Lil Baby is deeply mourning the death of Chad Dillon, his partner in The Seafood Menu, who was fatally shot on July 23 in a bustling part of Atlanta. Dillon, 33, was discovered dead in his car by police after the shooting, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. Dillon co-owned The Seafood Menu with Lil Baby and had a significant presence in the Atlanta dining scene, including other popular spots like Boiler Seafood and Crab Boil. He was also noted for being the first Black seafood restaurant owner in the city.
The police have yet to identify any suspects or motives in the case. Lil Baby honored Dillon on Instagram with a touching post: “Damn big buddy get ya rest [dove emoji],” sharing a photo of them together.
RJ, who operates the neighboring restaurant, shared his sorrow with FOX 5 Atlanta: “It’s just a huge void, and I’m not sure if that will ever be filled. He was always there for people. He did Thanksgiving turkeys and gave them out. I’m just at a loss for words at this point.”
Dillon had previously discussed his collaboration as a partner with Lil Baby in an interview with Ebony. He detailed their decision to open The Seafood Menu, saying, “Lil Baby was already a good friend of mine originally, and he actually had the location picked out because he always wanted to give back and do something in his actual community where he grew up.” Dillon continued, “We were talking one day, and he said he wanted to call it The Menu. I was like, ‘There’s only chicken spots on this side of town, so let’s bring seafood here and call it The Seafood Menu.’ Lil Baby loved it.” He also highlighted their commitment to affordability: “At The Crab Boiler, a crab leg plate would be almost $35. At The Seafood Menu, it’s only $12.99. Even selling seafood, we actually have the cheapest food on the block.”