PISMO BEACH, Calif. (KEYT) – A legal dispute is forcing one of Pismo Beach’s most well-known shoreline restaurants, the Ventana Grill, to shutdown.
The restaurant has been booking weddings there for 16 years, and the closure is impacting some couples who booked the beachside location.
A 2023 merger between the former Pismo Lighthouse and Shore Cliff hotels created the Pacific Point Resort, but the long-term lease for the Ventana Grill restaurant extended until 2045.
“Considering the legal issues, it’s hard to know if it could stay open,” says Gale Damery, who lives in San Luis Obispo.
As the new land owners began inspections — which includes the land underneath Ventana Grill — they discovered serious structural safety issues, ordering the restaurant last year to shut down for a refit.
“You know, I can see some erosion around the cliffs, but know I’m not sure,” says Damery. “It seems to be two different viewpoints.”
The restaurant’s owner and operator filed a civil complaint against the new land owner in August of last year, claiming this was a breach of the lease.
Last month, a SLO County judge issued a ruling in favor of the new landowner, ordering Ventana Grill to shut down.
“My son’s wedding reception was held here at the Ventana, which I think at the time was called Shore Cliff,” says Kim Sawyer, who lives in Avila Beach.
For couples who recently booked their weddings at Ventana Grill in the next few weeks and months, this could potentially be a significant loss if they weren’t insured for cancellation.
“This is a prime example of something happening against your will that you didn’t have a secondary plan for, where we would be able to cover the cost of any nonrefundable or loss deposits, any extra expenses that needed to be incurred in order to accommodate a last minute event reorganization,” says Brian Kelly, a wedding and event insurance lead for BriteCo.
The restaurant’s last day of business will be Saturday, September 12th.
All invested parties have declined multiple requests for public comment due to pending litigation.
“I’m glad we chose today and here to celebrate a birthday,” says Sawyer. “It will be missed.”
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Dining and Cooking