Times Square News
Dallas' buzzy Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley heads to Times Square
Lobster tail at Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley
A downtown Dallas restaurant and nightspot is hitting the Big Apple: Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley, known for its Southern comfort food and clubby atmosphere, is opening a location in New York, in none other than Times Square.
According to a release, they'll occupy a 10,000-square-foot space that was formerly home to a restaurant called Pink Taco, at the corner of 42nd Street, Broadway, and Seventh Avenue. This will be their eighth location (with Boston also in the works), as well as the largest and most visible, and it's anticipated to open in summer 2026.
"Every city we've opened in has become home," Kelley says in a statement. "New York is where the world watches. Opening at Times Square isn't just an expansion — it's a statement. We built our way here, one city at a time, on our own terms. We can't wait to humbly welcome New York home."
Kelley was a driven entrepreneur and attorney new to the food & beverage world when he opened the first location in downtown Dallas at 1933 Elm St. in 2020. It immediately drew a refreshingly integrated crowd with its mix of Southern comfort food — shrimp & grits and fried catfish are specialties — with Kelley savoring his role as the man on the scene, walking the floor to welcome guests, which often include Black celebrities and athletes.
Kelley's culinary story began in the South, under the guidance of his grandmother who taught him not just recipes but reverence for good ingredients, Southern traditions, and the art of hospitality.
The menu is anchored by soul food traditions elevated with refined technique and bold flavor in dishes such as Fried Chicken and Waffles, Blackened Shrimp and Grits with Lobster Tail, and Jamaican Jerk Lamb Chops. Cocktails include Peach D'Ussé Frosé, Gold Old Fashioned, and a Blackberry Margarita.
Since the concept debuted in Dallas, Kelley has opened locations in Chicago, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Miami, with Boston also opening Summer 2026.
Every location features an iconic rose wall as well as live music — drawing celebrities such as Jesse Jackson, Tina Knowles, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Meg Thee Stallion, Klay Thompson, 50 Cent, Joseph Sikora, Phylicia Rashad, Malik Nabers, Dak Prescott, Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Maxey, Kawhi Leonard, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and a host of entertainers, athletes, and cultural icons.
Reservations opened on May 5 at kitchenkocktailsusa.com/newyork.
Photo courtesy of Seegars Deli.