Michael Mina to Close Bourbon Steak in March

Chef Michael Mina has announced that he will shutter one of his flagship restaurants, Bourbon Steak, at the end of March.

The news comes shortly after Mina brought in one of his chefs from Miami, Thomas Griese, to head up the restaurant. Now it looks like the chef will have some time on his hands to explore the city, though a representative from Mina Group says he'll likely stay on with the restaurant group. (After such a long move and short stint, it feels safe to assume that the new chef wasn't privy to impending lease negotiations.)

Bourbon Steak (the fifth to open in Mina's empire) took the place of Mina's namesake restaurant, Michael Mina, in 2010, as it moved to the former Aqua space. At the time, there was a lengthy lease negotiation period with the hotel and its union; Clock Bar, Mina's other property in the hotel, will remain unchanged, as will all other Bourbon Steaks (including the Levi's Stadium location). According to Mina, the split was amicable, though in this climate of skyrocketing rent it seems like there may be more to that story.

However, this isn't the end of SF's Bourbon Steak: the chef is on the hunt for a new location, preferably a freestanding building, where large-scale projects like dry-aging meat will be possible. The last day of Bourbon Steak will be March 31, so make sure to arrange a meaty meal before then. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.