After years as one of Midtown East’s most celebrated kosher dining destinations, UN Plaza Grill has dropped its kosher certification. The upscale steakhouse and sushi restaurant, situated steps from the United Nations, served its last meal as a kosher establishment on April 30, 2026. The restaurant has confirmed it will continue operating as a non-kosher venue.
This listing has been removed from the KosherNearMe app.
A Midtown East Landmark for the Kosher Community
UN Plaza Grill soft-opened in August 2017, and over nearly nine years became one of Midtown East’s most recognizable kosher destinations. Opened by businessman Albert Gad with a clear mission to give people a different feeling about kosher dining, the restaurant delivered on that promise in a big way. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the United Nations, starched white linens, and an ambitious menu that blended kosher steakhouse classics with globally inspired cuisine made it a go-to for special occasions, corporate dinners, and anyone wanting to impress a guest in Manhattan.
Under OU supervision, the restaurant became known for its prime steaks, sushi, and international pop-up chef series that rotated cuisines from around the world. It was one of the few kosher restaurants in New York that could genuinely compete with upscale non-kosher venues in both ambiance and execution.
Why It Lost Its Kosher Status
The economics of running a kosher operation at that level simply did not work. The decision was made to continue the restaurant as a non-kosher establishment rather than close entirely.
It’s a familiar story in the kosher restaurant world. The costs of maintaining proper hashgacha, sourcing kosher-certified ingredients at the quality level an upscale venue demands, and operating on a reduced schedule around Shabbat and Yom Tov create a challenging financial model, particularly in a high-rent neighborhood like Midtown East. UN Plaza Grill is unfortunately not the first ambitious kosher restaurant in Manhattan to reach that conclusion.
What This Means for Kosher Diners
If you had UN Plaza Grill on your list for an upcoming visit, it’s now off the table. The address, the view, and the space remain, but the hashgacha is gone. Do not eat there under the assumption that anything has carried over from its kosher days.
For kosher diners in Midtown East, options remain but the loss of UN Plaza Grill leaves a real gap at the upper end of the market. It was one of very few kosher restaurants in the city where you could take a non-Jewish colleague or out-of-town guest and not feel like you were making a compromise.
UN Plaza Grill was located at 845 United Nations Plaza (First Avenue and 47th Street), New York, NY 10017. It is no longer under kosher supervision and is now operating as a non-kosher restaurant.
Looking for kosher restaurants near you? Download the KosherNearMe app at YeahThatsKosher.com/app.
Add Comment