Birdie G's, the acclaimed comfort food restaurant at Bergamot Station Arts Center, will close after service on Dec. 31, ending a six-year run that earned national recognition and local devotion.
Chef Jeremy Fox opened Birdie G's in June 2019 with the Rustic Canyon Family of Restaurants, naming it after his daughter, Birdie, and his grandmother, Gladys. The restaurant became known for Fox's inventive interpretations of comfort classics inspired by his Jewish heritage and Eastern European traditions.
"It's with both sadness and gratitude that we share Birdie G's will close," Fox and his partners announced in a statement. "From the start, Birdie G's received tremendous love — from locals, regulars, and the press."
The restaurant faced multiple challenges that made operations unsustainable, including pandemic shutdowns, staffing shortages, declining tourism and rising costs. The owners also cited lack of city support, including parking restrictions and unmet development promises at Bergamot Station.
"We also want to acknowledge the lack of city support we encountered," the statement read. "While these weren't the only challenges, they were contributing factors — and we hope Santa Monica will do more to support independent restaurants in the future."
The city responded with its own statement expressing sadness over the closure while defending its efforts to support the restaurant.
"Throughout this time, the city worked to maintain open dialogue about parking solutions and encourage their continued success," the city said. "The city remains committed to supporting our small businesses, recognizing the essential role they play in shaping the character and strength of our community."
Santa Monica has spent decades trying to redevelop the area.
The 2013 Bergamot Area Plan envisioned revitalizing the arts center into a mixed-use creative district. A year’s long process culminated in a plan that would have preserved four historic buildings while adding 208,000 square feet including arts facilities (65,700 sq ft), a 120-room boutique hotel, creative offices, and community space. The City Council approved the concept 5-1 despite arts community concerns about gentrification and displacement.
While negotiations continued through 2020, construction never began before external factors shifted the City's priorities toward affordable housing instead, driven by state housing mandates requiring 8,895 new units by 2029, including 1,880 affordable units on city-owned land.
In early 2025, the City Council declared the 5.6-acre Bergamot site "surplus land" suitable for housing development, moving away from previous private commercial/hotel plans. The current proposal aims to build affordable apartments for households earning up to 80% of Area Median Income.
The City expects to select a development team and authorize negotiations by early 2026, with final development proposals returning to City Council in Q1 2026.
Physical construction is likely 2-3 years away, around 2027 or later.
Despite the challenges, Birdie G's achieved significant recognition during its tenure. The New York Times named it one of the 25 best restaurants in Los Angeles, and it earned a spot on the L.A. Times 101 Best Restaurants list multiple years, ranking No. 52 in 2024. The restaurant also received recognition in the Michelin Guide.
Fox, who has been executive chef and partner of the Rustic Canyon group since 2013, led Rustic Canyon to a Michelin star in 2019. He was a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: West in 2017 and a 2024 semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in America for his work at Birdie G's.
Birdie G's will host its 8 Nights dinner series in December as a farewell event featuring Fox's chef friends from across the country.
The closure continues a challenging period for the Rustic Canyon Family of Restaurants, which has operated multiple Santa Monica establishments since Josh Loeb opened the flagship Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen in 2006. Loeb partnered with pastry chef Zoe Nathan and investor Colby Goff to build the restaurant group.
The group's current active roster includes Rustic Canyon, Huckleberry Bakery & Café, Milo + Olive, Sweet Rose Creamery in Brentwood, and Esters Wine Shop & Bar in Santa Monica, plus The Dutchess in Ojai, which opened in 2022.
However, the group has weathered several closures in recent years. Cassia, the acclaimed Southeast Asian-French brasserie that opened in 2015, served its final meal on Feb. 22, 2025. The restaurant, led by chef Bryant Ng, was named one of the Best New Restaurants in America by Bon Appétit and earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand rating. Ng subsequently opened a new restaurant, Jade Rabbit, a fast-casual restaurant celebrating Chinese American food.
Tallula's, the group's Mexican restaurant in Santa Monica Canyon, closed in August 2023 after six years of operation. Sweet Rose Creamery's Santa Monica location on Pico Boulevard also closed in 2024, though the original Brentwood shop remains open.
Fox has hinted that the Birdie G's concept may reappear in the future but acknowledged the current location became unsustainable amid industry headwinds affecting restaurants nationwide.