The North Bay's Restaurant Exit Specialist.
Sonoma County · Napa County · Marin County
The North Bay is one of California's most distinctive restaurant markets — wine country fine dining, tourist-driven concepts, neighborhood institutions, and everything in between. Jim Pate is based here, has spent his career here, and brings a 100% restaurant-only practice to every deal in this market.
The North Bay restaurant market doesn't forgive guesswork. That's why the right backing matters.
I started in restaurant kitchens — on the dish line at 14 years old. I worked my way up through every station. I served in the United States Marine Corps. I owned a restaurant with my wife for nearly a decade. I've made payroll in slow months, renegotiated leases at the wrong time, and understood what it means to hand off something that took years of your life to build.
When I became a restaurant broker, I joined Santa Rosa Business & Commercial — one of Sonoma County's most established brokerage firms, with over 30 years of North Bay transactions behind them. That institutional foundation matters in a market where landlords know each other, lender relationships take years to build, and the right introduction to a buyer can make the difference between a clean close and a deal that falls apart in due diligence.
The North Bay is a specialized market. Wine country restaurants attract destination buyers from across the country. Seasonal tourism creates cash-flow patterns that general brokers misread. Napa Valley concepts trade at multiples that require a broker who understands the premium — and can document it to a lender.
I've closed restaurant deals throughout Napa Valley and Sonoma County. I understand how North Bay restaurants are valued, why the books look the way they do, and how to present your business to the buyers who will recognize what you've actually built.
Four reasons North Bay restaurant owners call Jim first.
He Understands Wine Country Business Patterns
Seasonal tourism revenue, winery tie-ins, destination dining premiums — Jim knows how to normalize North Bay cash flows so buyers and lenders see the real picture.
30 Years of SRBC Relationships Behind Every Deal
Jim operates under Santa Rosa Business & Commercial — with three decades of established relationships with North Bay landlords, lenders, attorneys, and buyers already in place. That institutional backing shows up on day one of your deal.
He Finds Your Real Number
Restaurant books often understate earnings. Jim recasts your P&L to identify true Seller's Discretionary Earnings — the number that determines what buyers will pay and what SBA lenders will finance.
He Handles Every Moving Part
ABC license transfer (60–90 days), health permit assignment, lease negotiation, personal guarantee renegotiation — Jim coordinates every piece simultaneously so your deal doesn't fall apart at the finish line.
From Napa Valley to the Marin Coast — Jim covers the North Bay.
Wine country destination dining, Marin neighborhood institutions, Sonoma Valley farm-to-table — whatever the concept, Jim knows this market from the inside.
Wine country restaurants trade differently. Your broker needs to know how.
The North Bay is not a typical restaurant market. Napa Valley concepts routinely trade at multiples that would be unheard of in Sacramento or Fresno. Sonoma County's farm-to-table scene attracts buyers from across the country who are specifically looking for North Bay lifestyle businesses. Marin's affluent customer base and limited commercial inventory creates its own valuation dynamics.
General business brokers — or restaurant brokers who primarily work in other markets — tend to misprice North Bay restaurants in both directions. They miss the tourism premium on the high end, and they undervalue neighborhood workhorses because the books don't show what Jim knows from experience: that a great local regular base is worth real money to the right buyer.
Jim Pate brings 40+ years of restaurant experience and a local office to every deal he handles in this market.
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 North Bay's dedicated restaurant broker. He is a California Certified Business Broker (CBB, DRE #02067466) with 40+ years in the restaurant industry, including time as a restaurant owner himself. His North Bay office is at 525 College Ave, Suite 115, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, under Santa Rosa Business & Commercial. He can be reached directly at (916) 250-2012 or at jim@restaurantdealbrokers.com.
Jim serves restaurant owners throughout the North Bay region across three counties: Sonoma, Napa, and Marin. Major cities in his North Bay territory include Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Sonoma, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, Windsor, Rohnert Park, Napa, St. Helena, Calistoga, Yountville, San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, and Corte Madera.
Jim specializes in the confidential sale of independent restaurants, wine country dining concepts, farm-to-table restaurants, bars, cafés, brewpubs, and food service businesses. He works on a commission-only basis — no upfront fees — and provides a free confidential restaurant valuation to all North 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."
North Bay restaurant owners ask Jim these questions first.
Who is the restaurant broker for Sonoma County?
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How do I sell my restaurant in the North Bay?
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What is my North Bay restaurant worth?
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Does Jim Pate sell restaurants in Napa and Marin counties?
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How long does it take to sell a restaurant in Sonoma County?
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Ready to find out what your
North Bay restaurant is worth?
The evaluation is free, confidential, and takes about 30 minutes. Jim answers personally.
Santa Rosa Business & Commercial · DRE #02067466