Harley Laguna Beach will wind down July 1 after nearly four years, Chef Greg Daniels said in a statement Saturday.
In an Instagram post, Daniels announced that he won’t renew the lease for 370 Glenneyre St., ending a four-year run in Downtown Laguna. Daniels bought the restaurant in September 2018 from fellow Chef Ryan Adams, who previously operated it as Three Seventy Common Kitchen+Drink for many years.
“It wasn’t long enough, and we are heartbroken that we can’t stay. It’s never easy, but it was truly an unfortunate time to open a restaurant; no one could have expected a pandemic to come along and bring such abrupt winds of change,” Daniels said.
Daniels is also the former chef-owner of Haven Gastropub and Provisions Market in Old Towne Orange and the creator and chef behind Taco Asylum in Costa Mesa.
He expressed deep gratitude to all the customers and staff who have made his latest restaurant venture a reality.
“Our biggest achievement has been gaining the adoration of this little beach community. We wanted to be a locals’ spot. By supporting the community through efforts such as SchoolPower and Sally’s Fund, and trying to reflect the values we hold dear, if you’ve walked through our doors, I’m sure you felt the love,” he said.
Harley prioritized community service throughout the pandemic even as state health restrictions kept patrons from dining inside restaurants, forcing operators to rely on outdoor dining and takeout orders. During a COVID-19 surge in March 2021, Daniels partnered with a Laguna Beach couple to launch free deliveries of 100 weekly hot meals to vulnerable seniors for six months by drivers from nonprofit Sally’s Fund.
“Opening Harley was a dream. It was personal and heartfelt and real. Named after my grandfather, our goal was to emulate the hospitality I felt as a young boy in my grandparents’ home,” Daniels said.
Sorry to see Harley shut down. I really thought they had a chance to win over locals in a way that I haven’t seen since Partners closed ages ago. Tough times for restaurants.