Chef Gareth Smith had announced the closure of Big Mike’s in Blackrock, Dublin, after its final service on 22 September 2025.
The restaurant opened in autumn 2022 with Smith’s investment of his house deposit and life savings totalling €1.6m in start-up costs.
Despite team efforts and prior restructuring, including closing Michael’s in Mount Merrion in July 2024, unsustainable finances force the shutdown.
The closure reflects pressures on Ireland’s hospitality sector from rising costs, energy prices, and post-pandemic recovery issues.
Smith commits to supporting staff transitions to new roles and handling voucher redemptions through a detailed note.
Gareth Smith shared “This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to write. It feels like failure, but it isn’t. We’re proud of what we achieved, we shot for the stars, poured everything into it — heart, soul, sweat, tears, life savings, even the house deposit — but the brutal truth is the maths just don’t math anymore.”
