Hillsboro Village Dining Fixture Sunset Grill Closes Its Doors

The new year is certainly starting out with some big news, as The Tennessean reports that Sunset Grill, restaurateur Randy Rayburn's 24-year-old Hillsboro Village stalwart, is closed for good.

The shutter appears to be abrupt, with no notice of the restaurant's intention to close after its final New Year's Eve dinner. But according to Rayburn (and conventional wisdom within the local dining scene), the restaurant had been in trouble for some time, admitting that "the Sunset Grill concept had seen its day" and that "declining revenues spelled the end two years ago."

And it can now be assumed that former executive chef Chris Cunningham left early last month for the head position at soon-to-open FLIP Burger due, at least in part, to the impending closure.

Rayburn says that he'll continue to focus on his other two restaurants, Cabana in Hillsboro Village and Midtown Cafe. But this leaves a number of prime restaurant spaces up for grabs in the Village, including the former Boca Loca Cantina and Taco Factory spot directly across the street and the old Bosco's location on 18th Avenue.