From Red Robin to Shuko, another week of notable closures in New York and New Jersey
From the high-end sushi counters of Union Square to the casual dining strips of New Jersey, this week’s update documents a widespread retreat across the region. Manhattan sees the loss of Shuko, a buzzed-about omakase destination, while the sudden closures of Red Robin in Clifton and Smokey Bones in Cheektowaga highlight the ongoing struggles of national chains. The wave of departures extends to the Hudson Valley with the loss of Bia, and hits hard in Brooklyn, where Emphasis Restaurant Cafe is closing its doors after 21 years—proving that neither fine dining acclaim nor decades of neighborhood history can fully insulate against the current economic headwinds. This email edition was originally sent out on Jan 18th, 2026.
Our Sunday edition, Mid-Atlantic Memo, documents restaurant closures across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Published every Sunday, this edition tracks how even well-known and well-loved places disappear amid rising rents, shifting neighborhoods, and changing habits. It serves as a weekly record of how our cities evolve in one of the country’s most competitive regions—one closed dining room at a time. Read more here.
