Kandi Burruss’s Atlanta dining establishment, Blaze Steak & Seafood, is embroiled in a legal dispute. Its landlord claims the restaurant has failed to pay over $150,000 in back rent and additional repair costs.
Here we go: Montego Pacific Inc., the property owner, filed a lawsuit in Fulton County State Court on Monday, March 3, alleging that the restaurant owes $154,139.17 in unpaid rent, an extra $56,495.75 for property repairs, and a 10 percent overhead fee.
According to the lawsuit, if the outstanding rent is not settled promptly, Burruss could face an additional $12,083.50 per month in accrued interest. Neither Burruss nor her legal representatives have publicly commented on the allegations. Montego Pacific reportedly gave her 10 days to resolve the unpaid balance before pursuing further legal action.
Burruss, a celebrated entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actress, and former Real Housewives of Atlanta star, launched Blaze Steak & Seafood in Atlanta in 2020 alongside her husband, Todd Tucker.
Check this: the couple also owns Old Lady Gang, a Southern comfort food restaurant in Castleberry Hill. While Blaze has garnered positive reviews, including a 93-point score from the Georgia Department of Public Health in 2023, Old Lady Gang has faced mixed customer feedback.
Back in 2023, singer Tamar Braxton openly criticized the food at Old Lady Gang, calling it “nasty.” Additionally, popular food critic and TikTok sensation Keith Lee shared a less-than-ideal experience during his visit. Known for his honest and unfiltered reviews, Lee revealed that his family left without being served despite being “invited” to the restaurant.
Lee explained that he initially sent his family inside to place a to-go order but was turned away due to the restaurant’s policies. They were also informed that the wait time for a table exceeded an hour. However, Lee claimed that a table was suddenly prepared and ready within five minutes when he entered the establishment.
“As always, I don’t want any special treatment. I wanna be treated like everybody else,” Lee stated. “I pay for my food like everybody else. I’m a normal person. I’m a normal customer. Things like this is exactly why I do reviews the way I do.”
But wait, Burruss responded to the situation professionally, expressing gratitude for Lee’s visit while clarifying the restaurant’s policies. “I’m about to speak on it. No, I’m joking. I’m not about to speak on it,” she quipped before adding, “I just really want to say, I do appreciate Keith Lee for stopping by our restaurant and trying to show us love. It is very unfortunate that we couldn’t serve him and his family.”
What’s more she further explained the challenges of managing high demand during weekends, stating, “On the weekends, we get a lot of community support, people in our city that show up for us, as well as a lot of people from out of town. So, with that being said, we don’t want to overwhelm our kitchen by having to, you know, have such long times for the people who are actually at the restaurant, plus having to do to-go orders.”
As the legal battle over Blaze’s alleged unpaid rent unfolds, Burruss continues to navigate the challenges of running her culinary ventures while maintaining her reputation as a successful entrepreneur and entertainer.