Park Tavern to close, ending short-lived revival in North Beach

Park Tavern, the North Beach restaurant that reopened last year under restaurateur James Nicholas and celebrated chef Jonathan Waxman after a turbulent period of closures and legal disputes, will close its doors permanently later this month.

Nicholas announced the decision Tuesday on Instagram, describing the restaurant’s nearly two-decade run as a significant chapter in San Francisco’s dining history.

“Park Tavern has been an important part of San Francisco’s dining community for nearly two decades, and I am incredibly grateful to the guests, employees, and neighbors who have made it such a special place over the years,” Nicholas said. “As a fifth-generation San Franciscan, I have always believed in investing in this city’s future while honoring its rich history, and it has been a privilege to steward this iconic restaurant on Washington Square.”

The closure marks another dramatic turn for a restaurant that was once among San Francisco’s most celebrated. Opened in 2011 by Nicholas, Anna Weinberg and chef-partner Jennifer Puccio, Park Tavern quickly became a North Beach institution, earning a James Beard Award semifinalist nomination for best new restaurant in 2012 and a place on multiple “best of” lists during its early years.

But the restaurant’s fortunes shifted after Nicholas and Weinberg’s divorce and during the coronavirus pandemic. After temporary closures, renovations and a contentious eviction dispute over alleged unpaid rent, Park Tavern shuttered in 2023.

A year later, Nicholas returned to revive the restaurant, bringing on Waxman, an acclaimed chef of Chez Panisse fame and other renowned restaurants in Southern California and New York. The relaunch was billed as a comeback for the restaurant, featuring a redesigned interior and a new menu. Despite the high-profile reopening, though, the restaurant struggled to regain its former glory.

In his statement, Nicholas thanked longtime patrons and invited the community to celebrate the restaurant’s final days.

“While it’s never easy to close a chapter like this, I am immensely proud of what Park Tavern has meant to so many people,” he said. “Over the next two weeks, we look forward to welcoming our community back one last time to raise a glass, share a meal, and celebrate the memories we’ve created together.”

The restaurant, located at 1652 Stockton St., will remain open for about two weeks before closing permanently.