Holy City Zoo BBQ in Longwood closes it's doors only weeks after opening

A rock-and-roll-themed restaurant that opened to much publicity has suddenly closed not long after the official opening.

Holy City Zoo BBQ at 190 S. Ronald Reagan Blvd, Longwood has closed its doors less than two months after opening.

The BBQ spot, owned by couple, Greg and Kristina Gaardbo moved to Central Florida from Chicago to open Holy City Zoo BBQ,

For 15 years, Greg and Kristina ran Chicago Culinary Kitchen, a successful barbecue restaurant that received numerous awards, but the couple decided they wanted a move to Florida.

The couple decided on Longwood, spending the best part of a year converting the 5,000 sq. ft. space at at 190 S. Ronald Reagan Blvd, into a rock-and-roll themed BBQ restaurant.

The restaurant hosted a grand opening on April 18, with Greg and Kristina Gaardbo front and center of a publicity blitz.

Since opening the restaurant has had mixed reviews, with most customers offering average reviews.

Now only six weeks after opening, the restaurant is closed, with a notice on the door, "To our guests and supporters, Effective June 1, 2026, Holy City Zoo BBQ has permanently closed. While our journey was shorter than we envisioned, we are sincerely grateful to everyone who visited, supported us, and believed in what we were trying to build. We appreciate every meal shared, every kind word, and every person who gave us a chance. Thank you for being part of our story. With gratitude, The Holy City Zoo BBQ Team"

Holy City Zoo BBQ has deleted its Instagram and Facebook accounts, with its location on Google now listed as permanently closed, although the restaurants website is still live, with no mention of the closure.

Greg, a Marine veteran and lifelong entrepreneur, and Kristina, a former registered nurse turned Certified Cicerone, built their reputation on patience, precision and respect for the craft of barbecue. Their previous concepts earned honors, including Best BBQ in Illinois by Money Magazine and a People’s Choice Award at Windy City Smokeout. The pair also appeared on the Cooking Channel’s “Man Fire Food” and “Big Bad BBQ Crawl,” further elevating their profile within the barbecue community.

Now their time as restaurant operators in Central Florida appear to be over? The restaurant is already listed by the landlord of the property on LoopNet.

The listing states that the space carries a $1 million-plus build-out, offering a buyer immediate operations at a fraction of replacement cost. "This is an asset sale and lease assignment priced at $250,000, well below the cost to build the space from the ground up. The price includes all furniture, fixtures, and equipment per the equipment list, plus a 4COP-SFS state liquor license."

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