropriate given that San Diego-native Crenshaw has spent most of his life living along Mission Bay, while Tuller has spent his days, not only in the restaurant industry but also as captain of several yachts between Newport and Panama.
Tuller laid out Charli’s Landing’s new business plan. “Our concept is fairly similar to what they (Rooster) were doing, allowing the oceanfront property with a nice patio to dictate the needs of the restaurant,” he said adding, “This isn’t a chef-driven place with a fancy menu. It’s a place where people can come to get a solid seafood meal of fish and shrimp tacos, or a smash burger with beef from Brawley (in Imperial County). We wanted ours to be a place where people could come in and effortlessly have a good experience eating some really good food, and have a cold brew or lemonade outside in the sun and just enjoy the water.”
Regarding their hours, Tuller noted they’re presently open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily Tuesday through Sunday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. He added those hours will more than likely be extended to 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. once fishing season starts when spring sets at the end of March.
Of their menu, Tuller characterized it as “seaside California cuisine.” He noted that consists of items such as breakfast tacos, burritos, and sandwiches, along with local favorites like avocado toast. He added their menu includes kid pleasers like dollar pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches, and chicken tenders. “We’re proud of our smash burgers,” Tuller enthused pointing out other popular menu items including the grilled or fried shrimp and fish tacos, as well as their assorted selection of burritos plus grilled or deep-fried chicken sandwiches.
Tuller added, once they expand their hours when fishing season commences, that their early-morning menu choices served from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. will feature grab-and-go breakfast items to feed the local fishing community. There will also be other morning-focused dishes served like breakfast fried rice. Late-day options at Charli’s Landing will range from tacos and burritos to smash burgers and seafood sandwiches. The fast-casual eatery has a walk-up ordering system with beer and mimosas available. Best of all, diners can enjoy their meals overlooking the marina on the outdoor deck within the adjacent park.
One of the many goals at Charli’s Landing is to “add value” complementing Seaforth’s fishing business, as well as serving the whale-watching crowds who are a seasonal mainstay of business at the marina. “It was pretty easy for us to work with the other tenants to improve the area,” Tuller concluded.
CHARLI’S LANDING
Where: 1717 Quivira Road.
Info: charlislanding.com, 619-629-2241.
