CHELSEA, Manhattan (PIX11) – Elmo Restaurant, a community fixture in Chelsea, is closing after 25 years, its owners announced Monday morning.
Elmo Restaurant’s founder, Bob Pontarelli, said the building on Seventh Avenue was sold, ending the restaurant’s long-standing lease. The restaurant’s last dinner will be on March 13, Pontarelli said in a post to Instagram.
“For nearly 25 years elmo has been the destination for hundreds of thousands of guests to enjoy some of life’s best moments,” Pontarelli said. “It’s been a place for a first date or dinner with friends. A place for important celebrations and fabulous parties….or simply a place to gather comfortably with members of your community.”
The restaurant has hosted events like New Year’s Eve with drag performers, pride parties, and birthday parties downstairs. Reservations are still open through March 13.
Many patrons, including Bravo producer and host Andy Cohen, lamented the closure of another neighborhood staple on social media. They described the restaurant as a place to meet new friends, host events, and celebrate major New York City moments, from Pride Month to the marathon.
“Bob this sucks,” Cohen said. “What an incredible run. This news is bad for NYC and bad for the neighborhood.”
Another one of Pontarelli’s ventures, a gay bar in Chelsea called Barracuda Lounge, also recently closed with public outcry.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
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