Trust Restaurant Group Opens Third Wise Ox in Las Vegas

Trust Restaurant Group opened its third Wise Ox on October 22, marking the butcher shop and deli brand's first location outside Southern California.

The San Diego-based group, founded by chef Brad Wise with the opening of Trust in 2016, placed the new shop in southwest Las Vegas at the UnCommons mixed-use development. It sits near the company's Rare Society steakhouse, which opened at the same development last year and represents the group's second Las Vegas concept.

The Wise Ox began in San Diego's North Park neighborhood in 2020. A second location followed in Carlsbad.

What drives the site selection?

Proximity to Rare Society is not accidental. Wise said the adjacency creates operational efficiencies for both businesses.

• The two concepts share suppliers.
• Dry-aged steak trimmings from the steakhouse supply the butcher shop's burgers.
• Employees can move between the two restaurants.

"The Wise Ox gives us an opportunity to develop and retain talent," Wise said. He described a path where a line cook at the sandwich shop could eventually move into a position at Rare Society.

The development itself offered a second draw. UnCommons combines offices, residences, restaurants and retail, giving the group a neighborhood audience away from the Las Vegas Strip.

"I really resonated with this project and the vision the team over here is trying to put together," Wise said. "The idea of 'live, work, play' isn't new, but their approach — curating a group of like-minded businesses and amenities that feels really neighborhoody — just really fits with our company ethos."

What does the shop sell?

The concept operates as part butcher shop and part sandwich counter. The meat case carries beef, pork, lamb and chicken, including familiar cuts and harder-to-find options, along with dry-aged steaks, house-made sausages, marinades and spice blends. Much of the meat comes from the same suppliers used across Trust Restaurant Group's restaurants.

The sandwich menu includes:

• A cheesesteak with shaved New York strip, American cheese, pickled peppers, onions and mayonnaise on a roll
• A dry-aged burger with Havarti cheese, bacon and pickles
• A peppered turkey sandwich with Swiss cheese, avocado and chipotle aïoli on toasted sourdough
• Smoked bologna, roast beef, a breakfast sandwich with sausage and hot honey, and fries cooked in beef fat

How big is the group now?

Trust Restaurant Group has grown through standalone concepts and multiple Rare Society locations. The steakhouse brand now counts six units across California, Washington and Nevada.

Earlier this year the group opened À L'ouest, a French brasserie in San Diego's North Park, alongside Georgette's cocktail lounge. Its other concepts include Fort Oak and Cardellino.

The group has opened 11 storefronts over the past five years, including three this year.

What comes next?

The Wise Ox has a retail product in development. In early 2027, the brand plans to launch the Ox Box, a monthly subscription with more than 10 pounds of beef, pork and chicken. The vacuum-sealed meats will ship with recipes and access to online cooking tips.

Wise said he always has ideas in progress, but he signaled a possible pause after this year's pace. "So maybe 2027 is our year of not opening anything new," he said. "You never know, though."

The claim deserves scrutiny. A group that has averaged more than two openings a year since 2021, with a subscription product launching in 2027, rarely sits still for long.