Iconic Mission Beach Steakhouse Saska’s reopens as Moe’s Restaurant

The latest iteration of a beach icon that opened on Mission Boulevard in the early 1950s reopened again on Friday, March 4 after closing near the start of the pandemic. Bought in 2015 by the former Patio Group, Saska’s Steak & Seafood was won at auction in 2020 by Eric Leitstein, founder of local restaurant group OMG Hospitality.

Renamed Moe’s in honor of Leitstein’s beloved grandfather, the 77-seat Mission Beach Restaurant now returns to its roots as a centuries-old steakhouse, but with a refreshed atmosphere and cuisine.

Windows have been added to the dark, moody bar to let in more light, though the rear dining area retains its warm charm. The restaurant’s 70-year-old red naugahyde booths remain, along with many of its original light fixtures.

OMG COO Taylor Boudreaux, who has worked with Wolfgang Puck and Mastro’s Steakhouse, collaborated on Moe’s menu with Executive Chef J. Scollon, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate who trained in Europe and has cooked at fine dining restaurants in LA and Napa Valley. There are steakhouse classics, such as crab cakes with fennel and citrus salad and beef tartare, and a full line of hand-cut steaks that can be topped off with optional toppings and sauces, prawns in garlic brandy and bacon jam with port juice and salsa verde.

Leitstein started dining at Saska in the 90s after opening Canes Bar & Grill in Pacific Beach where he currently runs Waterbar, PB Alehouse and Backyard Kitchen & Tap; The OMG Hospitality headquarters is also just a few blocks from Moe’s. He tells Eater that he was particularly determined to be the one to take the legendary venue into its next chapter, as it reminded him of the East Coast steakhouses and Italian restaurants he frequented with his grandfather. The new menu includes a number of Italian dishes, including squid ink squid in a puttanesca sauce and pastas like the classic cacio e pepe and handmade ricotta agnolotti with kabocha squash and peanut butter.

Senior bartender Daniel Vargas’ (Juniper & Ivy) cocktail list includes riffs on classic martinis, tropical drinks and smoky cocktails like Campfire Dreams, made with whiskey, Amaro Nonino, Fernet and liqueur. orange. Vargas also plans to introduce a rolling cocktail cart that will offer after-dinner digestifs and dessert wine. Bottles of sought-after spirits, including Pappy Van Winkle, will also be available for sale, with guests able to keep their bottles locked in individual liquor lockers.

Later this year, OMG Hospitality is opening a casual counterpart next to Moe’s called Molly’s — named after Leitstein’s grandmother — in the former Surf Rider Pizza space. The building, which has a rooftop terrace, will be transformed into a day-oriented brunch and breakfast spot with imported furnishings and a menu inspired by Tulum, Mexico.

by Moe3768 Mission Boulevard, 3 p.m. until closing.

Moe’s menu