Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley will open its largest location yet, a 10,000-square-foot Southern comfort food restaurant at 7 Times Square in New York City, on Saturday, October 3. The two-story venue seats 300 guests and features signature dishes like lobster and waffles alongside flamboyant cocktails.
Times Square is getting a substantial injection of Southern hospitality and maximalist design. The growing restaurant group founded by Kevin Kelley is expanding its footprint to Manhattan with a massive venue designed to accommodate up to 300 diners across multiple dining areas, an expansive bar, and a private dining room.
Design and Atmosphere at the New Times Square Outpost
Occupying a 10,000-square-foot, two-story space at 7 Times Square, the newest restaurant in the group stands as its largest location to date. Diners stepping inside will encounter wave-like wooden ceilings, colorful murals, and dense floral installations, including the hospitality brand’s signature rose wall. The striking interior design guarantees that visual-first diners will have plenty of material to photograph before they take their first bite.
Southern Comfort Food Classics and Menu Highlights
The culinary program leans heavily into traditional Southern comfort food, featuring a robust lineup of house signatures. Guests can order cornmeal-crusted Mississippi catfish, lobster and waffles, crab cakes served with Cajun spices and remoulade, and classic shrimp and grits. Another notable menu item is the Trinity Egg Rolls, which pack mac and cheese, candied yams, greens, and turkey into a deep-fried wrapper accompanied by a sweet-and-spicy sauce.
Operating hours are structured to catch both lunch and dinner crowds as well as late-night diners. The restaurant will serve lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, alongside weekend brunch services. Crucially for theatergoers and late-night crowds in the district, the establishment remains open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, offering a prime destination for anyone craving heavy comfort food after a Broadway show.
The Flashy Cocktail Program
True to the brand name, the drink menu places equal emphasis on high-impact cocktails that favor theater and presentation. The national bestseller is a frozen Peach D’USSÉ Frosé, while the 24K Gold Fashioned offers a flashy spin on a traditional favorite. For maximum visual effect, the True Flame arrives at the table with an actual live-flame presentation.
Pricing for beverages spans a broad spectrum depending on complexity and group size. Standard drinks range from $13 to $53, while large-format group cocktails can cost as much as $249.
Expansion History and Founder’s Roots
The enterprise was launched by Kevin Kelley, a litigation attorney and entrepreneur who opened the first location in Dallas in August 2020. In the years since, the independently owned company has expanded its footprint across multiple major American cities, including Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Miami, with a Boston location also currently in development.
Kelley was born in Arkansas and raised in Texas, building a personal history in the kitchen that started when he began cooking alongside his grandmother at the age of seven. That early upbringing directly inspired the company’s overarching “Welcome Home” hospitality style.
“Times Square gives us the opportunity to introduce our brand on one of the world’s biggest stages, but we’re building this restaurant for New York. We want you to walk through our doors and feel like this is your restaurant.”
Kevin Kelley, via Timeout
What to Watch Next
The brand’s grand opening in the heart of Manhattan is scheduled for Saturday, October 3. Observers of the local hospitality sector will be watching to see how the massive 300-seat venue handles the heavy foot traffic of Midtown while the company simultaneously advances its upcoming plans for a Boston expansion.