Un Deux Trois Closing: Times Square Restaurant Shuts After 48 Years

New York City’s Broadway community is saying goodbye to a beloved institution: Café Un Deux Trois, a French eatery on West 44th Street, will close its doors for good on Sunday after nearly 48 years in business.

A Broadway Landmark Fades to Black

The closure marks the end of an era for a restaurant that has hosted generations of stars and served as a convivial gathering place for the theater world.

• Opened in the spring of 1977 by Gerard Blanes, Georges Guenancia and Michael Morse, Un Deux Trois became a haven for Broadway performers and celebrities.
• The restaurant’s closure is attributed to soaring expenses and a decline in lunchtime business following the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Un Deux Trois’s history is intertwined with the evolution of Times Square, from its gritty disco-era days to its modern incarnation.
• Numerous stars, including Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Jimmy Carter, frequented the restaurant over the decades.
• The building itself boasts a rich history, with architectural features dating back to 1893.

For nearly five decades, Un Deux Trois has been more than just a restaurant; it was a vibrant slice of Parisian life nestled in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The eatery, established in 1977 by Gerard Blanes, Georges Guenancia and Michael Morse, quickly became a magnet for the theater crowd, offering a welcoming atmosphere and classic French cuisine.

Cafe Un Deux Trois, a Broadway favorite on West 44th Street, closes Sunday after 48 years.

“I used to have De Niro here, Pacino, Robin Williams,” Blanes recalled Friday night, gesturing around his bustling restaurant. “Meryl Streep! I was in love with her. She used to come in here very often.”

The restaurant’s enduring appeal stemmed from its unique blend of old-world charm and celebrity sightings. Comedian Lewis Black dined there on Friday, while Sarah Jessica Parker, a devoted regular, booked a table this week for one last meal during a run of her 2022 play “Plaza Suite” at the nearby Hudson Theatre. Scarlett Johansson was reportedly the first celebrity to return after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to maitre d’ Jose Enrique Lozada, who has worked at the restaurant for 36 years.

Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and other stars have stopped in for decades.

The star power didn’t stop there. Robert Downey Jr. revisited Un Deux Trois in 2024, offering a warm hug to manager Pablo Manso upon his return. Even former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, were regulars, participating in the restaurant’s annual “12 Days of Christmas” singalong at table 18. Other frequent patrons included Nathan Lane, Cynthia Nixon, Marsha Mason, Jonathan Groff, Christine Baranski, Harvey Fierstein, and Alan Cumming.

What made Un Deux Trois so special for so long? The restaurant’s enduring appeal lay in its ability to transport diners to another time and place, offering a convivial atmosphere and a touch of Parisian elegance in the heart of Times Square.

Blanes, known for his gregarious personality, shared that Un Deux Trois was built within the walls of the Hotel Gerard, originally erected in 1893 as a grand hotel before becoming a “welfare hotel” known as Hotel 1-2-3. The restaurant opened in the late 1970s, coinciding with the rise of Studio 54 and a transformation of Times Square. “David Bowie was my friend, Basquiat was my friend,” Blanes said. “They used to come here.”

Sarah Jessica Parker was a devoted Un Deux Trois regular.

The building itself predates every Broadway theater in the area, and its architectural features contribute to the restaurant’s timeless ambiance. Former columnist Michael Riedel described Un Deux Trois as “a slice of Paris” where one might expect to encounter Louis Jourdan and Maurice Chevalier.

However, the restaurant’s closure is a result of increasingly challenging economic conditions. “The expenses skyrocket,” Blanes explained. “The rent is very, very expensive.” A decline in lunchtime business since the pandemic has also contributed to the decision.

Rising costs and expensive rent have forced Un Deux Trois to close its doors after nearly five decades in business.

The loss of Un Deux Trois is particularly poignant for those in the theater community. One Broadway journalist recalled fondly how he and a colleague would often debate over frittes at the restaurant after reviewing nearby shows. “I never went anywhere else because there was no reason to go anywhere else,” said the critic. “Showbiz-y but not too much so. Above all, it was a kind place. I am in deep mourning. I don’t have another place.”

Nathan Lane at the “Kiss of The Spider Woman” New York screening on Oct. 6, 2025.

Despite the sadness, Blanes expressed pride in the restaurant he and his partners created. “Thank God for America!,” he exclaimed. “Voilà! You can write that.”