The Owners of Oceanside’s Wrench & Rodent Are Opening a Pierside Seafood Spot

The community leaders who have contributed mightily to Oceanside’s food renaissance, starting with their standout sushi bar Wrench & Rodent, will be a part of the next chapter for one of the neighborhood’s iconic landmarks. Built in the late 1880s, the Oceanside Pier will now be home to the fourth venture in the area for husband and wife team Jessica and Davin Waite, who also run the Plot, a vegan restaurant and cocktail bar, along with fish taco and poke shop, Shootz Fish x Beer. The couple is planning to take over an existing, standalone kiosk structure for a still-unnamed casual seafood stall scheduled to open by Spring 2023.

The compact, 109-square-foot space sits at the end of the pier adjacent to the large, two-story building that was anchored by Ruby’s Diner until it shuttered in 2021 after 26 years. Though a replacement for the 50s diner has yet to be announced, the Waite’s involvement signals a new culinary direction for RAV LLC, the historic site’s leaseholder and concessionaire.

Israel Palacio

Known for championing sustainable seafood, foraging, and zero waste practices, chef Davin’s menu will be partly modeled after the classic seaside shacks he used to visit with his family in England but given a modern, SoCal spin. Expect fish and chips and other easily-portable seafood plates featuring seasonal local catch as well as some raw fish dishes and vegan options.

Partnering with the couple on the construction and design of the new project are Chris Slowey of CLTVT and Andy McCabe of Tecscape, two San Diego-based firms.