Here are some news items you may have missed around the neighborhoods of the Bay Area over the past few days:
Lower Haight: Cocktail-focused spot Maven has announced it is closing after nine years at the corner of Haight and Steiner. Owner Jay Bordeleau says the restaurant was "unable to find a reasonable path forward with our landlord," and it will close for good on March 29. The restaurant has been open for takeout, except for a holiday-season hiatus, as well as outdoor dining throughout much of the last year, and it's staying open for some last laughs (and drinks), in addition to having takeout and DoorDash delivery options for a few more weeks. "The phrase, ‘Such a total bummer,’ is beyond an understatement," Bordeleau says.
Mission: The popular Revolution Cafe (3248 22nd St.) has closed, as Mission Local reported last week. Known for its live music and lively pre-pandemic scene, the 15-year-old cafe now has a for-lease sign on it, and the owners could not be reached for comment. The same owners reportedly own Alamo Square Seafood Grill, which remains open.
Marina: Hinoya Curry SF, the first U.S. outpost of the popular Japanese curry chain, was forced to close under city rules dictating the permitting of formula retail uses, just weeks after it softly opened at 3347 Fillmore Street. The company was apparently unaware that with 11 or more locations worldwide, it could not simply open with regular permits, and needed conditional use authorization from Planning. A note on the restaurant website suggests it will still be serving customers somehow, perhaps via delivery, during the permitting process, which could take up to six months. Hinoya Curry has around 60 locations worldwide, and is a very popular spot for pork katsu curry and karaage in Japan.
Marina/Palace of Fine Arts: One of the two swans at the Palace of Fine Arts lagoon, Blue Boy, has died from apparent lead and zinc poisoning. The other swan, Blanche, was also sickened last month and taken to the SF Zoo for treatment and observation, and it remains unclear what the source of the poisoning was. The swans are cared for a Rec & Parks representative who has been feeding them daily for 25 years.
Old Oakland: Detroit-style pizza spot Square Pie Guys, which made a splash in San Francisco over the last two years riding a trend in square-pan-baked, cheesy-crusty pizzas, opened its first East Bay location last week in Old Oakland. The restaurant is at 499 Ninth Street, at the corner of Washington Street, in the space formerly occupied by Benchmark Pizzeria. Like the SF location, it offers delivery and to-go batch cocktails, as well as Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches.
Old Oakland: Also in Old Oakland, right up the block at Ninth and Broadway, salad chain Sweetgreen is preparing to open soon. Tipster Albertino sent the photo above and says that construction is underway, but the timeline for the opening has not been announced. The chain, founded in Washington D.C. in 2007, had 109 locations nationwide as of 2020.
Uptown Oakland: Low Bar, the new spot in the old Hawker Fare space at 2300 Webster Street that Hoodline reported on last month, is preparing for an imminent grand opening, according to tipster Albertino. The actual opening date is still not showing up on the bar's social media, but be on the lookout.
