Why Is Nibs Restaurant Still Closed?

It's the mystery along San Pablo Avenue.

The popular Nibs restaurant was closed in late February after a grill caught fire in the kitchen.

At the time, the restaurant owners put up a handwritten sign on the door that said the eatery would be closed about a month while repairs were made.

However, six months later Nibs is still closed and no one seems to know if and when it will reopen.

The restaurant was established in 1949 and became known for its hamburgers and pies. It was taken over in 2000 by a couple identified as Hannah and Alex.

Nibs is in the middle of El Cerrito's business district and sits near City Hall, but it technically is in Richmond.

Richard Mitchell, the planning director for Richmond, said they have tried to contact the restaurant owners to determine their plans, but so far they have been unable to reach them.

Mitchell said the building would need to have repairs done from the fire damage and some modifications to make it conform to the Americans With Disabilities Act.

He said the city would like to work with the owners to see if the restaurant can get back in business.

"We'd like to see them open up again," said Mitchell. "The restaurant has been around since I was a kid."

Mitchell said anyone with information on how to contact the owners should call his department.