GG's House of Cookup, a Caribbean restaurant on Utica Avenue in East Flatbush, keeps getting knocked out of service by foul sewage backups, flooding and mold that owners say have turned their dining room into a full-on health hazard. Co-owners Gayeth and Dryck Alleyne say the mess started in June of last year and has forced them to repeatedly mop up contaminated water just to stay operational, while their landlord and shifting property managers leave them hanging and customers keep calling to ask why the gates are down.
Owners Describe Sewage, Mold And Rodents
"This has been going on since last year June," Gayeth told reporters, while Dryck added, "If it’s not feces then it’s tampons, it’s toilet tissue," describing raw sewage and waste inside the restaurant, as reported by News 12 Brooklyn. The Alleynes say they poured thousands of dollars into renovating the space, only to see flooding, mold and nightly rats wipe out weeks of business at a time. They also told News 12 that roughly three changes in building management have come and gone since they opened, without solving the underlying problems.
Where The Shop Is And How Customers Are Reacting
GG's House of Cookup operates out of 793 Utica Avenue in East Flatbush, a spot that shows up on major delivery apps even as some now list it as temporarily unavailable while repairs drag on. The Alleynes say the phone has been ringing nonstop with regulars asking when they can get their food again. The Utica Avenue address is confirmed on Uber Eats, which currently shows the restaurant as not accepting orders.
Landlord Response And City Enforcement
The Alleynes say repeated calls to the landlord have gone nowhere, and that each new property manager has pointed the finger back at the restaurant instead of fixing the building. The Department of Buildings told News 12 Brooklyn it issued a violation to the landlord over the sewage issue in early April and that a monetary penalty could follow. In the meantime, the owners say the constant closures are battering both their reputation and their bottom line.
Property History And Shared Systems
Public records list 793 Utica Avenue as a three-story mixed-use building that changed hands in March 2021, according to PropertyShark. The restaurant shares plumbing and other key systems with the rest of the building, which the Alleynes say has made it harder to pin down and permanently fix the issue. Walking away is not on the table, they add, because "our money's in it" even as the building's problems keep resurfacing.
What Comes Next
The DOB violation puts the responsibility for correcting the conditions on the property owner and could lead to fines or further enforcement if repairs are not made, according to guidance from the NYC Department of Buildings. The Alleynes are urging both the landlord and the city to move quickly so they can reopen for good and rebuild customer trust. For now, anyone craving GG's House of Cookup is being told to check delivery listings or contact the owners directly for the latest on when the kitchen will be back in action.
