The Ventana Grill in Pismo Beach is closing, and it's happening soon. I’m your community reporter, Makayla Richardson, and I found out it’s not because of the food or poor attendance; it’s a legal battle between the restaurant's owners and their landlords.
On Saturday afternoon, Deanna and Jamal Johnson drove from Santa Maria to Pismo Beach for one last chance to eat at the Ventana Grill. Deanna said she found out on social media that one of her favorite restaurants was closing.
“Everybody was surprised, and they wanted to know the reason why," Johnson said. "There was no — nothing provided and the restaurant wasn't commenting.”
As of Friday, the restaurant’s website was down, only showing its logo.
Heather Anderson said she ate at the Ventana Grill on Friday night and everything seemed normal. There weren’t any hints the restaurant would be closing so soon.
“I love Ventana," Anderson said. I'm super bummed that it's leaving.”
I spoke with employees at the restaurant who told me they weren’t able to comment on the situation. I also reached out to their corporate office, but have not heard back yet. So, I did some digging
I found court records of a case that go back to August 2025 between the owners of Ventana Grill, Old Custom House Inc, and their landlords, a limited liability company, who also own Pacific Point next door. The Ventana Grill’s owners claim in these documents that for the last 14 months, the LLC has told them repeatedly to shut the doors on the restaurant immediately because the bluff it sits on is unstable. The restaurant’s owners disagree.
However, on August 27, the courts granted a preliminary injunction, which says the Ventana Grill can’t operate after September 18 at 5 p.m.
I got a hold of the property managers for the restaurant, Peregrine Hospitality. They said in a statement that the ruling comes after independent engineering and geology experts found structural issues, geological concerns, and safety hazards at the property.
They also said:
"While we recognize the important role Ventana Grill has played in the community, the safety of visitors, employees, and the public is always our priority. The court’s ruling reinforces the importance of these safety concerns, and we recognize the significant impact this decision will have.”
“I'm glad to know that's what it is," Johnson said. "I know that a lot of the cliffs have been falling down in this area, so I think that's very possible that it's getting unsafe.”
Anderson said she’s curious to see what will happen to the property next and what could potentially replace the restaurant. For now, the case is still ongoing.
“It's kind of a bummer and a loss," Anderson said. "I don't know what's going to come in after it, but yeah, I've heard that Mother Earth is at work, man. So we got to take care of her. So if we lose Ventana Grill, I guess that's. I guess that's the price we pay.”
The next hearing for this case is set for October 22.
