NYC’s Delmonico’s survives eviction, owner beef — announces reopening

A historic New York City eatery has announced a rare moment of triumph.

Delmonico’s, the Financial District steakhouse that’s been feeding Manhattanites for more than 18 decades, will reopen with a new look this September — and is currently open for private events, The Post has learned. 

(Event reservations and seatings for the fall reopening can also now be made on the restaurant’s website.)

“We are excited to reopen Delmonico’s doors and serve the amazing food and experiences that customers have been waiting for as well as introduce the restaurant to new visitors,” longtime employee and freshly appointed Delmonico’s co-owner Dennis Turcinovic told The Post.

“It’s an exciting time in Delmonico’s history. Guests are really going to enjoy the new design, newly inspired dishes, and of course, classic favorites.”

The news follows a dark period for the 56 Beaver St. institution, which shuttered early on in the COVID-19 pandemic only to be faced with an ongoing ownership drama and the threat of eviction. 

Indeed, the 186-year-old landmark made headlines in 2022 for its landlord’s claims that the chophouse owed nearly $300,000 in unpaid rent and assorted other fees, leading to it being served an eviction notice. 

At the time, Delmonico’s ownership told The Post the building was badly damaged during Hurricane Ida and they were withholding rent until it was fixed.

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Then this January, the still-closed Delmonico’s announced it would open this fall in an emailed press release — only for the eatery’s Instagram account to contest the good news, posting its own contradictory announcement calling the emailed release “false.” 

The situation was the result of an ownership dispute between former Delmonico’s employee and new restaurant co-owner Dennis Turcinovic, who sent the email release — and Ferdo and Omer Grgurev, the brothers behind the Instagram post who won a four-way 2021 legal battle in which they won full steakhouse ownership. 

According to a release about the reopening, Turcinovic was ultimately the victor, as it refers to him as the “owner and operator of Delmonico’s Restaurant Group” and makes no mention of the Grgurevs.

“Turcinovic and his partner Joseph Licul signed a 15-year lease for the building upon the previous lease expiring at the end of 2022,” the release noted. “Turcinovic has been involved with the renowned restaurant since 1999 and is an industry veteran with more than 25 years experience in hospitality.”

It also included a quote by Turcinovic claiming Delmonico’s was “the first to use the term restaurant, the first to have a cookbook and the first to serve women sitting at their own table.”

During its closure, the restaurant has undergone an extensive redesign with five renovated dining areas with seating up to 500 guests. 

There is also a new chef, Edward J. Hong, at the helm — as well as a new global brand ambassador: author and TV personality Max Tucci, whose family operated the restaurant for more than 60 years.