Single Fin Surf Grill Rides Into Mission Beach

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When Dominic Coleman began working in the service industry some 16 years ago, he knew it would ultimately be his life's calling. How and when that would manifest, however, didn't become clear until he and his parents, Bryan and Emily Coleman, began conceptualizing and developing their just-opened Single Fin Surf Grill.

The new eatery's Mission Boulevard location may be familiar, as it was the longtime home of the legendary Liar's Club and most recently, the Sneak Joint. When the Sneak Joint called it quits, Coleman seized the opportunity to make his mark on an iconic spot just a stone's throw from the beach.

Doing so, however, was not without ample sweat and toil. "The place was left in shambles," Coleman said. "It took six months of cleaning to get it looking the way it does now."

The new look is beach modern and airy, a surf-themed bar and restaurant replete with surfboard fins installed on the walls and in a massive overhead light box, courtesy of Fins Unlimited. Other design touches include natural wood gathered from southern Baja and salvaged blue wood from a derelict bait barge, in addition to rotating photography from various local artists.

Single Fin soft opened with limited food offerings, but launches their full menu today. It's a simple and substantial list at breakfast, lunch and dinner every day (breakfast until 2 p.m., lunch and dinner 'til 10 p.m.); one of their investors is a commercial fisherman who plans to deliver fresh fish to the kitchen daily.

· Single Fin Surf Grill [Official Site]
· All Eater Inside Coverage [~ESD~]
-Bradley Schweit