Seineyard restaurant at Rock Landing closes after 5 years, combines with Wildwood location

Despite five years of enjoying immense popularity in its Panacea location, Seineyard at Rock Landing is closed for good.

A late-night post Monday, May 27, on Facebook from the Tallahassee Beer Society, an organization that promotes local breweries and restaurants, relayed the news of the restaurant's closing. The post included a brief slideshow explaining why and what's next for owners Sam and Starr Dunlap.

The post read: "Sam and Starr received a letter from the marina owners (earlier this year). It said their lease would not be renewed and they needed to be out May 31st."

The post said the marina owners, who hold the lease to the restaurant building, decided that they want to go in a different direction, by leasing the space to Donkeys Bar and Grill, which features chicken and burgers.

Since 2019, Donkeys Bar and Grill has operated their sole location off of Crawfordville Highway. The sports bar is a popular spot for live music, weekly bingo nights, happy hours and watch nights for sports events.

The Dunlaps could not be reached immediately Tuesday for comment. However, Starr Dunlap shared the Tallahassee Beer Society post at midnight, referring people to their Wildwood location beginning Thursday.

"One door closes and another door opens," she wrote. "This is just the beginning of a new season for the Seineyard."

She noted in the post the Rock Landing staff will be working alongside the Wildwood staff and that the restaurant will have many of the same offerings.

"We will need the support of our community to make this happen," she wrote, adding that they are "working on extra space to make room for everyone."

"This will not be an overnight thing, but a transition. So please be patient with us as we come together as one."

The news caught some customers by surprise. One patron commented: "You will be missed!!! I don't think Rock Landing Seineyard can be replaced!!!

The Dunlaps have operated their restaurants under the Seineyard name for nearly 40 years, with their first location opened in 1994 in Woodville, leading to expansions. The Panacea location opened five years ago.

The “outside-on-the-porch” dining and the extensive menu, which included oysters to surf and turf choices, attracted patrons from throughout the region. The Tallahassee Democrat previously reported the Woodville location was sold in November 2023.

The Dunlaps decided that the Woodville location had run its course and solely put their hopes in their remaining establishments transforming them into a spot where people could get "what they want," both dining and entertainment.

At Panacea, the owners partnered with the Tallahassee Beer Society, offering exclusive shrimp dinner deals and more. That tradition will continue at their Wildwood location.

The Seineyard at Wildwood, 3870 Coastal Highway, operates on Thursday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with bingo nights at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The mobile kitchen, 2550 Crawfordville Highway, operates from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Kyla A Sanford covers dining and entertainment for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at [email protected]. New restaurant opening up, special deals, or events coming up? Let me know!

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Restaurants: Seineyard at Rock Landing closes doors after five years