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Three preschool dads open rotisserie spot Bare Bones in San Francisco's Sunset

Three preschool dads open rotisserie spot Bare Bones in San Francisco's Sunset

Money Moves San Francisco, CA local

Counter-service chicken and porchetta replace the seafood restaurant Bearing West on Taraval Street

Today: SF Standard profiles Bare Bones

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Dan Levin spent 30 years in food and beverage before a friend asked a question he could not shake: 'Do you want to buy a restaurant?' A year later, Levin and two fellow preschool dads are opening Bare Bones, a counter-service rotisserie spot at 2325 Taraval Street. The trio met at a Sunset co-op nursery school where their children were classmates.

Their bet is that slow-roasted chicken and porchetta pinwheels can fill the space left by Bearing West, the seafood restaurant that closed there. Soft opening is set for October 29, with a full opening in early November and a liquor license application pending.

Why it matters

The opening gives Sunset families a new neighborhood restaurant and tests whether counter-service rotisserie can thrive along Taraval Street.

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Key Indicators

3
Preschool-dad founders
Levin, Tasker, and Olson all had children at the same co-op nursery school.
6
Prior restaurants at the address
The owners say mail still arrives for six restaurants that previously occupied the space.
30
Years in the industry
Both Levin and Tasker have roughly three decades of restaurant experience.

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People Involved

Dan Levin
Dan Levin
Co-owner, Bare Bones Rotisserie
Opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant after 30 years in food and beverage
 Daniel John Tasker
Daniel John Tasker
Co-owner, Bare Bones Rotisserie
Still bartending at Sunset Cantina while opening the restaurant
EO
Edwin Olson
Chef, Bare Bones Rotisserie
Running the kitchen; known for the porchetta
 John Giuffre
John Giuffre
Former owner, Bearing West
Sold the restaurant to the preschool dads

Organizations Involved

BB
Bare Bones Rotisserie
Counter-service restaurant
Soft opening October 29, full opening early November

A counter-service rotisserie at 2325 Taraval Street serving whole and half chickens, chicken and pork sandwiches, porchetta, and sides.
SN
Sunset Co-op Nursery School
Preschool cooperative
Where Levin, Tasker, and Olson met

The preschool where the three founders' children were classmates, and where Giuffre first floated selling the restaurant.
Bearing West Bar and Galley
Bearing West Bar and Galley
Seafood restaurant
Closed; space sold to Bare Bones owners

The seafood spot whose Taraval Street space now houses Bare Bones.

Timeline

October 2025 November 2026

5 events Latest: Today
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Full opening planned

    Upcoming Opening

    A full opening is slated for early November, with a liquor license decision still pending.

  2. Soft opening scheduled

    Upcoming Opening

    Bare Bones opens softly on Taraval Street with a slim, meat-heavy menu and beer and wine.

  3. SF Standard profiles Bare Bones

    Today Announcement

    The Standard reports the soft open is set for October 29 and a full opening for early November, with porchetta as the likely standout.

  4. Mission Local reports Bare Bones plans

    Report

    Tasker tells Mission Local the rotisserie spot will open at the former Bearing West space, aiming for October.

  5. Giuffre asks Levin to buy the restaurant

    Deal

    Bearing West owner John Giuffre asks fellow preschool dad Dan Levin if he wants to buy the seafood restaurant.

Scenarios

1

Bare Bones becomes a Sunset fixture

Likely Resolves by May 31, 2027

Discussed by: SF Standard food coverage; local restaurant watchers

The porchetta and rotisserie chicken draw steady neighborhood crowds, reviews are positive, and the restaurant extends hours within the first year. This is the outcome the founders are betting on with three decades of industry experience each.

2

Liquor license approval lands

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Owners; California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

The ABC grants a full liquor license, letting Bare Bones move past beer and wine. Tasker said "fingers crossed" when asked about the application; approval would expand the menu's drink offerings and margins.

3

Quiet opening, slow build

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Neighborhood observers; startup restaurant pattern

The soft open draws curiosity but foot traffic stays light through winter, typical for a new counter-service spot off the main commercial strip. The founders hold on, adjusting hours and menu, rather than closing.

Historical Context

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

1979 onward

Zuni Café's roast chicken (1979)

Zuni Café opened in San Francisco and built its reputation on a wood-fire-roasted chicken with bread salad, a dish that drew lines for decades. The restaurant and its roast chicken became a touchstone of California cuisine.

Then

The roast chicken made Zuni a destination and packed the dining room from the late 1980s.

Now

It cemented the idea that a single, well-executed roasted bird can define a restaurant's identity.

Why this matters now

Bare Bones is betting the same thing: that slow-rotating chicken and porchetta can make a small counter-service spot a neighborhood draw.

1971 onward

Pollo Campero and the rotisserie model (1971)

The Guatemalan chain Pollo Campero built its business on citrus-marinated, rotisserie-cooked chicken and expanded from a family restaurant in Guatemala City to a chain across Central America, Mexico, and the United States.

Then

The rotisserie format scaled from one kitchen to hundreds of locations.

Now

It showed that the model can work at both single-restaurant and chain scale, depending on execution and market.

Why this matters now

Bare Bones is a single, family-run spot, but the parallel shows the same cooking method can support either a local favorite or a national brand.

Sources

(2)
The San Francisco Standard Mission Local