A popular Rockland restaurant is embroiled in an ongoing legal dispute with its landlord that could lead to its eviction.

Joshua Hixson, executive chef at 3Crow restaurant, located at 449 Main St., said Monday he will fight a ruling made by Judge Patricia Worth in Knox County Unified Court on Friday that ordered the restaurant’s eviction and payment of more than $237,000 in legal fees, bills and future rent for the balance of the lease.

“We are very confident that we are going to win, and we are just trying to run our restaurant,” Hixson said. “We’re not accepting the decision. We honestly are not going to stop.”

The dispute began in May, when the restaurant’s landlord, Richard Rockwell, filed a suit alleging that 3Crow had breached its lease agreement by not allowing him to review the restaurant’s financial records. Under the terms of the lease, Rockwell owns a 25 percent share in the restaurant and has a right to review the records, according to Lee Bals, the Portland attorney representing Rockwell.

“He has the right to review the books and records, and our position has been that the books and records haven’t been made available to him,” Bals said.

Hixson disputes that account, saying Rockwell has been allowed to inspect the books, “but there’s a limit.”

In June, Hixson, who owns 75 percent of the restaurant, filed two counter claims alleging defamation, fraud and breach of contract.

“Since then, our landlord has tried to evict us,” he said. “I don’t know if the two were related.”

Hixson claims Rockwell is simply “unhappy with the return on his investment.” The chef said he and his wife and co-owner, Tara Barker, have already paid everything they owe, adding that the judge in the eviction case had been given canceled checks for bills paid by the restaurant to cover items such as utilities and public improvements to the property.

Bals, Rockwell’s attorney, said his client tried “for many, many, many months” to work things out amicably, but in the end felt he had no alternative but to move forward with eviction.

“This decision was not an occasion to uncork the champagne and celebrate,” Bals said. “It’s unfortunate. He wishes them no ill will. I’m sure Mr. Hixson and his wife are very talented chefs, and I don’t dispute that. But they made certain promises to Mr. Rockwell that they didn’t live up to.”

Hixson said that despite the legal battles the restaurant is “doing great.”

“We have a great team, and we have great community support,” he said.

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