Beach-View FL Eatery Popular With Locals & Tourists, Venice Restaurant, Shut Down After Inspection

Photo byIvan Bandura, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It's arguably especially fun to eat at a beachfront restaurant in Florida. These types of eateries tend to have a casual, festive atmosphere and often offer beautiful views. Unfortunately, one restaurant in this genre, Hollywood's Venice Restaurant, was recently temporarily shut down after a state inspection.

About Venice Restaurant: Unfortunately, the website for this eatery appears to be down. However, the over 2,000 reviews for the eatery make it clear that it is a boardwalk restaurant with a beach view that focuses on Italian dishes.

Reviewers give the eatery at 911 North Boardwalk a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Most reviewers were pleased with their experience. A reviewer named Elizabeth wrote in part:

"I loved the atmosphere, and my husband and I both agreed the food was delicious. The DJ was playing great music. This place also has a bar area and (an) oceanfront view. We shared a stromboli and Greek salad (and it was) just under $60 for both of us. We (were) hooked, (and) we came back for breakfast and dinner. Keep up the amazing job!..."

What Happened At Inspection?: According to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, an inspection occurred on August 28, 2024. At that time, 16 violations were noted.

Basic violations came from things like a hole in the wall, water draining from an air conditioning unit, and a soiled wall behind the ice machine.

Intermediate violations were for the handwash sink not being available at all times, the handwash sink being used for purposes other than handwashing, and a "no currently certified food service manager on duty with four or more employees engaged in food preparation/handling."

Examples of high-priority violations were retail shopping bags being used to store raw meat, raw beef and fish being stored over unwashed produce, and a display case that did not close.

As a result of some of the above violations, the restaurant was temporarily shut down.

On a follow-up inspection on August 30th, one basic violation remained and the restaurant "met inspection standards" and was therefore free to reopen.

Please note that an inspection is one moment in time and not necessarily how a restaurant conducts itself every day.