Central Coast’s Ventana Grill ordered to close over fears of ‘sudden collapse’

Ventana Grill, a restaurant perched over the cliffs of Pismo Beach, has been ordered to cease operations this month after a judge sided with its landlord over fears that the cliffside structure could collapse into the ocean. 

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The San Luis Obispo County Superior Court said that Ventana Grill will need to close by Sept. 18 and remain closed indefinitely, according to court records filed late last month and reviewed by SFGATE. The order comes after a protracted legal fight where the restaurant owner fought to stay open despite erosion fears.

SFGATE reached out to the attorneys for Ventana Grill and the building’s owner, CCC PSC Owner LLC, for comment but did not hear back by publication. Calls made to Ventana Grill went unanswered. 

Ventana Grill opened in 2010 after receiving an extensive renovation that included a 180-degree view of the coastline. Over the years, the coastal fusion restaurant became a stop for diners around Pismo Beach and a venue for events and weddings. 

The restaurant’s landlord told Ventana Grill to immediately close last year after geotechnical experts identified “significant stability issues” on the bluffs, according to a 2025 court filing. The restaurant’s owners were initially “amenable to ceasing operations” but later refused when they learned that repairs would take more than six months, according to the landlord’s September 2025 filling. When the landlord issued a 10-day notice to vacate the site on Aug. 18, 2025, Ventana Grill claimed that CCC PSC Owner had “no valid basis” to terminate its lease, the filing alleged. 

Ventana Grill’s parent company Old Custom House Inc. said that the restaurant building was unique and would be “nearly impossible to replace … with a similarly situated building,” adding that if the landlord terminates the lease, it would suffer “significant loss” and “likely to cause ruin of Plaintiff’s business,” according to court filings.  

Ian Pullan, vice president of CCC PSC Owner, said in a September 2025 declaration that allowing the restaurant to continue operating was a major financial risk to the property owner. 

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“If Plaintiff is permitted to continue operations in the Restaurant Building while the building remains in an unsafe condition, Defendants will potentially incur millions of dollars of damages in the event that there is a sudden collapse of the unstable sea cliff upon which the Ventana Grill is located, as it would result in catastrophic damage to the property and serious injury or death of restaurant patrons and staff,” Pullan said.

Ventana Grill staff told the Tribune last week that the restaurant planned to close this Friday, days before its court-ordered closure, but could not share specific details with the outlet. The Old Custom House Inc. also operates other San Luis Obispo County restaurants, including the Custom House, Oyster Loft, Wooly’s, Westerly, Mr. Rick’s and Mission Pizza.

Coastal erosion has long plagued Pismo Beach’s sea cliffs. In 2023, strong storms caused landslides at Memory Park and Ebb Tide Park, closing off access to the beach below. Last year, SFGATE reported that one of the biggest threats to Pismo Beach’s sea cliffs could be the town’s squirrel population, which exacerbates cliffside erosion by tunneling through bluffs.  

A court hearing for the Old Custom House Inc. and CCC is scheduled on Oct. 22, according to the SLO Tribune.