Pihakis restaurants ‘are not infants’: Company fights for action in $394,000 lawsuit
Evans Meats filed suit more than a month ago against the restaurant group.
Chloe Mitchell 
Legal pressure is mounting for the Pihakis Restaurant Group as attorneys for a creditor are demanding a swift resolution to a pending lawsuit. Evans Meats, which initiated legal action on April 27 in Shelby County Circuit Court, is seeking nearly $400,000 for unpaid meat deliveries.
Default Judgment Requested
More than 30 days have elapsed since the initial filing, yet the restaurant group has failed to provide a timely response. In a blunt filing submitted on Monday, counsel for Evans Meats asserted that the Alabama LLC defendants involved in the case “are not infants or incompetent persons,” effectively urging the court to issue a default judgment in favor of the plaintiff.
The lawsuit details a breach of contract claim, alleging the group owes a total of $394,238.73, alongside interest, attorney fees, and collection costs. Of that sum, the complaint contends that the various restaurants involved carry a combined debt of $220,639.21 for meat provided on credit.
Impacted Locations
The legal action targets 19 specific restaurants under the Pihakis umbrella. The list of establishments with outstanding balances includes eight Hero Diner locations, four Rodney Scott BBQ spots, three Little Donkey restaurants, two Luca locations, the Atlanta-based Psito, and the now-closed Tasty Town in Birmingham.
A Pattern of Legal Challenges
This litigation is part of a difficult period for the Pihakis Restaurant Group. Last week, Jefferson County District Judge Martha Reeves Cook granted a default judgment against the group in an eviction lawsuit regarding office space at 101 12th St. S., Suite 300, in Birmingham. The ruling allows 101 Parkside to reclaim the property following an appeal period.
Since March, the group has navigated the closure of more than a dozen restaurants and is currently entangled in three major lawsuits totaling over $1 million in unpaid bills, plus liens from a developer exceeding $12.6 million. Despite these closures, three Pihakis restaurants continue to operate, reportedly under new ownership.
Attempts to reach legal representation for Nick Pihakis regarding the latest lawsuit have been unsuccessful.
