California wedding venue that abruptly shut down reveals reason for closure — and why it’s likely never coming back

They’re hanging on by a thread.

A cliffside wedding venue and restaurant in Pismo Beach is shutting down after a bitter court battle between the property owners and the venue’s owners revealed concerns that the picturesque property may slide into the ocean, according to the Fresno Bee.

Ventana Grill confirmed last week that they will close on September 12, with reservations ending at 8 p.m. that night. The restaurant first opened in April 2010, replacing the former Pelican Point restaurant. The stunning venue offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.

The sudden closure sent couples who planned to marry there scrambling to change plans at the last minute.

A Nextdoor user said that the restaurant is currently working with customers who were set to marry there on finding other accommodations for their nuptials.

“They are definitely closing. I’m a wedding photographer, and their coordinators are frantically trying to help Brides who have upcoming dates find new venues,” the poster wrote. “I guess it’s super unexpected, but it’s happening.”

Court documents reveal an August 27 order from San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen banned the restaurant from “operating, using or otherwise occupying for any purpose the cliffside building.”

The Old Custom House Inc., the company who owns the restaurant, also operates several other SLO businesses, including The Custom House and Mr. Rick’s in Avila Beach, and Wooly’s and Oyster Loft in Pismo Beach.

The owners of the property, listed as CCC in court documents, claim the venue is unsafe, while the venue’s owners say its all a ploy to get them to vacate the property.

In an August 2025 complaint filed by The Old Custom House, the company says the property’s newest owners, who bought the property in 2023, breached the lease agreement between the two parties by insisting they leave the property.

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The Old Custom House alleges the property owners “contrived a false concern in an attempt to justify the termination of the agreement and destroy plaintiff’s business.”

The property owners accused The Custom House of a “bad-faith attempt to distract from its flagrant disregard of the safety and lives of patrons and staff” in a September 2025 legal filing.

The same filing from the property owners revealed that geotechnical experts had identified significant stability issues with the cliffside property.

In May, CCC filed  filed a formal motion for preliminary injunction, asking the court to shut down the restaurant, which was granted in late August.

The injunction is set to take effect on September 18. hearing is scheduled for the court case is set for October 22.