Dubu tofu chain gains beer and wine license for Clairemont Mesa expansion

Overview

Updated Sep 13

Dubu San Diego Tofu Company received a beer and wine license for its second location. California's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) approved the license for the Korean restaurant at 7398 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard on August 20, 2026.

The license is one approval among several; it doesn't clear the restaurant to open. The site was home to Ajisen Ramen, a Japanese chain that closed its San Diego outpost there. The new spot sits in the Convoy-Kearny Mesa dining corridor, one of San Diego's busiest Asian food districts.

Why it matters

The approval clears beer and wine service for a new Korean soft tofu spot in San Diego's Convoy corridor, one of the region's busiest dining districts.

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Key Indicators

Dubu locations in San Diego

Rancho Bernardo is open; Clairemont Mesa is licensed but not yet open.

Type 41

ABC license type

Beer and wine for on-site consumption at a bona fide eating place.

Active

License status

Approved August 20, 2026; other permits and construction still required.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Organizations Involved

Dubu San Diego Tofu Company

Restaurant chain

Expanding; second location licensed but not open

Korean soft tofu restaurant expanding from Rancho Bernardo to Clairemont Mesa.

California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

State regulatory agency

Approved Dubu's type 41 license

California agency that licenses and regulates alcohol sales.

Ajisen Ramen

Japanese ramen chain

Former tenant; location closed

Global ramen chain with 700+ locations that closed its San Diego outpost.

Timeline

February 2017 August 2026

4 events Latest: August 20th, 2026 · 2 months ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

August 2026
ABC approves beer and wine license for Dubu
Latest Regulatory

California ABC grants type 41 license for Dubu at the Clairemont Mesa address.
August 20th, 2026
July 2026
Signage spotted at former Ajisen space
Development

Local food blog mmm-yoso reports Dubu signage up at 7398 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
July 25th, 2026
Dubu opens Rancho Bernardo location
Opening

Dubu's first San Diego location opens in soft launch with a partial menu.
July 23rd, 2026
February 2017
Ajisen Ramen draws crowds at Clairemont address
Review

San Diego Free Press describes a line at 2pm and a 116-item menu at this location.
February 2017

Scenarios

Dubu opens Clairemont Mesa location by end of 2026

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Local food blog mmm-yoso and its commenters, who noted strong soft-launch demand at Rancho Bernardo

The ABC license was the main regulatory step. The operator already runs a location drawing full houses, which suggests a working concept. If construction and final inspections go smoothly, the Clairemont spot could open within weeks to months.

Dubu Clairemont opening slips into 2027

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: mmm-yoso commenters who noted soft-launch gaps, including a partial menu and mixed panchan reviews at Rancho Bernardo

Restaurants commonly face construction, inspection, and staffing delays. The operator is also managing the new Rancho Bernardo location, still running a partial menu. If the Clairemont build-out hits setbacks, the opening pushes well past the license date.

Dubu Clairemont closes within 18 months of opening

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: San Diego Free Press coverage of restaurant turnover in the Convoy corridor

Restaurant churn in the Convoy-Kearny Mesa corridor is high; even well-reviewed spots have closed. If the location underperforms, the operator could consolidate on Rancho Bernardo. The soft-launch reviews at Rancho Bernardo, with mixed panchan and a partial menu, suggest some execution risk.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

February 2017

Ajisen Ramen at this address (2017)

Ajisen Ramen, a Japanese chain with 700+ locations, operated a single San Diego outpost at 7398 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. A February 2017 review in San Diego Free Press described a line at 2pm on a Saturday and a menu with 116 items.

Then

The restaurant drew steady crowds in its early years.

Now

The location eventually closed, leaving the space vacant until Dubu signed on.

Why this matters now

Shows this address can host a chain restaurant, but also that steady traffic doesn't guarantee long-term survival.

2010s-present

The Convoy District food boom (2010s-present)

San Diego's Convoy-Kearny Mesa corridor, a cluster of Asian strip malls built in the 1980s, gained national notice as a food destination. Restaurants open, thrive, and close here at a rapid clip as rents rise and competition intensifies.

Then

The district draws diners from across Southern California.

Now

High rent and heavy competition mean many restaurants in the corridor don't last five years.

Why this matters now

Dubu's Clairemont location sits on the edge of this corridor, where location alone doesn't guarantee survival.

1996-present

BCD Tofu House's US expansion (1996-present)

BCD Tofu House started as a single Korean soft tofu restaurant in Los Angeles' Koreatown in 1996. It grew to multiple states, becoming one of the most recognized Korean tofu chains in America.

Then

BCD became a go-to for soon tofu across California and beyond.

Now

It set the template for Korean tofu chains expanding within and beyond one region.

Why this matters now

Dubu is attempting a similar second-location expansion within San Diego, a smaller-scale version of the BCD playbook.