After years of development, it appears that the Hillstone Restaurant Group is preparing to change direction and open a new Honor Bar location in Del Mar at 1404 Camino Del Mar.
Previously, What Now reported that this would become a new location of Gulfstream seafood restaurant, another concept from Hillstone Restaurant Group, but the project appears to have shifted to Honor Bar, according to SanDiegoVille. If this is true, the new Honor Bar will move into the former Bully’s North building, which operated from 1969 until its closure in late 2017. Construction on the site is currently underway, and the restaurant is targeting a first-half 2026 opening. Customers can expect the brand’s menu of shareable snacks, sandwiches, cocktails, wines, and beers in a casual, approachable setting.
Hillstone Restaurant Group, founded in 1977 by George Biel, operates more than 45 upscale restaurants across the U.S. Its portfolio includes Houston’s, Hillstone, R+D Kitchen, South Beverly Grill, Gulfstream, Honor Bar, White House Tavern, and more. The company opened its first Houston’s in Nashville and has since expanded nationwide, maintaining a focus on quality ingredients and attentive service.
The Del Mar location will be Hillstone’s first in San Diego County. Early proposals for the project date back to 2017 and included input from neighboring properties. Plans were delayed over several years, reportedly due to city objections and the pandemic, before moving forward with the current Honor Bar concept.
The new building will include underground parking and an interior designed for casual dining and take-home service. This will be an excellent landing space for Honor Bar, especially with plenty of foot traffic coming from the nearby Del Mar Plaza.
Honor Bar currently operates locations in Beverly Hills, Montecito, Dallas, and Santa Barbara. The Del Mar restaurant will bring the brand’s signature combination of approachable small bites and elevated hospitality to San Diego County for the first time.
