The City of Orlando voted to approve continuing leasing the lakefront restaurant space and adjacent office space inside Lake Eola Park at 211 Eola Parkway (MAP) to the current tenant, Relax Grill. Relax Grill has had this lease since 2009.
Within the past 4 months, the Health Department had to temporarily close Relax Grill four separate times:
DBPR temporarily closed Relax Grill July 19 due to a 21-violation health inspection which included rodent droppings found inside the restaurant.
DBPR temporarily closed Relax Grill June 7th due to rodent droppings found inside the restaurant.
DBPR temporarily closed Relax Grill June 6th due to rodent droppings found inside the restaurant.
DBPR temporarily closed Relax Grill May 21 due to 17 code violations which included Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found.
Three days before City Council made its vote to continue leasing to Relax Grill, during a routine inspection, the restaurant received 17 violations which caused the need for a required follow-up inspection by DBPR.
Despite these findings, the restaurant "is in compliance with the terms of their current and previous lease agreements," according to the City of Orlando.
According to the lease, if a single health inspection reveals more than 5 critical violations, the City has the right to get an outside company to perform quarterly compliance audits at the restaurant's expense.
The City says, "To date there has not been an instance of more than 5 high priority violations, therefore an independent audit has not been requested."
Relax Grill will continue to have the lease until August 31, 2024. This lease may be renewed for up to three additional terms of one year each.