China Queen Restaurant in Pineville That Went Viral for Deer Incident Has Permanently Closed

PINEVILLE, La. - The restaurant in Pineville that went viral for allegedly skinning a deer in a back alley has officially closed for good as of Monday, May 11, 2026.

A sign on the restaurant's front door read that the business is "permanently closed."

The Viral Deer Incident That Started It All

As you probably recall, the viral social media post on April 22 accused the restaurant of being in possession of "roadkill." The post claimed an employee at the China Queen was seen skinning a dead animal.

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Upon investigation, the Pineville Police Department confirmed that a dead deer, collected from the roadside, was found in the restaurant's freezer alongside food intended for customers. The Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries launched an investigation.

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China Queen's Response: 'Never Intended to Be Served to Customers'

The owners of China Queen posted a note acknowledging that a deer was on its premises and that it was "improperly stored" but claimed it was "never intended to be served to customers."

Louisiana Department of Health Statement and Temporary Closure

The restaurant was forced to close temporarily by the Louisiana Department of Health. They released the following statement about the findings:

Out of an abundance of caution, the facility voluntarily closed as requested, while a thorough cleaning and sanitization process was conducted in accordance with our public health regulations. Once thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, the establishment notified our inspectors and a follow-up inspection was conducted the next day. At that time, there was no indication of an existing public health risk and the establishment was allowed to reopen.

What Investigators Found: 31 Health Code Violations

LDH discovered a total of 31 health code violations. In addition to the violations regarding the deer carcass, other issues included roaches found in the restaurant, frozen food not kept frozen, floors not clean, including blood found on the floor, and more.