Fresh Seafood Spot Aiming to Spark a Shift in Old Town

North Park’s Ceviche House opens its new 70-seat, 2,400-square-foot home in Old Town on Sunday, where the restaurant is hoping to become a neighborhood oasis for locals and a showcase of San Diego’s current food scene for the tourists that flood its streets. In 2015, executive chef/owner Juan Carlos Récamier launched the all-seafood eatery in a tiny 410-square-foot storefront on 30th Street; he tells Eater that Old Town afforded him the opportunity to comfortably expand the restaurant and bring his progressive menu of modern Mexican cuisine made with local ingredients to an area that could use some different dining options.

The chef has been a longtime shopper at the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market and supports a San Diego Food System Alliance program that highlights local fishermen and promotes San Diego-caught seafood. Fresh catch will feature throughout the menu, including a ceviche and tiradito that will change daily and a steamed fish wrapped in hoja santa leaves. Récamier and sous chef Jacob Sensano are also working with Catalina Offshore to source for some dishes, including a fish chorizo made with opah that will pair with potatoes in a salsa verde-spiced taco and an oil-braised and grilled octopus set in classic pipian sauce. Weekend brunch menu will be added soon, offering seafood carnitas and spicy shrimp chilaquiles.

Open Tuesday through Sunday starting at 11:30 a.m., Ceviche House serves all San Diego-craftred beer; former neighbor Fall Brewing will have a permanent tap and Thorn Street Brewing is making a lager just for the eatery. The wine list is entirely varietals from Baja and the soju-based cocktails, sangria and micheladas, developed by Sidebar veteran Anthony Dodini, feature local produce.