The Funky Pelican in Flagler Beach was ordered closed by the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation today following an inspection that found three “high priority” safety and sanitation violations out of nine total violations.
The closure is temporary pending a re-inspection. Typically, restaurants closed after such inspections reopen within 24 hours or less.
The restaurant in four previous inspections, from 2024 to late 2025, met inspection standards, according to DBPR, but twice required follow-up inspections in late 2023 and early 2024.
The high priority violations in today’s inspection included findings of “Rodent activity” evidenced by “10 rodent dropping behind bread stands and reach in freezer on sticky traps,” according to the inspection report. Restaurant staff “started sweeping and cleaning up on site,” the report states.
Violations also included “Live, small flying insects,” one in the kitchen and one in the dining area, resulting in a warning. A third high-priority violation was the storing of “raw animal food” improperly separated from ready-to-eat food. “Raw shell eggs stored over Cole saw in reach in cooler,” the inspection found. Staffers removed the raw eggs, resolving that issue at the time of the inspection.
DBPR defines high-priority violations as “those which could contribute directly to a foodborne illness or injury and include items such as cooking, reheating, cooling and hand-washing.”
Intermediate violations, if not addressed, “could lead to risk factors that contribute to foodborne illness or injury.” The Funky Pelican’s inspection resulted in one intermediate violation described as “Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener blade has build up.” The issue was resolved at the time of the inspection.
“Basic violations” are violations of best practices, such as, at the Funky Pelican, “Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Ice machine drop station has dark mold like substance,” ceiling tiles or vents with accumulated food debris, grease, dust or mold-like substance, employees’ personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, an employee’s phone found in a food prep area in a cooler, an improperly stored knife, and “Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust.” All those violations were corrected on site.
“While most establishments correct all violations in a timely manner (often during the inspection),” DBPR’s standard notice of inspections states, “the division’s procedures are designed to compel compliance with all violations through follow-up visits, administration action or closure when necessary.”
The Funky Pelican has been operating at the Flagler Beach pier since 2011 under a lease with the city, which owns the property. The restaurant pays the city $4,277 a month in rent. It increases 3 percent a year. The restaurant also pays the city 3 percent of all gross revenue over $1 million in a year. In 2024, the Funky Pelican generated $4.77 million in gross revenue (an average of $13,000 a day), netting the city a $113,160 windfall on top of rent.
The restaurant is owned by Grandview Flagler Partners, itself owned by Ray Barshay of Ormond Beach. Last December the city and Barshay agreed to a 32-year lease extension, with the restaurant pledging a makeover.
Fernando says
Will not be going back
Terrible says
How gross! With all that money they are making this place should be spotless! They are paying low rent too.
Sparks says
Thank God. I spoke with the manager months ago. I seen Rats near their premises. He told me they don’t have rats. I reported to everyone health dept you name it. No one wanted to listen to me. I would never eat there.