Guy Fieri's Times Square Restaurant Replaced By Blue Ribbon Group

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Well-known New York City restaurant group Blue Ribbon opened its newest restaurant Wednesday in Times Square.

The Ribbon will serve up Blue Ribbon classics such as its fried chicken, spit-roasted meats and a wide selection of nearly whiskeys at 220 W. 44th St. — a six-story retail building located between Seventh and Eighth avenues — the restaurant group announced in a press release.

The new eatery is designed to pay homage to Times Square's past, specifically when the area was known as Longacre Square. The decor features vintage furniture, first edition books and boxing memorabilia.

"Times Square plays an essential role in New York City life, and it has evolved over the years," owner Bruce Bromberg said in a statement. "Our take on hospitality always comes back to bringing friends together and fostering a neighborhood feel time and time again. We’re really hoping to bring a little of that spirit back to the area for locals, while also showing out-of-towners what New York hospitality is all about."

Co-owner Eric Bromberg added that the restaurant will hopefully bring New York City locals back to Times Square, an area that has become proliferated with tourist hotspots such as Olive Garden and Red Lobster.

The Ribbon is actually a direct replacement of one of those tourist spots. Guy's American Kitch and Bar, owned by the enigmatic "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" host Guy Fieri, was the previous tenant at 220 W. 44th Street. The restaurant closed suddenly at the end of 2017 despite nearly $17 million in annual sales. Guy's American Kitchen was panned by critics but loved, both ironically and unironically, by the city's visitors and hipsters.

Photo courtesy Blue Ribbon restaurants