11 Infamous Kitchen Nightmares Restaurants That Are Still Open
The entire purpose of Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares" is to bring restaurants that are struggling to crawl back up to steady feet. Ramsay appears to do a great job of this when taking creative control of a restaurant and advising owners on their practices. However, when the cameras are gone and owners are left once again to run their restaurants themselves, not everyone can cut it. Some gems of the show, though, are still around years after their TV debut.
One untold truth of "Kitchen Nightmares" is that the success rate of the series' restaurants is likely a lot lower than you think. The first two American seasons had a dismal 0% success rate, with none of the restaurants Ramsay "saved" in these seasons still remaining open. The original U.K. version of the show isn't any better, with an average of less than one restaurant per season still open now. The vast majority of the restaurants from the very best "Kitchen Nightmares" episodes are long gone, but some have benefited from Ramsay's intervention. Here are some of the most hectic, infamous restaurants on "Kitchen Nightmares" that are still around today.
1. Oceana Grill in New Orleans, Louisiana
Season 4 of "Kitchen Nightmares" took Gordon Ramsay to New Orleans in order to settle a sibling rivalry. The two brothers who headed up Oceana Grill, Moe and Rami Bader, disagreed about almost everything. The restaurant also allegedly had some cleanliness issues that required a full clean. After a new head chef, menu revamp, and some redecoration, the grill is looking renewed Ramsay style.
Oceana Grill is still going strong over a decade after its "Kitchen Nightmares" episode aired. It's one of the very few restaurants featured on the show to maintain its same name and at least some of the same ownership. Rami regularly features Oceana on his social media as one of the six NOLA spots he owns. It seems the French Quarter restaurant has support from its own community of regulars as well as a healthy stream of tourists.
Despite being a top rated episode, the Oceana episode can be more challenging to find online than other "Kitchen Nightmares" adventures. This is largely due to Oceana suing "Kitchen Nightmares" twice. The owners wanted their restaurant clear from TV exposure.
504-525-3661
739 Conti St., New Orleans, LA 70130
2. Spin A Yarn Steakhouse in Freemont, California
It was a Greek steakhouse that brought Gordon Ramsay to Fremont, California in Season 5 of "Kitchen Nightmares." There, a newlywed husband and wife team struggled to serve up more than tears and questionable food at Spin A Yarn Steakhouse. Owner Saki Kavouniaris originally hired his new wife Jennifer on as a bartender, marrying her a couple years later. Upon their marriage, Jennifer suggested a pricey renovation that did not improve sales. It was not just tension in the relationship and a luxury reno that had Ramsay concerned about the status of the restaurant.
Upon entering the establishment, Ramsay was confronted with a confusing concept of theme. The waiters were dressed in bow ties and tuxedo shirts and the menu was all over the place. The food was also lacking in quality and taste. After being presented with canned and confusing food, the chef went to work revamping the menu and transforming the restaurant into a nice steakhouse. He also created clear roles for Saki and Jennifer, stressing that they need to be present and active parts of the running of the restaurant.
Today, Spin-A-Yarn Steakhouse remains a high-end steakhouse under the leadership of Saki. Saki and Jennifer eventually divorced, but still work together to keep the restaurant afloat. Amid the pandemic, they creatively put together events and an online store to pull them through. They've built a community who seem to thoroughly enjoy spending time at Spin-A-Yarn Steakhouse.
510-656-9141
45915 Warm Springs Blvd., Fremont, CA 94539
3. Luigi's D'Italia in Fullerton, California
Family feuds are a common theme in "Kitchen Nightmares," and it's another pair of brothers that took Gordon Ramsay to Luigi's D'Italia in Fullerton, California. Luigi Catizone and his father had made a good go of the restaurant, but when the namesake's brother enters the picture, squabbling sets the business back. Fits of screaming between family, a menu with over a hundred items, and Luigi's inability to accept criticism are all red flags that greeted Ramsay on his first visit.
After acting as a mediator with the family and fixing the issues with the kitchen and food, Ramsay turned Luigi's D'Italia into a restaurant that could once again be profitable. Since the celebrity chef's intervening, the restaurant has seemed to improve and is still apparently running smoothly. Luigi's did close briefly when its lease on the building ran out, but it was only a few months until the family was up and running in another location. The establishment is still open today, and reviews are singing the restaurant's praises. A 4.4 star rating on Yelp isn't bad, especially when considering diners used to be subject to screaming in the dining room.
714-490-0990
1032 Bastanchury Rd., Fullerton, CA 92835
4. Yanni's in Seattle, Washington
Yanni's in Seattle, Washington was a raging success when it first opened in the 1980s, but was near closing when Gordon Ramsay visited in 2012. Like a lot of the restaurants Ramsay attempts to help in the "Kitchen Nightmares" series, this Greek restaurant is a family affair. The restaurant has been passed down to the owner Peter Avgoustiou from his father and run by himself, his wife Karen, and their two daughters. Season 6 of "Kitchen Nightmares" sees Ramsay turn an outdated and chaotic restaurant into a business that Peter can be as proud of as his father before him. Ramsay left Yanni's with hope of its success, and even earned a kiss from Peter for his efforts!
This episode of "Kitchen Nightmares" was one of the heartwarming ones, especially when you consider how much negativity and stress failing restaurants can curate. Fans of the show will be thrilled to know that Yanni's still exists, and it is still running in the family. The reputation of the restaurant is thriving, with hundreds of reviews and a stellar rating of 4.7 on Google.
The local Greek community seems to love Yanni's as well. One Reddit user said those in the community wouldn't have expected the restaurant to have ever been on the infamous show. It would seem that being labeled a "Kitchen Nightmare" is well in Yanni's past.
yannis-greek-restaurant.com
206-783-6945
7419 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103
5. The Juicy Box in Brooklyn, New York
"Kitchen Nightmares" saw a comeback in 2023, and Gordon Ramsay came back with a vengeance on subpar restaurant practices. The Juicy Box in New York City was Season 8, Episode 5's rescue target. This Haitian juice bar is open late and doubles as a night lounge, which was the young owner Jacques Sylvestre's focus when his father handed down the business to him. Ramsay found the business being run like a perpetual party and sat down with the family to gauge their commitment.
Post filming seems to have been good to The Juicy Box. Q, the young owner, is still running the show there. Though he isn't opening the restaurant quite as early as his father before him and when Ramsay suggested, Q seems to have pulled himself together for the business. The mornings here offer fresh juice and smoothies, while the night sees the juice bar turn into a restaurant with lively events and flavorful food.
Since the juice bar isn't opening as early as most juice bars do — much to the disappointment to at least one hopeful Reddit user — the bar's presence in NYC's Little Haiti's nightlife scene looks to be making up for it. The Juicy Box regularly posts updates of fun community events, theme nights, and watch parties they put on or participate in. There is a live DJ most nights, and the lounge seems to have a steady group of regulars.
thejuicyboxbar.com
917-933-4088
2281 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11210
6. Lido Di Manhattan Ristorante & Bar in Manhattan Beach, California
Gordon Ramsay may be a controversial chef, but if "Kitchen Nightmares" has taught fans anything, it's that he can pinpoint exactly where a restaurant needs help. It wouldn't take an expert like him to figure out the slew of issues that Lido Di Manhattan Ristorante & Bar in Manhattan Beach, California had before he helped them, though. The young, inexperienced owner and an apathetic kitchen staff is a recipe for disaster, and that's just what Ramsay was met with when visiting the restaurant.
Despite a rough start, the owner Lisa Hemmat really stepped up and took Ramsay's suggestion to heart. Her flexibility and willingness to learn is likely the major reason the restaurant is still around today. Amazingly, Hemmat still owns the joint and appears to be thriving in the restaurant business. She was fresh out of business school when she bought the restaurant, and it seems to have served her well. Her restaurant now has a catering side that has serviced big names like Jimmy Kimmel and mega brands like Marvel.
The Lido episode premiered back in 2010, and it is one of the first in the American series to maintain enough business to stay open. As one of the only "Kitchen Nightmares" owners still seeing success with their featured business, Hemmat is one of the strongest success stories of the series.
310-536-0730
1550 Rosecrans Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
7. Olde Hitching Post in Hanson, Massachusetts
There are not many "Kitchen Nightmares" restaurants that end up pulling out great food and service consistently, and Olde Hitching Post is one of the rarities. Season 6 took Gordon Ramsay to Hanson, Massachusetts for Greek restaurant Olde Hitching Post. He was met with a father daughter duo, the former of which with alleged honesty and control issues. He originally purchased the restaurant to leave to his daughter Andrea, but after years still was not willing to hand over the torch. It's also revealed that owner Tom Kessaris was not always truthful about the freshness or quality of the food.
Ramsay, as he does, fixed all the restaurant's food issues. After the restaurant is sporting a new look, delicious menu, and fresh attitudes, Tom finally officially leaves the restaurant in Andrea's hands. Andrea maintained control of the restaurant for years, with good results and reviews to show for it. In 2022, almost a decade after its episode aired, Olde Hitching Post was sold by Andrea to Lori and Jason Cook. The couple kept the name unchanged and appeared to retain the staff, leaving Olde Hitching Post to serve up food another day.
781-447-2592
48 Spring Street, Hanson, MA 02341
8. The Walnut Tree Inn in Wales, United Kingdom
Before Gordon Ramsay was scouring America for near bankrupt and failing restaurants to save, he was doing so across the pond. The U.K. version of "Kitchen Nightmares" ran for fewer seasons than its American counterpart, but the restaurant revamps featured were no less impressive. The Walnut Tree Inn in Wales was on one of the very first episodes of the series, and the restaurant is still going strong. This isn't super surprising, considering it's a pretty famous and respected establishment in the United Kingdom. Unlike many episodes of the series, Ramsay had quite a lot of good to say about The Walnut Tree Inn, including the decor and wine served. Luckily, many of the issues were found in the kitchen, which so happens to be the celebrity chef's speciality. However, it wasn't totally Ramsay's intervention that saved it.
A few years after filming "Kitchen Nightmares," The Walnut Tree Inn closed. It was quickly reopened the same year, though, by the chef that currently owns and operates the restaurant. Shaun Hill created a consistently positive food experience for the restaurant and a gorgeous environment people enjoy being in. The menu changes daily, boasting freshness and expert design. This continued success of Walnut Hill Tree Inn makes sense, as Hill has around 50 years of kitchen experience and reviews laud his dishes.
+44 1873 852797
Llanddewi Skirrid, Abergavenny, Wales, United Kingdom NP7 8AW
9. Bel Aire Diner in Astoria, New York
It's pretty rare for Gordon Ramsay to like the food he eats at a "Kitchen Nightmares" restaurant, and even a diner as famous as Bel Aire Diner isn't immune from his spit-out takes. Residents of Astoria, New York had loved Bel Aire Diner for decades before the pandemic saw the place get hit with a decline in quality. The Greek family who owns and operates the restaurant had a visit from Ramsay, who came to pinpoint exactly where things were going wrong.
The menu, for starters, was a huge red flag for Ramsay. With well over 200 menu items, it was a doozy to get through. Ramsay found that carrying so many items meant food storage and the freshness of ingredients was a struggle to maintain for Bel Aire Diner. After addressing these issues and reaming Kal and his family members for how they'd been keeping their food, the diner was looking promising.
Thanks to owner Kal Dellaportas and the rest of the family's ability to buckle down and take criticism, Bel Aire Diner seems to be thriving. Around the time of the episode's airing, Dellaportas made many transparent social media posts about what he and the staff are doing to improve their standing. With organized and clean storage and a better family/business relationship, the diner really seems to have turned things around for the better. One old habit did not die though: The egregiously long menu remains a staple part of Bel Aire Diner.
718-721-3160
31-91 21st St., Astoria, NY 11106
10. The Runaway Girl aka Silversmiths in Sheffield, United Kingdom
The U.K. version of "Kitchen Nightmares" saw Gordon Ramsay head to Sheffield to a little tapas nightclub called The Runaway Girl. The famous chef got a strip club feel from The Runaway Girl, which was not owner Justin Rowntree's intent. When Ramsay pointed this and many other criticisms out, it wasn't taken well. After some painstaking convincing, Rowntree agreed to the celebrity chef's expert changes to the menu and overall vibe.
This beloved episode of the series has one of the most impressive legacies of the lot, as Ramsay did a complete overhaul to save the place and helped turn it into quite a current success. Rowntree maintained ownership for a number of years after Ramsay left. Now The Runaway Girl called Silversmiths and it's under new ownership, but it's no less successful. According to its own website, it is considered to be in the top 10% of Tripadvisor restaurants globally. Silversmiths won Tripadvisor's Traveler's Choice award in 2024 and has hundreds of stellar reviews.
Silversmiths is now an upscale restaurant with weekly specials and events, like Bottomless Brunch and a supper club. This is a far cry from the original bar featured on the series, making it a shining star in the history of "Kitchen Nightmares."
silversmithsrestaurant.co.uk
+44 114 270 6160
111 Arundel St., Sheffield S1 2NT, United Kingdom
11. Spanish Pavillion in Harrison, New Jersey
While some former "Kitchen Nightmares" restaurants that are still standing still don't have the highest review ratings, others inspire letters of love from their patrons. The Spanish Pavillion in Harrison, New Jersey is regularly hit with high praise, from the service there to the great tasting food. This is quite a difference from where the Spanish restaurant was back when it was the subject of Gordon Ramsay's expert eye, though.
Ramsay visited Spanish Pavillion in Season 4 of "Kitchen Nightmares," after the successful restaurant founder Antonio Fernandez retired and left his daughter Balbina and her two sons Michael and Jerry in charge of his legacy. Under their conflicted guidance, the restaurant fell into a kind of neglect, with the brothers either not being in the restaurant at all or wasting the time spent there. The food quality and freshness was lacking as well, and Ramsay even found a wild pigeon flying around the food storage. The master chef had some tough conversations with the brothers to remedy this. After asking owner and chef Michael to cook from his heart, he had a solid place to start the revamp of Spanish Pavillion.
Since the episode, Spanish Pavillion has maintained great food and service. They've implemented live entertainment and music for their guests, creating a fun environment to enjoy flavorful Spanish food. It remains family owned through Michael, who still seems to have a large hand in running the show there.
980-485-7750
31 Harrison Ave., Harrison, NJ 07029