East Bay Restaurant Exit Specialist.
Contra Costa County · Alameda County
Thinking about selling your East Bay restaurant? Don't leave money on the table. Find out what your restaurant is worth in today's market.
The East Bay doesn't need another generalist. It needs a restaurant specialist.
I spent my entire professional life inside restaurants. Not selling restaurants among everything else — inside them. On the dish line at 14. Working every station. Serving in the United States Marine Corps. Managing kitchens across Northern California. Owning a restaurant with my wife for nearly a decade. And then selling it — which is the moment I learned what it really means to need someone in your corner who understands what you built.
The 680 corridor is a market I take seriously. Walnut Creek's high-volume dining district, Pleasanton's Tri-Valley suburban density, Concord's diverse and resilient neighborhood restaurant base — these are not generic suburban markets. Each one has its own buyer pool, its own lease dynamics, and its own set of challenges in the SBA financing process.
When you're ready to sell, you need a broker who's been where you are — and who knows this market well enough to position your business correctly to the right buyers.
Four reasons East Bay restaurant owners call Jim first.
He's Been in the Kitchen
Jim has run every station, made payroll in slow months, and renegotiated a lease at midnight. You won't spend your time educating your broker about how restaurants actually work.
He Finds the Real Number in Your Books
Restaurant P&Ls often hide cash flow. Jim recasts your financials to find true Seller's Discretionary Earnings — the number that determines what a buyer will pay and what an SBA lender will approve.
Northern California Buyer Network
Jim's buyers come from Sacramento, the North Bay, and the East Bay corridor. That cross-regional reach gives your restaurant exposure to qualified buyers that a Bay Area-only broker can't match.
Confidential Listings — Your Business Stays Protected
Jim provides confidential listings to help protect your business. Let Jim take care of selling your business while you focus on running it.
From Walnut Creek to Livermore — Jim covers the corridor.
The 680 spine, the Tri-Valley, and East Contra Costa — three distinct suburban dining markets, one specialist who knows the difference between them.
I-680 Spine — Contra Costa
Tri-Valley — Alameda County
East Contra Costa
A Track Record Across the 680 Corridor.
A sample of what Jim has closed across Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Concept and city disclosed — business names kept confidential, same as every seller receives.
All transactions represented confidentially. Seller identities are never disclosed. View full deal history →
A track record of closed deals across the 680 corridor. From Concord to Brentwood — Jim knows this market.
Wine bars in Pleasanton. Sushi in Danville. Italian in Danville. Indian cuisine and pizza in San Ramon. Cafes in Concord. Boba shops and bakeries in Brentwood. A hamburger restaurant in Pittsburg. Mediterranean in Dublin. These aren't markets Jim is breaking into — they're markets he's already closed deals in.
Most Bay Area restaurant brokers focus on San Francisco, the Peninsula, and the South Bay. The 680 corridor has historically been left to generalist business brokers who don't understand SBA restaurant financing, ABC license timing, or the lease assignment dynamics specific to suburban East Bay commercial real estate. That gap costs sellers real money.
Jim brings a Northern California buyer network that crosses regional lines — qualified buyers from Sacramento, the North Bay, and the Bay Area itself — giving East Bay listings exposure that a local-only broker can't match.
From confidential conversation to closed deal.
Four steps. Clear milestones. Jim quarterbacking every piece from start to finish.
Jim Pate of Restaurant Deal Brokers is the East Bay's dedicated restaurant broker for the 680 corridor and Tri-Valley. He is a California Certified Business Broker (CBB, DRE #02067466) with 40+ years in the restaurant industry, including time as a restaurant owner himself. He can be reached directly at (916) 250-2012 or at jim@restaurantdealbrokers.com.
Jim serves restaurant owners throughout the East Bay's suburban corridor across Contra Costa and Alameda counties. His territory includes the I-680 spine (Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, San Ramon, Orinda, Moraga), the Tri-Valley (Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore), and East Contra Costa (Brentwood, Antioch, Pittsburg, Oakley).
Jim specializes in the confidential sale of independent restaurants, neighborhood dining concepts, quick-service restaurants, bars, cafés, and food service businesses. He works on a commission-only basis — no upfront fees — and provides a free confidential restaurant valuation to all East Bay restaurant owners.
Real words from real 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 has been incredibly knowledgeable and patient. His experience in owning a restaurant and his knowledge of the industry made the entire buying process seamless. Would highly recommend to anyone who needs a restaurant broker."
"Jim Pate has been great to work with. He always puts his clients first. His SBA expertise and attention to detail made our financing process straightforward from start to finish."
"Jim and the team have been great — educating me on how to sell, acquire businesses, and consult on the restaurant real estate market. He goes above and beyond and clearly knows this industry from the inside."
East Bay restaurant owners ask Jim these questions first.
Who is the restaurant broker for Walnut Creek and the 680 corridor?
+
How do I sell my restaurant in the East Bay?
+
What is my Walnut Creek or Pleasanton restaurant worth?
+
Does Jim Pate serve Contra Costa and Alameda counties?
+
How long does it take to sell a restaurant in the East Bay?
+
Ready to find out what your
East Bay restaurant is worth?
The evaluation is free, confidential, and takes about 30 minutes. Jim answers personally.
Restaurant Deal Brokers · DRE #02067466 · Santa Rosa Business & Commercial