Millie's Accuses Balos Owners of Ripping Them Off at Long Island Restaurant

"Marisa Casey, CEO of Georgetown Events Hospitality Group which operates Millie's, says one of the first things that grabbed her team's attention was a blue sweatshirt with a Jeep Wagoneer graphic posted on Angie's Instagram page. The design is identical to the one that Millie's has been using on its own merch since 2022. Angie's also has an almost identical logo with the its name in white text over a navy blue background and white stars on either side."

""It's just such a blatant rip-off, and it's just so concerning and sad that these guys are local. They come to Millie's all the time," says Casey. "Apparently they gave our hostesses cookies a week or two ago." Millie's owner Bo Blair adds that the whole thing has felt like an April Fools joke: "It's kind of embarrassing for anyone, let alone successful restaurant people to copy basically an entire concept," he says"

"The menus posted online also share many of the same dishes, from lobster quesadillas to grilled swordfish kabobs. Millie's is particularly known for its frosé. Angie's menu highlights its "notorious" frosé. Most striking: Millie's offers a fried chicken sandwich with sweet pickles and honey dijon called Dionis, named after a Nantucket beach. The Long Island restaurant also has a fried chicken sandwich with sweet pickles and honey dijon called Dionis."

Owners of Millie's in Spring Valley accuse the New York operators behind DC Greek spot Balos and its sister bistro of replicating Millie's merchandise, logo, menu items, and dining room design for an Angie's opening in Long Island this winter. Millie's team flagged an identical blue Jeep Wagoneer sweatshirt and a near-identical navy logo with white text and stars. Menus list overlapping dishes including lobster quesadillas, grilled swordfish kabobs, a signature frosé, and a Dionis fried chicken sandwich with sweet pickles and honey dijon. Renderings show a similar navy-and-white dining room and a matching mural. Millie's owners call the copying blatant and embarrassing.

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