{"id":12147,"date":"2025-04-03T21:31:31","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T01:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/?p=12147"},"modified":"2025-04-03T21:31:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T01:31:31","slug":"salt-7-owner-speaks-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/miami\/2025\/04\/03\/salt-7-owner-speaks-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Salt 7 Owner Speaks Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

Salt7 Owner Speaks Out After Fort Lauderdale Restaurant Eviction<\/h1>\n

Background of the Eviction<\/h2>\n

The owner of Las Olas hot spot Salt7 is speaking up after Broward Sheriff\u2019s Office deputies this week evicted the high-end restaurant from Fort Lauderdale\u2019s Riverwalk. John Kostoglou and his waterfront steakhouse-nightclub at 500 E. Las Olas Blvd., on the ground floor of the Icon Las Olas tower, have been embroiled in a lawsuit with the landlord over unpaid rent. At issue: use of a boat docking area on the Riverwalk, which Salt7 says it was promised and which the landlord has disputed, calling the claim \u201claughable\u201d and \u201cbrazen\u201d in court filings.<\/p>\n

Employee Allegations<\/h2>\n

There also have been accusations of owed wages, withheld tips, and bounced checks by current and former chefs and waitstaff, who vented their frustrations on social media in past weeks. A local news affiliate, WPLG-Ch. 10, reported a handful of these employee allegations, and Kostoglou on Wednesday told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that most \u2014 but not all \u2014 are untrue. <\/p>\n

\nThe high-profile Salt7 on the tony Las Olas strip in Fort Lauderdale, seen here on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, opened in January 2021. (Amy Beth Bennett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Financial Setbacks<\/h2>\n

The public employee backlash caps months of financial setbacks stemming from a Dec. 5 civil complaint filed by Salt7\u2019s landlord, Loyca Property Owner LLC, against Kostoglou for $505,339 in back-owed rent. Kostoglou confirmed to the Sun Sentinel that he stopped paying rent in October, and also said he owed \u201ca certain amount\u201d of money to at least one of Salt7\u2019s food vendors, Premier Produce.<\/p>\n

Lease Agreement and Bankruptcy<\/h2>\n

Kostoglou opened the high-profile Salt7 on the tony Las Olas strip in January 2021, hiring \u201cHell\u2019s Kitchen\u201d Season 9 winner Paul Niedermann as its executive chef for both the Fort Lauderdale location and a second on Delray Beach\u2019s Atlantic Avenue. The Delray Beach location shuttered last June when he sold it to Ohio\u2019s One Hospitality Group, which then partnered with SubCulture Group to open Kapow! Noodle Bar, Kostoglou said. Ivan J. Reich, the attorney representing Salt7, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February, listing $1 million in assets and up to $10 million in debts, according to records.<\/p>\n

Court Filings and Eviction<\/h2>\n

In a Jan. 21 court filing, the landlord described the motion as a \u201cstunt\u201d to avoid paying, and also alleged Salt7 made \u201cfalse promises that payment would be forthcoming.\u201d A federal bankruptcy court on March 7 appeared to side with Loyca and dismissed the Chapter 11 case, clearing the way for the eviction, according to court filings. This 2021 file photo shows people gathered at the Fort Lauderdale hot spot Salt7, on the ground floor of the Icon Las Olas tower. (Michael Laughlin\/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)<\/p>\n

Dockage Rights Dispute<\/h2>\n

Loyca\u2019s position has been that so-called \u201cdockage rights\u201d aren\u2019t guaranteed in Salt7\u2019s lease and were \u201cintentionally carved out.\u201d Reich said his client signed the original 2018 lease agreement because it promised access to Salt7\u2019s dock on Fort Lauderdale\u2019s Riverwalk, which Kostoglou considered vital for attracting high-paying boaters and making revenue through dockage fees. A view of Salt7\u2019s iconic spot along the New River in Fort Lauderdale, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Amy Beth Bennett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The dispute between Salt7 and its landlord has led to the eviction of the high-end restaurant from Fort Lauderdale\u2019s Riverwalk. The owner, John Kostoglou, has spoken out about the allegations and the financial setbacks that led to the eviction. The future of Salt7 remains uncertain, but Kostoglou has stated that he still has an active counterclaim against his landlord.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n