Nashville chef Sean Brock has closed his Joyland restaurants in East and West Nashville.
Brock partnered with Nick Pihakis of Pihakis Restaurant Group and Southall Farm and Inn founder Paul Mishkin to own and operate the restaurant, which is known for its biscuits, burgers and fried chicken. Pihakis is based in Birmingham and recently closed — either permanently or temporarily — multiple restaurant concepts located in the city, according to AL.com.
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AL.com also reports that the restaurant group faces nearly a dozen lawsuits for more than $23.4 million. The company also operates a Joyland, known for its Crustburger, in Birmingham, which remains open.
Officials involved with Joyland could not be reached for comment. A Reddit post offers a photo of a “Going Out of Business” sign at the East Side Joyland.
A James Beard Award winner, Brock opened Joyland in 2020 in East Nashville in the space last home to Stay Golden, with an address of 901 Woodland St. The West Side Joyland, which opened in late 2024, was located at Hill Center Sylvan Heights at 4013 Charlotte Ave.
Brock is best known for Husk, which operates downtown in the Rutledge Hill neighborhood. The chef created the menu but ended his affiliation with the ownership group in 2013. Previously and in 2011, Bon Appétit named Husk’s sister restaurant in Charleston, S.C., the “Best New Restaurant in America."
During the past few years, Brock has closed Nashville restaurants The Continental, Bar Continental and June.
Brock also founded East Nashville restaurant Audrey, which focuses on cuisine influenced by Appalachian and Southern recipes, though executive chef Sam Jett has since taken the helm there.
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
