The Most Devastating Recent Restaurant Closures
Thousands of restaurants everywhere are closing because of severe financial setbacks brought on by the pandemic.
Many big-name chains have announced closures of hundreds of their locations across the U.S., but even more independently-owned businesses have gone under or declared bankruptcy during the past six months. Recently, five well-known restaurants announced they will be closing their doors for good before the fall and winter seasons hit, and we wanted to give them the final farewell they deserve.
Read on for the five establishments that we'll miss the most (and for more things we'll miss, check out these 8 Grocery Items That May Soon Be in Short Supply).
The Mermaid Inn (New York City)
The East Village restaurant that could seat 116 people (80 inside the dining room, 20 in the garden, and another 16 on the sidewalk) officially closed after 17.5 years. The restaurant was run by Danny Abrams and his partner Cindy Smith, which welcomed more than 850,000 guests and paid over $15 million in wages to its 2,000+ employee staff over the years. The restaurant was most known for its happy hour deals as well as oysters, crab cakes, and lobster rolls. The Mermaid Inn's three other locations remain in place, but the co-owners couldn't afford to keep this location in operation.
"The situation is untenable," Abrams said in a phone interview with Eater. "The PPP has run out. There's no money to pay landlords. We go to landlords like beggars hoping they'll give us a handout."
Beach Street Grill (San Francisco)
After 15 years of serving organic breakfast and brunch items to locals and tourists in San Francisco's Fisherman Wharf, Beach Street Grill has officially closed.
"To Our Friends and Customers: With a heavy heart, we are sad to say that the Beach Street Grill will not be re-opening. We had 15 good years in Fisherman's Wharf…," as seen on the restaurant's website.
Ronny's Steakhouse (Chicago)
Ronny's Steakhouse in downtown Chicago was known for its less than $10 steak dinners and after 57 years, it has shuttered its doors for good.
"It has been a historic run; it's time to turn off that famous neon sign one final time," reads the Facebook post. "From a foundational dream in 1963, both a legacy and legend were born. Excellent food, great service, and amazing prices were the keystones to our success."
Restaurant 108 (Copenhagen)
The sister of destination restaurant Noma, Restaurant 108 announced that it would be closing after four years of service on September 30. The restaurant was described as a casual alternative to the world-famous Noma.
"It is with great sadness that we today announce the closure of Restaurant 108," reads the restaurant's Instagram post. "Due to the negative consequences of the global pandemic, especially the drastic reduction in number of international tourists visiting Copenhagen, we have concluded that it is no longer economically sustainable to continue to operate 108 in the current location."⠀
Dominque Ansel Bakery (Los Angeles)
Dominque Ansel, most known for his invention of the Cronut (a donut and croissant hybrid) has officially closed his bakery in Los Angeles.
"During the pandemic, we've had to make some tough choices and also had to make peace with not having a choice sometimes," Ansel wrote in a post on Instagram. "We now join the list of Covid casualties, alongside our well-respected peers in the industry. It's ironic to close when our last memories were of the lines every weekend and nights full of proposals, tree lightings, and blow out finale parties."
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