Jack’s Prime opens as Maverick Jack’s in former Villa Hotel, a historic San Mateo building 

Now, the longtime restaurant owner is combining the brands, with Jack’s Prime changing its name to Maverick Jack’s and opening in the former Villa Hotel building at 4000 El Camino Real, currently home to a senior living facility center. 

The updated establishment opened at the end of May and, between the neighboring residents, more parking spaces, and loyal community, Mallie said the move has proven successful. 

“We are so grateful that so many people have come out,” Mallie said. “It’s a real boost to your confidence when so many people come in and say, ‘We’ve been waiting for you to open.’”

Changing the location and name of a restaurant is a risky endeavor, especially in an industry with notoriously tight profit margins, and particularly for those still making up for the pandemic-induced loss of office workers and corporate catering events. That means establishments like Maverick Jack’s have had to work extra hard to maintain their evening and weekend shifts to offset weekday unpredictability, Mallie said.

“It’s had this knockdown effect in the tech world where people don’t go back to work five days a week,” he added. “Not only did we lose the connection with the tech workers, but we’ve struggled with the inconsistency. … A lot of their workforce no longer comes, but also dry cleaners and small businesses around the area are also affected.”

But moving to the Villa has allowed the restaurant to deepen its roots in the community. While it’s always been family-friendly, the location is a historical part of San Mateo that deepens connections with residents, Mallie added. 

The former hotel was built in the 1950s, accompanying the nearby Villa Chartier and famous Lanai tiki bar, and initially became popular in part due to its proximity to San Francisco International Airport. The building also housed numerous restaurants, as well as civic and leisure events before being converted to housing. The new Maverick Jack’s is located in the building’s old coffee shop. 

“It’s a place where people had their first prom, their first drinks at the bar there,” Mallie said. “There’s a real connection to San Mateo, and we are trying to build on that nostalgia by supplanting that into a very iconic building on the Peninsula.”