A long-standing Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar in San Bernardino has ceased operations after more than two and a half decades of service. The closure was first discovered by patrons on June 23, leaing only a handful of the chain's locations remaining in Southern California.
The sudden silence at 1905 Commercenter E
The closure of the Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar at 1905 Commercenter E was not preceded by any official announcement.. according to the report, local residents first noticed the shutdown via Facebook on Tuesday, June 23, and by the following morning, Yelp had updated the establishment's status to "closed." A simple sign posted at the entrance thanked the San Bernardino community for its patronage, but provided no further details.
Physical evidence of a permanent exit is already visible at the site. Painters have removed the restaurant's signage and repainted the building, suggesting a rapid transition for the property. As the report says, attempts to contact the location via telephone have gone unanswered, leaving customers and employees in the dark regarding the timing and reason for the exit.
From Bobby McGee's to the 24th Claim Jumper location
The San Bernardino site had a unique trajectory within the brand's history, having opened its doors in December 1999. before adopting the Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar banner, the venue operated as a Bobby McGee's. It held a specific place in the company's expansion as the 24th location in the chain and was notably the first branch to operate without a traditional salad bar.
This specific location embodied the brand's identity: rustic aesthetics and oversized portions. The chain became famous for its "Chocolate Motherlode Cake," a six-layer dessert that served as a symbol of the brand's commitment to indulgence. For 25 years, this San Bernardino outpost served as a regional anchor for that specific style of American dining.
The 2010 bankruptcy and the Landry's Inc. era
The disappearance of the San Bernardino restaurant is part of a much longer decline for a brand that once dominated the rustic steakhouse niche. Founded in 1977 in Los Alamitos by Craig Nickoloff, Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar expanded aggressively across eight different states. However, the company's growth eventually collided with financial instability, leading to a bankruptcy filing in 2010.
Following that financial collapse, the brand was acquired by Landry's Inc., a massive hospitality conglomerate. This transition shifted the brand from an independent growth trajectory to being one of many assets in a larger corporate portfolio. The struggle to maintain a wide footprint in the face of changing consumer preferences toward healthier, smaller portions has likely contributed to the shrinking number of physical storefronts.
The remaining three Southern California outposts and the silence of Kelly Companies
With the San Bernardino location gone, the physical presence of Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar has dwindled to just three remaining sites in Southern California: Costa Mesa, Buena Park, and San Diego. A single additional branch continues to operate in Tualatin, Oregon. This lean footprint suggests the brand is now operating as a niche legacy act rather than a scalable chain.
Significant questions remain regarding the management of these closures. Specifically, Kelly Companies, the franchise operator , has not responded to requests for comment regarding the San Bernardino shutdown. It remains unclear whether Kelly Companies is facing broader financial headwinds or if the closure was a strategic decision based on the performance of the 1905 Commercenter E site. Furthermore, while frozen Claim Jumper products remain available in supermarkets, these are operated separately from the restaurants, leaving the future of the actual dining experience in doubt.
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