Upscale Steakhouse Seized By State For $678K In Missing Taxes

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A steakhouse that claims it's the only restaurant on the East Coast that has permission to serve legitimate Kobe beef from Japan has been seized by the state Department of Taxation and Finance, officials said.

The 212 Steakhouse on East 53rd Street between First and Second avenues was seized Tuesday by the state, a spokesman for the Department of Taxation and Finance confirmed. The business had five open warrants against it and owes the state a total of $678,459 in missing taxes, the spokesman said.

The spokesman could not confirm whether the steakhouse has reached an agreement with the state to reopen the business, but did say that a seizure is often the "last resort" taken in order to recoup a debt to the state.

"Long before this happens we are in contact with business owners letting them know there is an outstanding tax debt," the department spokesman said. "After we seize a business we continue to communicate with owners to find a mutually beneficial way forward."

On its website, 212 Steakhouse boasts that it is the only New York City member of the Japanese Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association.

"In fact, 212 Steakhouse is the only restaurant which has gotten approval to use the true Kobe Beef officially in the East Coast. Our guests are guaranteed to relish the supreme quality of the authentic Kobe Beef," the website reads.

Calls to 212 Steakhouse were unanswered and the business' voicemail box is full, so Patch could not leave a message.

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