Mystery surrounding Coast dessert bar as customers left in lurch

Customers claim they have been left out of pocket by the sudden closure of a popular Gold Coast dessert bar. But the owners insist they are just renovating.

CUSTOMERS claim they have been left out of pocket by the sudden closure of a popular Gold Coast dessert bar.

But the owners insist they are just renovating.

Palm Beach eatery Infinite Dessert & Cocktail bar has closed despite only opening in September. In the shop’s window is a for lease sign and the real estate agent say they are advertising for a new tenant.

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Infinite Dessert Bar at Palm Beach. Picture: Jerad Williams

Infinite’s iconic neon sign has been listed for sale — along with bench tops, a booth and the bar — and the restaurant Instagram account has also disappeared.

Three separate individuals said they had deposited $200-300 each for party bookings at the cocktail bar, only to discover the restaurant was not open for the time of their reservations.

A woman, who did not want to be named, said she was asked to pay $200 in January for her daughters’s 18th birthday celebrations to take place the next night.

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The iconic neon sign that was in place at Infinite Dessert & Cocktail bar has been listed for sale by one of the bar’s owners.

Despite two confirmations of the booking from co-owner Kye Sheehan, she was told the restaurant was closed while the family was driving to the party.

“It was a really busy day and we were driving up from NSW for the party,” the mother said.

“I checked my emails to see he told me the restaurant was shut because the chef and sub chefs were sick. We were 20 minutes away from Palm Beach.”

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Infinite Dessert Bar at Palm Beach. Owners Matthew Hartnett holding a Golden Espresso Martini and Kye Sheehan holding the 24K. Picture: Jerad Williams

The woman said she had been promised a refund a number of times. However, she said the money was yet to be returned.

“It is disappointing obviously. I think there would be an awful lot of people who have done the same thing.

“When the phone wouldn’t answer, I got emailed and got the response asking for the deposit.

“My gut was telling me something was wrong.”

The two other individuals have since been reimbursed for the booking fees after complaining about the issue online.

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The For Lease sign on the door of Infinite Dessert & Cocktail Bar at Palm Beach pictured Thursday.

Mr Sheehan, who co-owns the restaurant with Matthew Hartnett, today denied the restaurant had closed and blamed the booking issues on a social media company.

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“They took bookings when in fact we were renovating the restaurant,” he said. “We have since rectified all bookings and apologise for the inconvenience.

“We are completely changing the restaurant whole inside. Sign was too bright.”

Mr Sheehan said he expected the restaurant to be full within three weeks.

“I am telling you we are not closing,” he said.

A for lease sign was posted on the Infinite Dessert & Cocktail Bar door this week.

The real estate agents responsible for the Palm Beach property told the Bulletin the space was to be leased out.

“It is empty and ready for tenants,” the real estate agent said.

Mr Hartnett did not respond to requests for interview from the Bulletin.

Google had listed Infinite Dessert & Cocktail Bar as permanently closed in mid January.