Simms Brothers Taking Over Michael Zislis' Circa in Manhattan Beach

Michael Zislis (Shade, Rock 'n Fish, Strand House) has been trying to make Circa work for quite some time in Manhattan Beach, but this week, a sale went through to the Chris and Mike Simms, who run Simmzy's, Tin Roof Bistro, M.B. Post, and Fishing with Dynamite. According to this ABC posting for Circa, a group called Arthur J, LLC (grandfather to the Simms brothers).

With a long string of success in South Bay, the Simms brothers will likely bring fresh life to the location. The odd thing is, Circa is still technically open at the moment, so no word on when the ownership transfer will actually occur. The bar at Circa might've boasted some of the best cocktails in the area, with Julian Cox and Josh Goldman creating the program. Octavio Becerra, who's currently working on a project with the Patina group in New York City, was the opening chef at Circa.