Hamburger Mary’s Jax 2.0 is scrambling to keep the lights on and the drag shows rolling, and now it is warning fans to watch their wallets while they help. The Murray Hill spot says scammers have spun up fake Venmo accounts that mimic its handle, just as the restaurant faces the threat of eviction as early as Wednesday and asks supporters for a short-term financial "bridge" until spring bookings fully kick in. Staff say months without a liquor license, paired with climbing costs, left them behind on rent.
What the post said
In a social media plea, the restaurant told followers it went nine months without a liquor license before finally regaining one this month and pointed to higher insurance, rent and utility bills as the reason it fell short. The post said the most direct way to help is to send donations to Venmo at @jaxmarys, but it also flagged a growing problem: scammers creating personal accounts with barely tweaked versions of that name. As reported by News4JAX, the restaurant warned plainly, "Eviction proceedings begin Wednesday."
Location and licensing records
The venue operates out of a small shopping center on Edgewood Avenue South, where city planning files list the business at 947 Edgewood Ave S. Those records also show a 2025 zoning exception that authorizes on-premises alcohol sales at the site. That documentation backs up the restaurant’s current Murray Hill address and its push for a lasting liquor license there, as detailed in a Planning Department report.
History and the 2023 fire
This is hardly the first crisis for the local franchise. In October 2023, an electrical fire tore through its former Beach Boulevard location, causing extensive damage and triggering a long, costly recovery that reshaped the operation. Coverage at the time showed charred decor and a lengthy repair process, as reported by Jax Today, which helps explain why owners now say another major financial hit could be devastating as they work to rebuild and reopen.
The Venmo warning and the message
The restaurant stressed that its real Venmo account is a verified business profile with the handle @jaxmarys and urged people to check carefully before sending money. "Mary’s is a place where you can be 100% yourself without judgment," the post said, adding, "we are not asking for a handout. we are asking for a bridge." News4JAX has the full post and the account handle so potential donors can verify they are looking at the right page.
How to help and how to avoid scams
Supporters who want to chip in are being urged to confirm that the Venmo username matches the verified business profile exactly and to steer clear of any accounts that differ by a letter, symbol or piece of punctuation. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center advises reporting impersonation efforts and other online fraud, noting that complaints can help investigators track patterns and may assist in efforts to freeze stolen funds. If you spot a suspicious profile, report it both to Venmo and to IC3 so authorities can follow up.
For now, regulars and performers say they are rallying behind the Murray Hill mainstay while managers hustle to stabilize cash flow and keep shows on the calendar. The restaurant says bookings are filling in for May and June, and fans across Jacksonville have already begun sharing the warning and the call for help.
