Nick's Restaurant to open new concept at River Street Marketplace
Nick’s Restaurants is taking another ride through Orange County, this time with a Western tilt.
The long-running restaurant group is set to open Cowboy by Nick’s at San Juan Capistrano’s Riverstreet Marketplace, moving into the recently vacated Vaquera space. The project remains in its early stages, but initial details suggest a more casual, family-friendly approach that aligns with the tone of the buckaroo development.
Expect a light Western thread in both look and feel, nodding to the city’s cowboy past. Menu details have not yet emerged, though River Steet Marketplace has hinted at a steak-forward component (Vaquera, noted for its way around primo cuts of beef, leaves behind a standout wood-fire-grill kitchen.)
An exact opening date has not been announced, but the upcoming eatery is targeting a fall-winter opening later this year.
Also of note, Cowboy by Nick’s will tout “high standards and reasonable prices,” according to a release - the latter a notable shift for the indoor-outdoor complex, where, outside of its food hall, dining tends to lean higher-priced.
On Sunday, May 3, Vaquera closed its doors for good. The ranchero-style steakhouse led by executive chef Aaron Zimmer shuttered after less than two years in service.
Nick’s Restaurants, led by fourth-generation restaurateur Nick Nickoloff, operates several namesake restaurants in Lagna Beach, San Clemente and Newport Beach, along with outposts in Los Angeles and San Diego. South of Nick’s, its sister concept, also has presence in San Clemente, Laguna Beach and Del Mar.
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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 11:49 AM.