After 27 years in business, Gainesville’s Ballyhoo Grill closed last week following an Alachua County court’s eviction of the seafood restaurant from its 3700 W University Ave. location.
Signs reading “This establishment is now closed” mark Ballyhoo’s doors as the restaurant owed $30,750 in unpaid rent since Aug. 1, according to court records.
The records named landlord Lorand Inc. as plaintiff and Ballyhoo owners Brooke Sciotti and Pendon Corp. as defendants. Sciotti and Tommy Mackey, who was not named in the lawsuit filed Sept. 12, are presidents of Pendon Corps. which represents Ballyhoo, according to bizprofile.net.
Ballyhoo’s lease showed the restaurant signed from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026, for $17,000 per month. Attorneys on behalf of Lorand Inc. provided Sciotti and Pendon Corp. with a notice to pay or vacate on Sept. 8 with a Sept. 11 deadline to take action, but the defendants failed to comply.
According to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Ballyhoo harbored 31 violations with four high priorities, such as employees touching food with bare, unwashed hands.
A 2025 Warrant Listing also showed the restaurant owed $8,020.31 in unpaid property taxes.
Ballyhoo did not respond for comment.
$17,000 a month? Gainesville market is out of control.
The quality of food (and definitely the service quality) was on a steep decline for 2-3 years. We stopped going in 2023 and so did many others. I (also) hope the county will lien the property and collect those taxes that they refused to pay (unlike the others in the area that pay their obligations). Good article Lillian.
Please replace it with The Clock diner or a Flanigan’s from South Florida.