Robert DeNiro, Bruce Willis, Justin Timberlake, Jay Z, and Michael Jordan may initially be renowned for film, music and basketball, but they also happen to own New York City restaurants. Even with star power, it’s no easy feat to have a restaurant in this town (first three years are the make-it-or-break-it period). Clearly, tourists and locals alike have taken a shine to the following establishments that, with the test of time, have become NYC dining staples.
Tribeca Grill
Photo: www.facebook.com/trigrill
Born to a family of artists in Greenwich Village, Robert DeNiro’s evolution from Academy Award-winning actor to restaurateur seems natural. He kept it local, too, opening his flagship NYC eatery, Tribeca Grill (co-owned with renowned restaurateur Drew Nieporent), more than 20 years ago.
Adorned with oil paintings made by his late father, the restaurant boasts a reputable menu of American cuisine, with selections such as Pistachio Crusted Swordfish, Red Wine Braised Short Rib, Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. Other investors in the eatery over the years include everyone from Bill Murray to Christopher Walken and Sean Penn.
DeNiro’s presence became even more prominent in Downtown Manhattan following 9/11, when he established the Tribeca Film Festival. DeNiro now co-owns several other restaurants, including Nobu and Locanda Verde, also in Tribeca.
Michael Jordan’s The Steakhouse NYC
Photo: www.michaeljordansnyc.com
Whether you are just visiting New York City or are a local, chances are at some point you’ve walked through the bustling halls of Grand Central Terminal and looked up at the elegant dining area above and thought, what is that restaurant up there?
It’s Michael Jordan’s The Steakhouse N.Y.C., a Grand Central fixture since 1998. The 150-seat steakhouse occupies 7,000 square feet as it wraps around the balcony, with a spacious bar seating 60 people near the Vanderbilt Avenue entrance to the terminal, as well as a small retail shop (nothing about the atmosphere is sports-related.) The spectacular setting and solid menu of charred steaks, pristine seafood, lush desserts, and classic dishes have made it a ‘slam-dunk’ with diners.
Jordan, born in Brooklyn, is, of course, a legendary basketball player for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards (thrice retired!), entrepreneur, and principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets. He’s played in the Olympics and has also dabbled in baseball and golf. The face and name behind Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers, he was named in 2010 by Forbes as the 20th most powerful celebrity in the world. With all these accomplishments under his belt and only 50 years young, Jordan shows no signs of slowing down. He also has a steakhouse in Chicago.
Planet Hollywood Times Square
Photo: planethollywoodintl.com/locations/new-york
The popular All-American, cinema-themed eatery Planet Hollywood opened its first restaurant in New York in 1991, at West 57th Street. Founded by Keith Barish and Robert Earl, investors include New Yorker Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Other actors have invested in the chain over the years, including Whoopi Goldberg and Roseanne Barr.
The interior is filled with photos and memorabilia, of the actors from their extensive film careers. In 2000, the New York restaurant relocated to Times Square. In 2008, Planet Hollywood Times Square acquired next-door neighbor Buca di Beppo, a family-style Italian restaurant. Other Planet Hollywood US locations include Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, and Orlando; in Europe, Disneyland, Paris; Duisburg, Germany, London, England; and Niagara Falls, Canada.
Keep your eyes open for a celebrity sighting! Year round, Planet Hollywood Times Square hosts a wide array of celebrity events. Actor Jason Momoa, star of Game of Thrones, made an appearance to promote Conan the Barbarian, and also donated memorabilia. Last year, singer Miley Cyrus did a signing to promote her new album, Bangerz, at Buca Times Square.
Southern Hospitality
Justin Timberlake’s foray into the world of entertainment began as a Mouseketeer; then later he became the curly-haired frontman for 1990s boy band NSYNC. Timberlake continues to morph over time and stretch out his talents as a crooner, record producer, fashion mogul, actor, and, now, restaurateur.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, it’s not a surprise that Timberlake would invest in creating a restaurant specializing in mouthwatering southern fare. He first dabbled in the restaurant business in 2005, along with investors Eytan Sugarman and Trace Ayala, with the now-closed Destino, a Southern Italian restaurant that was an instant hit with locals and celebs alike (Madonna, Matt Damon, Walter Cronkite ) They ran with their success and opened a second restaurant in 2007, Southern Hospitality, a Memphis-style barbecue restaurant on the Upper East Side. Its success led to the 2011 opening of a second location in Hell’s Kitchen. Not only can you get a tasty selection Southern libations and comfort foods such as pulled pork, brisket, mac n cheese with a smile, but you can also enjoy live music.
40/40
Photo: www.facebook.com/4040Club
The hot sports bar/club 40/40, co-owned by Brooklynite rapper/entrepreneur Jay-Z, is named after a baseball term for a record set by only four players in history: Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Alfonso Soriano, have all hit 40 home runs and stolen 40 bases in a single season. (Their jerseys are displayed inside.)
First opened in 2003, the sprawling, 12,000-square-foot club situated in the Flatiron District is quite the step up from watching the game at the corner bar. “When we were thinking of a name, we wanted something exclusive [and] The 40/40 Club in baseball is as exclusive as you can get,” said Jay-Z.
The club recently underwent a $10 million renovation; upstairs, there are five VIP lounges available for all types of private events. There are a limited number (400) of annual memberships available.
