Salt Creek Grille announced it would be closing its flagship location in Dana Point on Monday, Jan. 14, after serving visitors and locals alike for the past 27 years.
Twenty-seven years ago, when Salt Creek Grille first opened in July 1996, Founders Tim McCune and Pete Truxaw looked to create a community gathering place “with exceptional food, friendly and professional service and a welcoming ambience,” McCune said in an email.
“We wanted to create a true classic steakhouse with high-quality meats cooked over a real, natural wood fire,” McCune continued. “At that time, restaurants were moving away from this and towards ranges and gas grills. What made our vision for Salt Creek Grille even clearer was the true sear and a ‘chef’s kiss’ of mesquite.”
Guests came back again and again for Salt Creek Grille’s baby back ribs, burgers and pork chops, McCune said.
McCune noted that he believed the restaurant’s biggest accomplishment was “becoming a true landmark, both in the community and in people’s lives. Salt Creek Grille held a special place in the hearts of so many within the Orange County community and beyond. Monumental and cherished memories were spent within those four walls. That was our dream with the restaurant, and I am honored to say we achieved that.”
In a media release announcing the restaurant’s imminent closure, McCune remarked on the many memories created at the restaurant during its nearly 30 years in service.
“It was our hope to create an upscale steakhouse that was rich in culinary traditions but, at the same time, a gathering spot that welcomed friends, neighbors, tourists and more with open arms and a warm heart at its core,” McCune said. “We celebrated so many storybook moments and milestones with our guests, and we will cherish those forever. This restaurant was my second home and meant everything to me.”
Salt Creek Grille’s locations in New Jersey and Valencia, California will remain open, which McCune said will keep him “busy and focused on their operations.”
MCune added that he’s working to help the Dana Point location’s staff find new positions within the local restaurant community.
“We couldn’t have achieved all of this success without our wonderful team, some of whom spent a decade or more with us,” McCune said. “They are the true heart of our restaurant and worked very hard each day to ensure that our guests enjoyed a positive and welcoming dining experience crowned by fantastic and delicious food.”
In the media release, Salt Creek Grille invited longtime patrons to stop by “before the last meal is served and reminisce with the team about the good times and their favorite meals.”
Ahead of the restaurant’s scheduled closure on Jan. 14, McCune noted that he wanted to thank “all of our guests for their patronage, love and support over the years, and, in actuality, bringing so much joy into my life.”
“This is surely a most humbling moment in my life, as I’ve dedicated the past nearly 30 years to this restaurant,” McCune said. “That being said, I will hold dear all the extraordinary memories – all the special moments from opening on day one, to serving our friends and neighbors and ultimately becoming a community gathering spot for simple, treasured meals or celebrations of life’s bigger moments.”