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
SPJ says
Lived here 73 years & we all knew there’s rats under the pier & in the Dunes…. Ate there every weekend for years & I’m still here.
Terrible says
How gross! With all that money they are making this place should be spotless! They are paying low rent too.
Deborah Geyer says
Me neither. I’ve already had Two (2) night trips to the ER from different ‘eateries’ around the country (US). I don’t need any more! I don’t trust these people to Keep the place Clean.😡☠️🤬
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.
Lotta rats on the beach dunes says
I was hanging out North of the pier a block away or so on the boardwalk by one of the beach ramps just enjoying the view and noticed a lot of rat activity in the dunes under boardwalk, seems they have a network of tunnels and nests I assume in the dunes in that area, in ten minutes I probably saw ten rats.
Wow! says
Apparently you were right! Thank you. The city should be upset as well. There should be something in their lease that holds them to a higher standard considering it is owned by them. They could be held liable if someone became seriously ill.
NJ says
They Need NEW Management-NOW! And Re-train the employees-NOW!
Skibum says
I ate there a couple of times years ago when my parents came from out of state to visit us. I was woefully underwhelmed then, and have never been back. However, I am very pleased that health department officials are conducting ongoing restaurant inspections to keep the public as safe as possible. These critical employees are part of our local governments throughout the state.
Just think what might happen if the property tax cut is voted into law this November, decimating essential revenue coming into the counties statewide. Will it adversely affect those important people who are responsible for making the rounds and performing all of the health inspections at the restaurants we all enjoy eating at? Will we be able to feel safe going out to eat at places we may not know anything about or have been to before? There is no way to guarantee at this point in time what decisions may be forthcoming when cities and counties are forced to reduce their budgets if this proposed law is enacted by ignorant voters who have not considered what unintended consequences may result from their actions.
Restaurant and food safety inspections is just one important function that could be negatively impacted by the loss of revenue from a property tax cut. How about the critical emergency management departments that everyone depends on during hurricanes, strong storms and other natural disasters? Will they have the people and resources needed in the event of a county wide evacuation?
People really need to stop and think before they vote on things that might sound good in the short term but have the potential to make our lives, our very safety and wellbeing worse off if we make stupid decisions at the ballot box!
Pat Stote says
Album yours is the intelligent comment. Hopefully people will read and listen more. We will be without many essential services
TR says
Haven’t been there in years. but like with most restaurants there will be flying bugs inside (particularly flies) It wouldn’t be hard for them to get in especially near the beach. Open a door to get into or out of the place and it gives the time to enter. Especially for the fact that most people open the door and slowly walk through it. Besides it was just two not an entire swarm. I would venture to guess there are flying insects (flies) at the doorway to every restaurant in the county. Including food trucks are the worse. Not the rodent droppings are another story, but also no surprise being on the beach.
Mothersworry says
Since the wall has been built south of the water tower there have been rats on the dunes and under the walkways.
John Stove says
That place is so gross….rat droppings ……that means unseen rate urine too
Good thinking says
This sounds like another opportunity for Commissioner Pennington and Commissioner Carney to step in and build a new restaurant with state of the art facilities for the owner at taxpayer expense. They can make another shrewd deal where the owner only have to pay 500 dollars a month and have county employees do all future maintenance.
Regardless if the restaurant is located in Flagler Beach, the Commissioners can say it’s part of the beach renourishment program. This will give the county commissioners the “RESTAURANT TRIFECTA”
Bings landing Capt. BBQ, , BULL CREEK FISH CAMP and possibly THE FUNKY PELICAN.
TAXPAYER FUNDS + PRIVATE BUSINESS = DEFICIT FOR COUNTY
Richard says
I was there a couple of days ago and I know that flying insect, as it was buzzing me while I was eating.
Barbara Kirkelie says
When we moved into the area we tried this restaurant by the Oceanside . It didn’t impress us on the cleanliness or the food! I was disappointed . We waited a while at the table before anyone came to our table. I can understand why they have pests inside because it’s on the beach and conditions are right for them. It was dimly lit inside and looked like a place mold would harbor around. Tried it, wasn’t impressed and have found better places to patronize.
Just saying says
Gross and disgusting. Managers all should be fired. And I live in Flagler County and I will never eat there again.
Marie says
Great we just ate there Two nights ago but all i had was applitizer crab balls over cooked not very tasty but yea keep it clean! Why all the money in not even hire good Managere and staff who should not let this happen?
CH says
It probably should be torn down and rebuilt. It would nice if those wanting to make america great again would do that here, instead of building luxury properties in Albania. How is that making us great?
Sherry says
Not the least bit surprised! We ate at their other location “once”. . . tried two bites, and we paid the bill and left. Never even tried the Funky Pelican!
Jason C. says
You should see their garbage area that faces the sidewalk. Absolutely nasty. Nasty garbage juices flowing onto the sidewalk and smell like doodoo. Ate here once many years ago and haven’t come back since.
Ed P says
Helpful hints…
48 million Americans get sick from food borne illness diseases annually. About 1/2 occur at restaurants. That means 24 million occur at home.
Bacteria factor at home is an issue too.
Refrigeration at 40 degrees and above enters the danger zone. Your home refrigerator should be between 35 and 38 degrees F.
Home freezer 0 F or below
Don’t over pack, air flow is critical.
Did you know your home water heater should be set 120F or higher to prevent bacteria?
While there isn’t any official census it’s widely estimated that there are thousands of these Norway rats along the Flagler County Shoreline including the Flagler Beach boardwalk.
And yes, a Palmetto bug is a Cockroach…big one. Palmetto bugs sound less alarming. Admittedly they are primarily outdoor pest unlike the German cockroach.
Tallahassee Democrat posts all Flagler County restaurant inspections on line.
“Before you go out to eat, take a look at the inspection”
In the last 30 days, 12 restaurants passed the first visit , 10 did not.
8 restaurants passed with zero violations.
3 restaurants had more than 13 violations, one even had 18 and wasn’t closed!
Bon Appetit
Anon says
Went there once to see what it was about. Never again. The food sucked & it was gross siting outside with all the birds & bird poop everywhere. The birds would fly on your table & steal your food if you weren’t looking. Just NO!
Hayride says
Would this be your first time eating at a shoreline eatery? Its like that everywhere you go eat, on any coastal eatery. From all over california to up and down the east coast.
Sherry says
@hayride. . . It just so happens that “I” actually live on the shoreline in wonderful California. While I cannot speak for the entire state, there are extremely strict health and safety regulations here in Sausalito. Your “blanket” statement that all shoreline eateries are unhealthy is simply untrue.
Land of no turn signals says says
That explains alot.
True says
Agreed the food sucked, not quality food by any means.
True says
The Managers all need to be fired. A restaurant has to be pretty unsafe to have the Health Department shutting them down.
I think the City of Flagler Beach need to find another restaurant company to leash their space because this one is qualified. Just think about how long this was going on and they just got caught.
I will never eat there again and the times that I did eat there I was never impressed with their food. It wasn’t Culinary Quality.
Voter says
What’s going on with the City Officials of Flagler Beach to allow a restaurant company they lease space to have such unhealthy violations? They have a Fire Department they can’t even staff and had to borrow fire personnel from the City of PC to fill in.
If I were City Officials I would fire the Funky Pelicans and demolish the place and built a new one with a more professional restaurant company this one isn’t cutting it.
Sooner or later the City of Flagler Beach will get sued when someone gets sick from the unhealthy conditions at the Funky Pelican.
KES says
Unsuspecting tourists keep their business going. Last time we ate there 3 years ago was the last. Horrible food undercooked. “They” only come for the view.
Callmeishmael says
Agreed. This place is Flagler’s original tourist trap restaurant. Institutional, overpriced food and poor attitudes among the service staff. Very few locals who’ve been here a while go there for the food.
Land of no turn signals says says
Over priced food and not that great to boot.
Atwp says
Used to work at a restaurant years ago. We were taught to always in a refrigerator put uncooked food below cooked food. Meat should never be out the refrigerator too long if uncooked. More restaurants should be inspected, because here in Florida there are a lot of rodents around. They are always looking for food. Don’t forget about the roaches. One of the most important thing is employees should always wash their hands especially after bathroom breaks.
James says
Guess they didn’t call it the “Funky” Pelican for nothing.
Just say’n… talk about truth in advertising.