Did Captain Kidd's buffet go out of business?

i looked up one of the current owners on Facebook, sadly no posts about the restaurant -- it's possible/likely they have zero active involvement aside from straight ownership.

they do have a LOT of posts about government chemtrails and pesticides, though, so there's that.

there's also a half a dozen other corporation entities (including two named 1 Cluck and 2 Cluck) associated with this person, so there's also that.

That location would be perfect for a fast casual operator with national recognition -- like a Chipotle or something else that you can pick up and take to your hotel.
 
Sort of unrelated, but I'm loving this directory/site:

http://permits.anaheim.net/tm_bin/tmw_cmd.pl?tmw_cmd=StatusQueryFormBUS&tmw_query=PublicCase
It lists all of the business licenses/permits since ~1970s/1980s that have existed at any given address in Anaheim. I keyed in 1221 S. Harbor and it confirms/brings up the Holiday Inn I used to stay at as a kid that existed from 1991 to 2000.

Don't bother trying 1313 S. Harbor, there are too many permits and it won't load anything.

1717 S. Harbor brings up the old Cosmic Age Motel (now part of DLR proper), originally owned by James Stovall.
1854 S. Harbor brings up the famed Fujishige Farm (and produce stand), of the Fujishige family that Disney famously/aggressively pursued through the early 90s. The family eventually signed a 99 year lease to Disney, and is the 55 acres mentioned in the company's annual report written as "The Company owns 486 acres and has rights under a long-term lease for use of an additional 55 acres of land in Anaheim, California."
 
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If they put in a Chick-Fil-A, half of the parks would empty to go there every day. Disney would lose a fortune...which means Genie+ will have to charge like $380/day.

I know it will Never happen. But a boy can dream.
This would be awesome. It would be the closest Chick-Fil-A to me. Right now I have to drive to Costa Mesa .
 
Sort of unrelated, but I'm loving this directory/site:

http://permits.anaheim.net/tm_bin/tmw_cmd.pl?tmw_cmd=StatusQueryFormBUS&tmw_query=PublicCase
It lists all of the business licenses/permits since ~1970s/1980s that have existed at any given address in Anaheim. I keyed in 1221 S. Harbor and it confirms/brings up the Holiday Inn I used to stay at as a kid that existed from 1991 to 2000.

Don't bother trying 1313 S. Harbor, there are too many permits and it won't load anything.

1717 S. Harbor brings up the old Cosmic Age Motel (now part of DLR proper), originally owned by James Stovall.
1854 S. Harbor brings up the famed Fujishige Farm (and produce stand), of the Fujishige family that Disney famously/aggressively pursued through the early 90s. The family eventually signed a 99 year lease to Disney, and is the 55 acres mentioned in the company's annual report written as "The Company owns 486 acres and has rights under a long-term lease for use of an additional 55 acres of land in Anaheim, California."

I am finding myself more and more addicted to your fun facts updates :) Your efforts are appreciated!
 


I am finding myself more and more addicted to your fun facts updates :) Your efforts are appreciated!
I’m loving this rabbit hole you’ve found. The history is fascinating.

One of my favorite things in life is finding seemingly mundane objects, places, and spaces, and learning about them and their history. I walk through the parks and I always wonder what was here, what was there. At one point, this was someone's farm, perhaps where I'm standing was someone's kitchen! Peel away the layers of rides, tracks, popcorn stands, and you're back in 1950 and someone's farm.

I once spent hours looking at old aerial photos and maps, and figured out that the old "white house" (literally a white house that a family lived in, part of a farm belonging to George Vandenberg) that Walt bought was reconfigured to be the first cast member training facility for the first CMs. That house stood on West Street (now Disneyland Dr) approximately where the tram turnaround is.

Seems so sad that for something so important today, nothing commemorates the spot where the seeds of Disney University were planted and the world famous cast member training by Van France was first conducted.

(white circle below -- Katella at the bottom, West/Disneyland Dr on the left, US-101 cutting diagonally across the top, Harbor on the right, Cerritos Ave bisects the photo right in the middle.
599976
(full sized photo click here: https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tvn-cxUV...3ZuMpZ7h1Ug5yOgwCLcBGAs/s1600/540922-site.jpg)
 
We tried to eat here years ago when the kids were little. the food was so bad we dubbed it Captain Blaah's (like the sound of vomiting). Been calling it that ever since.
 
According to the Yelp page of Captain Kidd's Buffet it is closed for good but I didn't read anything about renovation on Yelp. I tried to find another Captain Kidd's location but this one was the only one listed on Yelp. I did read that it first opened in 1994 so I guess the owners must've retired and sold it and that maybe why it closed for good
Dodger
 
1854 S. Harbor brings up the famed Fujishige Farm (and produce stand), of the Fujishige family that Disney famously/aggressively pursued through the early 90s. The family eventually signed a 99 year lease to Disney, and is the 55 acres mentioned in the company's annual report written as "The Company owns 486 acres and has rights under a long-term lease for use of an additional 55 acres of land in Anaheim, California."

Thanks for that info. Just did some google searches and very interesting stories from the LA Times on the Fujishige family and their battles with both Disney and the City of Anaheim.

Amazing how many times they were taken to court, threatened and intimated to "allow" their family farm to get developed on.

Also read similar stories about the owner of the Tropicana (currently still owns it), who was there before Disney but refused to sell his motel/hotel.
 
1717 S. Harbor brings up the old Cosmic Age Motel (now part of DLR proper), originally owned by James Stovall.
1854 S. Harbor brings up the famed Fujishige Farm (and produce stand), of the Fujishige family that Disney famously/aggressively pursued through the early 90s. The family eventually signed a 99 year lease to Disney, and is the 55 acres mentioned in the company's annual report written as "The Company owns 486 acres and has rights under a long-term lease for use of an additional 55 acres of land in Anaheim, California."

That's quite the blast from the past! I remember when there were multiple Stovall motels and the distinctive look. When I was a kid, we typically stayed at the Vacationland camp ground so I can remember coming and going to the park and walking past the strawberry fields.

As others have said, good riddance if Captain Kidd's is gone for good! It's been so, so long that I can't remember whether we had heard the place was bad and tried it anyway, or whether we simply hadn't heard anything about it because there wasn't the critical mass on the internet like there is now. Either way, it was really, truly terrible! Between us, we joked that it has to be that there is always an influence of new tourists who don't know anything about it that manage to keep it in business!
 
We recently stayed at the Marriott Newport Coast property (our 3rd visit there). My SIL had researched the history of the property and found out that in the 90's it was going to be developed as a DVC property with an Italian villa theme. Look up Marriott Newport Coast History to see an article in Yesterland.
 
Off topic and being snarky, but is Mickey's Space Shuttle or whatever it's called still operating? LOL I remember checking out their website a few years ago and it was hilarious.
 
According to a Hojo Livestream that I just watched on FB, Captain Kid's is Gone!! There is a new restaurant there, no business name up yet, but there is a sign in the window that says, "Feed me tacos and tell me I'm pretty."
 
According to a Hojo Livestream that I just watched on FB, Captain Kid's is Gone!! There is a new restaurant there, no business name up yet, but there is a sign in the window that says, "Feed me tacos and tell me I'm pretty."
Found it!

Calaca Mamas Cantina

More info here:

https://www.restaurantnews.com/mexi...ntina-coming-soon-to-downtown-anaheim-040122/

article said:
The Day Of The Dead-Inspired Restaurant To Debut Disneyland-Adjacent In Late May 2022

Mexican Eatery, Calaca Mamas Cantina Coming Soon to Downtown Anaheim
Anaheim, CA (RestaurantNews.com) A new and colorful addition to Downtown Anaheim, set to open in late May, is a full service Day of the Dead-themed Mexican restaurant, Calaca Mamas Cantina. The family-friendly concept, conceived and founded by restaurateurs and sisters Angela and Mariam El Haj, will replace the Captain Kidd’s at 1550 S. Harbor Blvd., in a conveniently walkable location directly across the street from Disneyland and its resorts.

The space, which was renovated by Architect Charles Ramm, will seat 200 guests, including a dining room with several banquettes for parties of four, and a larger, semi-private area to accommodate parties up to 12. The El Haj sisters collaborated with Deborah Mayne on the restaurant design to create a one-of-a-kind space, inspired by Day of the Dead celebrations, which includes large scale murals by local street artists from the Los Angeles design studio Splatterhaus, along with art collected from the sisters’ travels to Mexico, and a central double-sided altar. The large altar, connecting the dining room and cantina, is adorned with marigold flowers and is dedicated to sisters’ parents who have both passed. In the cantina area, double doors open onto the patio, giving the space an open-air atmosphere. And the patio, which is sure to become a fan-favorite, will feature a large fire pit and unparalleled nighttime views of the Disneyland fireworks display.

“While we have been in the restaurant industry for many years, this is our first where we have built the concept from the ground up. Since Day of the Dead traditions and celebrations have always resonated with Angela and I, despite not being Mexican ourselves, we wanted to pay homage to a culture that celebrates life and honor that heritage while still creating a space that was uniquely us. In fact, we incorporated nodes to our family throughout the design and decor,” said Mariam. “‘Calaca’ means ‘sugar skull,’ which is an iconic representation in Day-of-the-Dead celebrations, and we’re both proud moms, so we added ‘Mamas’ to it. The space was actually originally named ‘Mom’s Country Kitchen’ so Calaca Mamas is a reference to the restaurant’s heritage, as well.”

Mexican Eatery, Calaca Mamas Cantina Coming Soon to Downtown Anaheim
The restaurant’s decor will feature four large-scale murals by local street artists from the Los Angeles design studio Splatterhaus
The restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the menu is inspired by the sisters’ love of Mexican food and culture. It will include a wide variety of Mexican favorites alongside some fun twists on classics, such as the ‘Walking Taco’ featuring chicken tinga and carne asada, chihuahua and cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, crema all in a bag of Fritos corn chips. Breakfast entrees include favorites like Chilaquiles con huevos, Breakfast Tacos, Huevos Rancheros, and breakfast burritos or bowls. Appetizer options include Gooey Queso Fundido, fresh made Guacamole, and the creative ‘Tots con Todo’ made with carne asada on top of crispy tater tots smothered in queso and garnished with jalape?os, crema, guacamole, and pico de gallo. Lunch and dinner entrees include tacos, burritos, and bowls which can be ordered with the guests option of protein. There’s also a selection of ‘Especiales de la Casa’ that serves up dishes like the ‘Achiote Al Mar’ made with grilled achiote marinated mahi mahi, avocado salad, and charred tomatillo salsa, served with red rice and beans. Guests can complete their meal with a classic sweet treat from the dessert menu, such as the tabletop Churro Cart and ‘Abuela’s Flan,’ which is based on a family recipe passed down to the sisters.

The bar program, expertly crafted by mixologist TJ Majeske, will include a selection of margaritas and specialty refreshments including the ‘Churros on Ice Margarita,’ and the ‘Pina Rica’ which was inspired by the fan-favorite Dole Whip and can be ordered boozy or virgin for the kids. All the cocktails will be handcrafted and prepared in small batches utilizing hand squeezed juices, housemade syrups, and fresh produce as garnishes.

“Spanish is the second-most spoken language in Southern California, yet we saw a void of family-friendly Mexican restaurants in Anaheim. When it came to the restaurant menu and bar program, we knew that we wanted to stick to tradition and highlight authentic Mexican dishes while also infusing it with fun and elements of the unexpected,” said Angela. “I think we are most proud of our ingredients, which are all non-GMO and sustainably sourced. Ensuring the highest quality and standards of product was a non-negotiable for us, and we are confident that our guests will appreciate this high level attention to detail and care.”

Calaca Mamas will be open seven days a week. For more information or to stay in the know about the upcoming Grand Opening, follow Calaca Mamas on Instagram and Facebook at @CalacaMamas or sign up for the newsletter by visiting CalacaMamas.com.
 

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Angela and Mariam El Haj are the two people I was referring to in my previous posts (joking about messaging them on FB asking what they were doing to the Capt Kidd space, haha).

From the article, seems like a lot! I can’t imagine Captain Kidd’s was exactly a passion project. I’m excited for them and appreciate the fact that they were able to use the shutdowns to revamp the space and menu to something they’re clearly excited about. They run the IHOP next door, among other places, and Dave’s Hot Chicken in OC.

Cheers to upping the food quality of the notorious Harbor corridor. Looking forward to trying it.
 
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