Inside the Swanky Steakhouse Opening Soon in San Diego

The ultraluxe Steak 48 is scheduled to open its doors on Friday, October 13 within Del Mar Highlands Town Center where it fills the long-empty Searsucker space, as well as the former sushi spot and pilates studio, at the corner of Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real. The new San Diego location is the ninth restaurant from the Mastro family of Mastro’s Steakhouse fame, who launched Steak 44 in Arizona and whose Steak 48 outpost in Chicago is rated among the city’s top steakhouses. The Mastro group is also behind the seafood-focused Ocean 48, which is set to land in Newport Beach early next year.

The 12,500-square-foot restaurant will be able to seat 350 guests across nine different dining rooms, including four that can be closed off into private dining areas. In addition to the Del Mar Room, which has a reservation-only bar as well as more intimate dining areas, there are six private dining suites with unobstructed views of the enormous kitchen.

Helen I. Hwang

Helen I. Hwang

Showcasing a menu similar to its recently-opened Beverly Hills location, Steak 48’s in-house butchery will prep specialties including 28-day, wet-aged prime steaks, A5 wagyu, and other cuts such as filet mignons and tomahawks that can be enhanced with toppings like burrata, crab cakes, and lobster. Starters include lobster escargots, chicken-fried lobster tails, and shrimp deviled eggs, and there are also customizable shellfish towers and desserts that are made daily by a dedicated pastry staff.

Steak 48

Wine connoisseurs can indulge in premium wines by the glass, including a $150 glass from Napa Valley’s Fortunate Son Wines, and choose from a wine collection that houses more than 3,000 bottles.

Steak 48

Partially based in Southern California — co-founder Jeffrey Mastro has a home in Coronado, while his brother and co-founder Michael Mastro has a home in San Juan Capistrano — the group may bring more of its brands to the area. Oliver Badgio, chief branding officer for the steakhouse empire, tells Eater that they would love to open an Ocean 48 in San Diego.