Gino’s Surf in Harrison Township has sat vacant for years since its closure in 2015. Now, the Macomb County waterfront destination at 37400 Jefferson Ave is coming back to life under the new ownership of Brian Jeffries of Apex Hospitality Group. This story was first seen in Detroit News.
The renewed Gino’s Surf is expected to open its restaurant portion later in September. Jeffries, known as DJ Godfather in the local party scene, plans to bring his passion for music to Gino’s Surf with a DJ booth and high-tech lights for live DJs after 9 pm. The space will also feature multiple televisions for sports watching, making the new restaurant a local hangout spot instead of a pure nightclub.
The restaurant’s new menu is created by chef Richard Conover and will serve American classics with dietary friendly options. The menu will be available in the dining room and on the patio.
“He’ll be making seafood, steaks, pasta and some vegan and gluten-free options,” Jeffries told Detroit News, adding the chef also makes some killer wings. “He makes his own ranch, blue cheese dressing and barbecue sauce from scratch, plus his own queso dip and he hand-cuts all the fries.”
Meanwhile, the banquet hall portion will continue to go through renovations until it’s ready to face the public as a wedding and event venue called Vista Lago. Jeffries told Detroit News that the event space most likely will not be ready until some time next year. Jeffries and Apex Hospitality Group also own and operate Love & Tequila, 3Fifty Terrace at the Detroit Opera House, and several other downtown nightclubs.
What Now Detroit reached out to Jeffries but hadn’t heard back by the time of this coverage. Jeffries is also working on making the restaurant accessible for guests coming in from L’anse Creuse Bay off Lake St. Clair by boat.
