In our scintillating scouting report on Jersey Mike’s move to Marina del Rey last March (don’t tell us you forgot that one!), we noted that Marina del Rey was receptive, or perhaps resigned, to just about any chain restaurant, while its northern neighbors in Venice remain not so ‘bout it, ‘bout it. Maybe that’s changing with Cafe Gratitude’s recent opening and the coming of Simmzy’s, but we’d be hard-pressed to convince anyone they have much in common with The Chipotles of the world. In any case, while Venice is embracing eponymous brew pubs and beer labels that claim 90291 while being brewing in NorCal, we discover that expansive national draft beer pub chain Yard House is destined for development in Marina Marketplace, the MDR mall property that formerly housed Antica Pizza.
Opening in the spring of 2013, Yard House will take up over 11,000-square-feet of space, centered in the middle part of the complex’s first floor. Yard House advertises the biggest selection of draft beers anywhere, typically from 130-250 taps at any given location, along with a giant menu of U.S. pub grub, that even includes options for gluten-free and Gardein grubbers.
This discovery lead us to pore over the schematics of the mall’s $25 million revamp. The blueprints currently feature a few still-open spaces for restaurants, along with mentions of Veggie Grill coming right above Yard House, Le Pain Quotidien across the way, and a new location of Tender Greens planned to take up the same general area once occupied by Antica Pizzeria.
Stay tuned for confirmation as to whether any of these restaurants actually know about moving to Marina del Rey, where other locally-raised chains like Sugarfish and Mendocino Farms seem to be getting along just fine with the locals.
Earlier: Villa Marina Makeover Closing a Chain and Endangering Antica Pizzeria [GS]
UPDATE: Less than three hours after our post published, Yard House confirms its plans at Marina Marketplace in a company press release. Reps for Tender Greens also confirm the restaurant is coming to Marina Marketplace and “anticipating a Winter 2012/2013 opening.”
