Popular South Mississippi restaurant has ‘officially closed its doors for good’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Flamingo Landing in Gulfport closed despite high traffic and waterfront access.
- The venue opened in May 2023 as Creole Cuisine's first Mississippi location.
- Online comments cite market saturation as a key factor in the closure.
Location is everything in real estate and the restaurant business, but sometimes it isn’t enough.
Flamingo Landing restaurant and bar, off Cowan Road in Gulfport, had heavy traffic passing daily, a waterfront location on Bayou Bernard where customers could arrive by boat, spicy food, icy drinks and some of the favorite music on the Coast.
But on Tuesday, a rental truck was pulled up to the building and being loaded with the decor. A sign on the door said the business is closed, and posts on Facebook confirmed the online speculation.
“With a heavy heart, I’m sharing that Flamingo Landing has officially closed its doors for good,” said Terry McCormack.
“Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of bringing you quality entertainment, great memories and unforgettable nights,” he said. “I’m so grateful for everyone who supported the restaurant, the musicians and made this place feel alive.”
Musicians who were booked to play at the restaurant also posted that their gigs were canceled.
The property is owned by Coast developer Ivan Spinner, who said he’s given the operators of Flamingo Landing six months to sell their business before he rents to a new tennant.
The restaurant opened in May 2023 in the building that formerly was Marina Cantina. It was the first venture into Mississippi by New Orleans restaurant group Creole Cuisine Restaurant that opened Flamingo A-Go-Go, Cafe Maspero, Broussards and Gumbo Ya-Ya in Louisiana.
The building was remodeled extensively before reopening, with modern decor upstairs and big windows and garage doors that let in the views and the breeze off the water. Downstairs, their customers could sit in the covered areas or spaces open to the waterfront and the docks.
Favorites on the menu were margaritas, Flamingo chicken bombs with fried jalapeños, and a trio of tacos.
Comments on Facebook show some of their customers were surprised by the closing, while others see it as a sign that South Mississippi may have reached the point of too many places to go out to eat.
When the restaurant opened in 2023, it was one of 40 new places on the Coast, and many more restaurants have opened in the two years since then.
“Kinda hard for on premise/off premise to survive when permits are allowed at the snap of a finger,” one comment said. “The coast is growing, but restaurants and stores are growing faster. Too many restaurants not enough people.”
For staff who worked at Flamingo Landing and now are looking for a new job, a post directs them to Anthony’s Ristorante in Bay St Louis that is hiring and opening soon.
This story was originally published August 26, 2025 at 2:08 PM.
