What Specialty Restaurants Corporation does

Specialty Restaurants Corporation is a privately held, family-owned hospitality company founded in 1958 by WWII B-17 bomber pilot David Tallichet in Costa Mesa, California. The company operates 17 full-service destination restaurants across California, Florida, New York, and Ohio, each positioned on scarce premium real estate — waterfronts (The Reef Long Beach, Castaway Burbank, Whiskey Red's Marina del Rey, Rusty Pelican Miami, Rusty Pelican Tampa, multiple Whiskey Joe's locations), hilltops (Odyssey Granada Hills, Orange Hill), and airport-adjacent sites (The Proud Bird along the LAX runway). All locations feature patios, bars, dining rooms, and large event spaces oriented around panoramic views, and the company pioneered the themed-restaurant category in the US.

The business operates three lines under one corporate umbrella: (1) restaurant dining F&B sales, (2) Specialty Events, which provides end-to-end event production for corporate, wedding, and social occasions at SRC venues, and (3) SRC Development, a real estate development subsidiary pursuing mixed-use, commercial, residential, and industrial projects across nine US states and Baja, Mexico. Revenue is generated primarily through per-transaction food and beverage sales plus private-event bookings; the company has no franchise system, no third-party delivery dependency, and no disclosed subscription or membership pricing.

The technology stack is standard hospitality infrastructure rather than a proprietary platform: OpenTable powers reservations across most locations, Paradox's Olivia chatbot handles website inquiries, Popmenu delivers visual content, Buyatab powers digital gift cards, OneTrust manages consent compliance, and AudioEye handles accessibility. A new cross-portfolio loyalty rewards program was launched in 2024 (points per dollar spent, birthday treats, monthly rewards). Customer segments are split between individual/group diners seeking memorable scenic experiences and private-event hosts needing distinctive large venues; the company remains under family ownership with no disclosed institutional investors or capital markets activity.

Name

Specialty Restaurants Corporation

Legal name

Specialty Restaurants Corporation

Website

https://specialtyrestaurants.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Specialty Restaurants Corporation is a family-owned hospitality company operating 17 destination restaurants across California, Florida, New York, and Ohio, plus an in-house event production subsidiary and a multi-state real estate development arm, serving individual diners, groups, and private-event hosts seeking scenic waterfront, hilltop, or airport-adjacent venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Full-Service Destination Restaurants

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates) (THAHAAAK), Specialty & Entertainment Venue Property Management (BPAJAGAO)

Keywords

• Full-service restaurants
• Destination dining
• Waterfront restaurants
• Private event venues
• Hospitality group

Headquarters

HQ city

Costa Mesa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining Sales: Revenue is generated from food and beverage sales at 17 owned restaurant locations across California, Florida, New York, and Ohio. Customers pay per-visit for dine-in service at full-service restaurants featuring panoramic views.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Specialty Restaurants Corporation owns and operates 17 award-winning, full-service destination restaurants across California, Florida, New York, and Ohio — each located on waterfronts, hilltops, or next to airports to provide panoramic views — together with private event services offered on-site at each venue. The company also operates two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Specialty Events (event production) and SRC Development (real estate development across nine U.S. states and Baja, Mexico).

Product overview

Specialty Restaurants Corporation operates a portfolio of 17 award-winning destination restaurants across the United States, featuring breathtaking panoramic views of city skylines, waterfronts, and airports. The company was founded in 1958 and remains family-owned. The restaurants include The Reef (Long Beach), Odyssey Restaurant, The Green Room, Castaway, The Proud Bird, Whiskey Red's, Luminarias, and Orange Hill in California; The Rusty Pelican Miami and Tampa, multiple Whiskey Joe's locations, The Wharf Fish & Oyster Company, and The Hideaway Beach Bar in Florida; Templeton Landing in New York; and The Boat House in Ohio. Complementing the restaurant portfolio, Specialty Events provides event production services for corporate and special events, while SRC Development handles real estate development across multiple states and Baja Mexico.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Specialty Events: Event production company offering complete event services for corporate and special events
• SRC Development

Products and services

• Specialty Events Wholly-owned event production subsidiary providing complete event services for corporate and special events at SRC restaurant venues, coordinating catering, set-up, and on-site event execution.
• SRC Development Wholly-owned real estate development subsidiary focused on mixed-use, commercial, residential, and industrial development — including acquisition, entitlement, financing, development, management, and disposition of real estate assets in nine states and Baja, Mexico.
• The Reef Waterfront destination restaurant at 880 Harbor Scenic Drive, Long Beach, CA — the original restaurant opened by founder David Tallichet in 1958, offering harbor views and on-site private event capabilities.
• Odyssey Restaurant Hillside dining destination at 15600 Odyssey Dr., Granada Hills, CA featuring panoramic views from an elevated location, with full bar, patio, and event spaces.
• The Green Room Restaurant at 1250 East Harvard Road, Burbank, CA offering scenic dining experiences with full bar, patio, and event spaces.
• Castaway Award-winning waterfront restaurant in Burbank, CA featuring panoramic views and large event spaces for dining and private events.
• The Proud Bird Airport-themed restaurant at 11022 Aviation Blvd., Los Angeles, CA situated along the LAX runway, decorated with historic aircrafts and featuring panoramic runway views.
• Whiskey Red's Waterfront restaurant at 13813 Fiji Way, Marina del Rey, CA offering views of the harbor with waterfront dining, bar, and event space.
• Luminarias Restaurant at 3500 West Ramona Boulevard, Monterey Park, CA featuring fine dining, panoramic views, and dedicated event spaces.
• Orange Hill Award-winning restaurant at 6410 East Chapman Avenue, Orange, CA with panoramic views of Orange County, full bar, patio, and event facilities.
• The Rusty Pelican Miami Waterfront restaurant at 3201 Rickenbacker Cwy, Key Biscayne, FL offering panoramic views of Miami's skyline and waterfront, with dining, bar, and event space.
• The Rusty Pelican Tampa Waterfront restaurant at 2425 N Rocky Point Dr, Tampa, FL offering waterfront dining, bar service, patio seating, and event capabilities.
• Whiskey Joe's Port Richey Waterfront restaurant at 7835 Bayview Street, Port Richey, FL with bay views, full bar, and group dining areas.
• Whiskey Joe's Tampa Waterfront restaurant at 7720 W. Courtney Campbell Causeway, Tampa, FL offering waterfront views, full bar, patio, and event space.
• Whiskey Joe's Manatee River Waterfront restaurant at 5313 19th St E, Ellenton, FL along the Manatee River offering river views, full bar, and dining.
• The Wharf Fish & Oyster Company Seafood restaurant at 400 Quietwater Beach Rd STE 13, Pensacola Beach, FL specializing in fish and oysters with full bar and waterfront dining.
• The Hideaway Beach Bar Beach bar at 400 Quietwater Beach Road, Pensacola Beach, FL offering casual beachfront dining and beverages.
• Templeton Landing Restaurant at 2 Templeton Terrace, Buffalo, NY with waterfront views, full bar, and event capabilities.
• The Boat House Waterfront restaurant at 679 W. Spring Street, Columbus, OH with river views, full bar, patio, and event spaces.
• Specialty Restaurants Loyalty Rewards Program Company-branded loyalty program launched in 2024 enabling diners to earn points for every $1 spent across SRC restaurants, with sign-up offers, birthday treats, and monthly surprise rewards.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OpenTablecoreTechnology or IntegrationOpenTable provides the reservation booking platform for most SRC restaurants, enabling customers to make online reservations at individual restaurant locations.
• Buyatab (Gift Cards)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBuyatab powers Specialty Restaurants' digital gift card program, enabling customers to purchase and send digital gift cards for use at SRC restaurants.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Landry's, Inc. Tilman Fertitta-controlled hospitality group operating destination restaurants (Morton's, Bubba Gump, Rainforest Cafe, Saltgrass, Mastro's) plus hotels and casinos. Closest publicly comparable operator combining multi-brand destination dining, premium real estate, and adjacent entertainment assets.
• Ruth's Hospitality Group: Operated the Ruth's Chris Steak House upscale dining chain before being acquired by Darden in 2023. Highly comparable as a premium, multi-location full-service restaurant operator with strong group/private event revenue.
• The ONE Group Hospitality: Operator of STK Steakhouse and Kona Grill, focused on upscale experiential dining in major US markets. Comparable as a premium, view-driven dining concept targeting both consumer and private-event occasions.
• Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises: Privately held, multi-concept Chicago-based restaurant group with destination brands (RPM Steak, Wildfire, Beatrix, Maggiano's Little Italy at scale). Comparable as a family-influenced multi-brand operator with strong event and group dining business.
• Hillstone Restaurant Group: Operates Hillstone, Houston's, Bandera, and other premium casual destination restaurants with high-end buildouts and event capabilities. Comparable as a privately controlled operator of scenic, experience-driven full-service restaurants.
• Patina Restaurant Group: Delaware North-owned operator of premium destination restaurants (Patina, Nick & Stef's, Water Grill) often at landmark cultural venues. Directly comparable as a destination-dining operator tied to landmark locations and large event business.
• Del Frisco's Restaurant Group: Operated Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse and Del Frisco's Grille — premium destination steakhouses with large private-event and waterfront locations. Acquired by Landry's in 2019 but historically a direct comparable on premium destination dining.

Broad incumbents

• Darden Restaurants: Largest US full-service restaurant operator (Olive Garden, LongHorn, Capital Grille, Ruth's Chris). Larger and more diversified, but Capital Grripe and Ruth's Chris overlap with SRC's premium destination-dining positioning.
• Bloomin' Brands: Multi-brand full-service operator (Outback, Carrabba's, Bonefish, Fleming's). Fleming's Steakhouse is the closest comparable as a premium destination steakhouse with strong private-event business.
• Brinker International: Operates Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy. Maggiano's provides the closest overlap as a destination Italian full-service restaurant with significant banquet and private-event revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/specialty-restaurant-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Specialty Restaurants Corporation