Northern California's Restaurant Exit Specialist
You've put years — maybe decades — into building it. Don't leave the value on the table. Get a free, confidential valuation from a broker who's been in your shoes.
Jim Pate
Certified Business Broker · DRE #02067466
Why owners call Jim first
Confidential · No obligation · No upfront fees
By Jim Pate, Northern California's Restaurant Exit Specialist · Certified Business Broker · DRE #02067466 · 40+ years in the restaurant business
What you walk away with
Most owners don't know what their restaurant is truly worth — and most brokers won't tell them straight. Here's what really matters when buyers and lenders look at your business.
Seller's Discretionary Earnings is the primary number buyers and lenders look at. Most owners don't know their true SDE — or how to present it. Jim recasts your financials to find the real number.
A short or unfavorable lease kills deals. Buyers need runway. Understanding lease terms and negotiating extensions is often the difference between a sale and a stall.
Jim's buyer network crosses regional lines — Sacramento, North Bay, East Bay. Your restaurant gets exposure to qualified, financed buyers across Northern California, not just one market.
Most restaurant buyers use SBA financing. Positioning your restaurant to be SBA-eligible dramatically expands your buyer pool and supports a stronger sale price.
The hard truth
After 40+ years in the restaurant business — dishwasher, Marine, chef, owner, and broker — the patterns are clear. Most listings fail for the same avoidable reasons. Here's what kills restaurant sales, and what makes them close.
⚠ The Common Path
✓ Working with Jim
The process
A guided, four-step process. Clear milestones. Jim quarterbacking every piece from start to finish.
Confidential Evaluation
Free. No obligation. Jim reviews your financials, lease, and concept — and gives you a straight assessment of value and readiness.
Market Preparation
Recast the P&L to find true cash flow. Address lease issues. Package financials to SBA standards so buyers can actually close.
Qualified Buyer Matching
NDA first — always. Financials only go to qualified, financially screened buyers. Your staff, landlord, and suppliers don't find out until you decide to disclose.
Close the Deal
LOI, purchase agreement, ABC license transfer, lease assignment, health permits — Jim coordinates every moving part until it's done.
Jim takes the initiative, follows through, and always thinks outside the box.
Jim has been incredibly knowledgeable and patient. His experience owning a restaurant made the entire buying process seamless. He goes above and beyond for his clients.
Jim has been great to work with on the lease assignment — an incredibly complicated deal. I would highly recommend Jim to any seller, buyer, or landlord. He will stay with it till it's done.
Jim and the team have been great — educating me on how to sell, acquire businesses, and consult on the restaurant real estate market. He clearly knows this industry from the inside.
About Jim
I'm not a broker who learned restaurants from a spreadsheet. I've washed the dishes, cooked the line, owned the place, and sold it. That's why owners trust me with the biggest sale of their life.
"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."
Where Jim works
Jim represents restaurant owners in three active markets across Northern California — the Greater Sacramento region, the East Bay 680 corridor, and the North Bay's Wine Country. Click your region for a market-specific page with local deals, buyer demand data, and Jim's direct contact.
Serving Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, Elk Grove, Davis, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, El Dorado Hills, and the greater Sacramento metro. Jim's home market — strong SBA-eligible buyer demand and a healthy independent restaurant scene.
Sacramento restaurant brokerage →Serving Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore, Danville, San Ramon, Lafayette, Orinda, Brentwood, and the full 680 corridor. The suburban dining market built for serious operators — premium lease situations and a deep SBA buyer pool.
East Bay restaurant brokerage →Serving Petaluma, Novato, San Rafael, Napa, Sonoma, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, and Wine Country. Destination dining with high-quality buyer interest — backed by 30 years of institutional presence through Santa Rosa Business & Commercial.
North Bay restaurant brokerage →
Frequently asked
Straight answers from a broker who's owned a restaurant himself.
Let's talk
No pressure. No obligation. Just a clear understanding of your options and what your restaurant is truly worth — straight from a broker who's been in your kitchen.