Lionfish, a sustainability-themed seafood spot supported by the James Beard Foundation on Delray Beach’s bustling Atlantic Avenue, closed for good Saturday night after three and a half years in business.
In its place will be restaurants that don’t need sugar coating. Sugar Factory is an American brasserie chain best known for creating cocktails and couture lollipops endorsed by The Rock, Kendall Jenner, Pitbull, Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart, and Bruno Mars. , a restaurant that attracts celebrities. Lionfish owner Craig Menin told the South Florida Sun Sentinel Monday afternoon that Sugar Factory intends to debut “within 60 to 90 days.”

Lionfish / Provided
Steamed striped bass at Lionfish in downtown Delray Beach. It closed on Saturday after three and a half years. (Lionfish/Provided)
Coastal Seafood Sitdown, which serves delicious dishes featuring lionfish, one of Florida’s largest coastal invasive species, hasn’t seen a drop in foot traffic or sales. In fact, that last service packed the house, according to Menin and members of multiple Facebook groups who dined there Saturday night.
But fine dining and locally sourced premium ingredients, with “an average check price of $90 to $100,” required too much personal attention from him, he said.
“Running a restaurant was a very demanding full-time job, and to be honest, I didn’t want to do it anymore. I wanted to go back to my roots,” Menin said., He is also a seasoned real estate developer. “There are things more important than money. I’m glad I did it, but I prefer real estate work to running a restaurant.”
“(Lionfish) was very profitable, but will the community improve going forward?” he added. “I wanted other people to try it.”
Menin’s company, Menin Development, which owns Atlantic Avenue, art-studded Pineapple Grove and several buildings south of the avenue, opened its hospitality arm, Menin Development, about five years ago. It added a hospitality group and opened The Ray Hotel, a food hall in Delray Beach Market. And the restaurant “Akira Back”. He also owns Johnny Brown.
Lionfish, a San Diego-born restaurant specializing in grass-fed meat, wild game and lionfish dishes, debuted in September 2020 after its opening was delayed for more than six months due to pandemic closures. Andi Masi, co-owner of Lionfish and founder of Creek His Hospitality, is working to spread the flavor of lionfish, a beautiful but voracious species known for preying heavily on marine life on coral reefs. It brought the best restaurants to the East Coast. Since 2017, the James Beard Foundation has recognized the lionfish as its leader in his smart catch twice.
“Trust me, if you try our lionfish ceviche, you’ll realize how delicious (lionfish) is,” Masi told the Sun Sentinel in 2020. grill. ”
Masi could not be reached for comment despite two emails sent Monday morning. Mr. Menin said Mr. Masi sold his stake in the Delray Beach store to Mr. Menin two years ago to focus on West Coast restaurants.
Mr. Menin said he began a serious bid for a Lionfish replacement six months ago from “10 business owners who wanted to put their restaurants on the high street.” He said Sugar Factory won because it had a “very favorable lease.”
“At the end of the day, it’s a great building on a great street,” Menin says. “Being able to take a step back and receive a nice check every month, I thought that was really appealing.”
Menin declined to say how far in advance the hospitality group notified Lionfish’s 50 employees about the closure. He said he encouraged Sugar Factory employees to meet with Lionfish employees and encouraged employees to apply to Akira Buck and Johnny Brown’s.
Former executive chef Emerson Frisbee (of Palm Beach Meats fame) posted on Instagram on April 7 that he was “looking for a new executive chef position.” He would be very grateful for any clues. ”

Sugar Factory Noah Fex / Provided by
Sugar Factory’s world-famous King Kong Sundae includes 20 scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, caramel and plenty of candy, served at Sugar Factory, the American brasserie chain opening in Del Ray this summer. It is one of the finest desserts available. beach. (Sugar Factory’s Noah Fex/Provided)
Sugar Factory, with its Instagram-worthy flower walls, neon lights and gaudy milkshakes, serves rainbow-colored pancake stacks for breakfast and brunch, birria pizza quesadillas, cheesy burgers and tacos for dinner, and Insane for dessert. We offer milkshakes. Pieces of crushed Butterfinger and a rainbow fly out in a spiral.
Sugar Factory operates 26 locations including Miami Beach, Orlando and the Bahamas. Representatives for the restaurant could not be reached for comment as of Monday afternoon.
This article will be updated. Please check back for more information.
Staff writer Phillip Valys can be reached at pvalys@sunsentinel.com. Follow us on Instagram @pvguide and X/Twitter @PhilValys.