Bryant Park Grill closing this spring, set to be replaced by a Jean-Georges restaurant

Bryant Park Grill closing this spring, set to be replaced by a Jean-Georges restaurant

By Ryan Kailath
January 28, 2025

The Bryant Park Grill, which has overlooked the park from its perch behind the New York Public Library for 30 years, will close at the end of April and be replaced by a Jean-Georges restaurant next year. Dan Biederman, president of the nonprofit Bryant Park Corporation, announced the plan during a contentious committee meeting of Manhattan Community Board 5 on Monday, saying that Jean-Georges had “the best combination of operating record, financial strength and creative talent in food and design,” and that an 18-year lease would be signed in the next few days…The grill and its outdoor porch generated $31 million in sales in the latest fiscal year, but Biederman has previously said a new operator could generate perhaps $40 million. The parks department would ultimately have to sign off on Biederman’s selection, weighing feedback from the community board, an advisory body…multiple community board members on Monday expressed concerns about Jean-Georges’ reputation as high-end fine-dining restaurateur, and questioned whether the new restaurant would heed their core priority of providing an affordable dining experience to Bryant Park visitors.