MENDOCINO CO., 12/24/25 – Good Bones Kitchen in Caspar has permanently closed, owner Miles McCreary announced Friday.
Located at the site of the former Caspar Inn, Good Bones Kitchen opened in April 2023 as a restaurant and music venue.
Good Bones Kitchen struggled at times with the not-so-glamorous parts of restaurant ownership, including a small staff and budget, McCreary said in a social media post.
The restaurant focused on coastal cuisine anchored by a hyperlocal emphasis on fresh vegetables, handcrafted breads, and Mendocino County wines. It began as a dinner-only operation before experimenting with breakfast and lunch offerings.
Eventually, McCreary settled on serving light food and drinks during concerts.
Good Bones Kitchen channeled the Caspar Inn’s past as a music venue, making live performances the center of its offerings. Each week, indie bands and artists from around the world performed at the intimate space. Many of the shows sold out, drawing music lovers from nearby communities and beyond.
The space also hosted weddings, karaoke nights, birthday parties and other events, creating a go-to spot for many coastal residents to celebrate special occasions.
McCreary thanked customers for their patience and support.
“When Good Bones opened, it quickly became clear that we had not really started something new but rather received the opportunity to steward a very special piece of Mendocino,” he wrote. “I hoped that just maybe there was an intersection between what I had to offer and what this space was asking for at the time. What followed was the most challenging and rewarding three years imaginable, but I’d like to think that my gut was mostly right, because all of you showed up.”
According to McCreary, “some incredibly good and talented people” are set to take over the space, with plans to open in the new year.
Thanks, Miles! And just had a lovely chat with the extremely nice property owners (who live in the house right behind the roadhouse building) and the licensing transition is underway for a couple to open another food business, including wine and a bakery! There are plans, as well for an ice cream shop in the back with outdoor seating on the south side of the building in front of the wonderful new farm stand there (open now, daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) Caspar is booming!