Future of America’s oldest steakhouse, Delmonico’s, closed for the last three years in doubt

The future of Delmonico’s, the oldest steakhouse in the country which had been in operation since 1837 until the pandemic, appears to be at stake.

The 186-year-old restaurant, set in the Financial District, also serves as the exterior shots for The Continental Hotel in the John Wick series of films and has been closed for nearly three years.

However, there’s currently a dispute with two parties now claiming to have the right to reopen the restaurant set in the Financial District.

The Continental is John Wick’s most iconic location: a hotel for assassins where they can drink scotch, and make eyes at other assassins while they take care of ‘business’ in the heart of the Financial District.

One of Manhattan’s oldest restaurants, Delmonico’s, is in the process of returning to the Financial District after being closed for nearly three years

When it was open the restaurant was famous for its innovative American dishes including eggs benedict, Manhattan clam chowder and the famous Delmonico steak, pictured above

When it was open the restaurant was famous for its innovative American dishes including eggs benedict, Manhattan clam chowder, and the famous Delmonico ribeye steak. 

The dispute centers around who owns the rights to the Delmonico’s name and its use. 

A press release sent out last week stated how the restaurant would return in the fall of 2023 but an Instagram post on Delmonico’s Instagram account alleged how the ‘recent reports that we will re-open at 56 Beaver Street are false. 

‘It has come to our attention that former associates have been misrepresenting themselves to the media as owners of Delmonico’s,’ the post stated.

One family is stating they have the right to use the trademarked name while a second party claims announcing any kind of reopening is a violation of trademark rights. 

An Instagram post on Delmonico’s Instagram account allege the ‘recent reports that we will re-open at 56 Beaver Street are false.’

The iconic New York restaurant at 56 Beaver Street has served as the ‘re-dressed’ exterior of The Continental Hotel in the John Wick movie series. Keanu Reeves is pictured, above

New York City’s 186-year-old restaurant, Delmonico’s closed as COVID struck in 2020

Delmonico’s shut their doors and ‘suspended all operations’ as part of the lockdown on March 18, 2020. This image shows cooks preparing food at Delmonico’s in 1902 

The Grgurevs, who used to operate the restaurant and currently run the Delmonico’s Instagram account, claim that new leaseholders of the 56 Beaver Street location are using the Delmonico’s name in bad faith, without their involvement and are not involved in the restaurant’s relaunch.  

The Grgurevs are also in the process of filing a lawsuit against the new operators.

The disagreement centers on a legal ruling in spring 2021 in which brothers Ferdo and Omer Grgurev managed to secure full ownership of the location, but were barred from operating a Delmonico’s restaurant or any other restaurant within one mile until March 2023. 

Yet, the Grgurevs have stated that they also have still the right to still operate the restaurant under the Delmonico’s name. 

In the meantime, Dennis Turcinovic and Joseph Licul, who are involved in another restaurant, are now claiming to be the new owners of the property as of January 1, 2023, and are not involved in any ongoing lawsuit with the previous owners.

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Delmonico’s was among eateries and bars across the country that were forced to close during the coronavirus lockdown. They have never reopened

A representative for Turcinovic told Eater how he and Licul signed a new 15-year lease with Time Equities and deny any claims that might suggest they are not the legitimate owners. 

They have announced plans to remove any website that suggests otherwise and are planning to launch new websites if the issue is not resolved.

But the Grgurev brothers state it is they who have the right to operate the restaurant under the Delmonico’s name with others barred from operating any Delmonico’s or another restaurant within one mile until March of this year.  

In April 2022, the landlord, Time Equities, attempted to evict the restaurant, under the Grgurev family’s management, for alleged non-payment of almost $300,000 in rent and fees. 

Some of Delmonico’s legendary steaks seen in the fridge when the venue was open pre-2020

The busy kitchen of Delmonico’s as seen in 1902 wen the restaurant was 65 years old

Mark Twain’s 70th birthday dinner at Delmonico’s held on December 5th, 1905

The Grgurev family denied the eviction claim and stated it was related to the landlord’s delay in repairing water damage in the building from Hurricane Ida in 2021.

By December 2022, the lease expired and the landlord did not renew it, Time Equities then signed the deal with Turcinovic and Licul, Grgurev’s former partners.  

Michelle Grgurev, the daughter of Omer Grgurev, now says her family believes the landlord intentionally allowed the lease to expire so that it could be reissued to new tenants. 

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The iconic New York Restaurant features as the exterior of The Continental Hotel in the John Wick movie series

Dinner menu from Delmonico’s on April 18, 1899