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It's official: the iconic Bryant Park Grill, which has been operating in midtown since 1995, was not able to renew its lease and will soon be replaced by a Jean-Georges restaurant.
The news was made public by the Bryant Park Corporation’s president Dan Biederman during a Manhattan Community Board 5 earlier this week. During the forum, officials reportedly mentioned that the new operator will soon sign an 18-year-lease, hoping to open a full-service eatery by May of 2026.
The news doesn't come as a full surprise: the parks department put out a request for proposals in October of 2024 and, according to Gothamist, “Biederman narrowed his choice from among 11 ‘serious applications.’”
The outlet reports that Seaport Entertainment Group, the operators of the new restaurant, will carry forward a $12 million renovation project, culminating in the reopening of the famous porch seating area by this October before the debut of the destination as a whole.
But the iconic Bryant Park Grill is not going down without a fight. According to the New York Post, Michael Weinstein, the restaurant's owner, was at the meeting this week and claimed his bid was higher than that of Seaport Entertainment Group ($3 million over $2 million, reportedly).
“We are a hugely successful restaurant even though we are handcuffed—the restaurant closes at 10pm during the week, our outdoor seating is weather permitting and we don’t do bottle service and turn into a nightclub,” said Weinstein.
During the community board meeting, attendees also voiced their concerns about Seaport Entertainment Group's financials, mentioning a reported $32 million loss per quarter.
In response, Biederman assured those concerned that he new lease would feature a rent guarantee, forcing the operators to pay regardless of the success of the new business.
Although folks involved seem to be pretty sure of the deal, the Parks Department still needs to approve of this all so we'll have to wait and see what happens.