La Jolla's vacant Jack in the Box corner gets rescued

If you've driven down Pearl Street in La Jolla recently, you've probably noticed that depressing fenced-off corner where a Jack in the Box used to be. Empty since 2021, it's been collecting dust while serving as school bus parking for The Bishop's School, which purchased the property for a cool $5.5 million. A 2022 leasing deal fell through, and as recently as 2023 the building was still sitting there without a taker. Not exactly a great look for one of San Diego's most charming neighborhoods.

Well, the wait is finally over. El Pueblo, the beloved San Diego-grown Mexican restaurant group, is moving in at 564 Pearl St. and renovations are already underway.

If you haven't been to an El Pueblo yet, here's the backstory: the brand launched in Cardiff over a decade ago as a tiny taqueria famous for 99-cent fish tacos. Word spread fast. They expanded to Del Mar, Carmel Valley, and Carlsbad, and now La Jolla is next. General Manager Nony Funes says the Pearl Street spot will deliver a fast-casual sit-down experience built around traditional Mexican recipes using Angus beef and hormone-free chicken. The fish tacos, naturally, will be there too.

Pearl Street already has some solid Mexican competition — Taco Stand, La Corriente, and El Pescador are all within a two-block stretch. But Funes isn't sweating it. El Pueblo is doing its own thing, focused on keeping food quality high and prices reasonable without worrying about anyone else on the block.

An official opening date hasn't been announced yet, but earlier reports pointed to an April arrival. Either way, that long-empty corner is about to smell a whole lot better than school bus exhaust.

Sources: Times of San Diego | San Diego Union-Tribune | SanDiegoVille | La Jolla Light