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Smith and Wollensky

Founded	1977
Headquarters	New York City, NY
Industry	Restaurants
Parent	Patina Restaurant Group LLC
Website	www.smithandwollenskysteakhouses.com

Smith and Wollensky is the name of several high-end American steakhouses, with locations in New York, Philadelphia, Houston, Columbus, Las Vegas, Miami, Chicago, Boston and Washington D.C.. The first Smith and Wollensky steakhouse was founded in 1977 by Alan Stillman, best-known for creating T.G.I. Friday's, and Ben Benson, who later opened his own steakhouse at 123 West 52nd Street, in a distinctive building on 49th Street & 3rd Avenue (once occupied by Manny Wolf's Steakhouse) ^[1]. Many of the restaurants have a wooden exterior with its trademark green and white colors. The individual Smith and Wollensky restaurants operate using slightly varied menus. The New York Times called Smith & Wollensky "A steakhouse to end all arguments."

In 2007 Nick Valenti, CEO of the Patina Restaurant Group and his partner Joachim Splichal, together with the Boston-based private equity firm Bunker Hill Capital, purchased The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group ^[2].

Contents 1 Name 2 Locations 2.1 New York 2.2 Chicago 2.3 Miami Beach 2.4 Washington D.C. 2.5 Las Vegas 2.6 Philadelphia 2.7 Columbus 2.8 Houston 2.9 Boston 3 External links 4 References

[edit] Name

According to Stillman, there was never a Mr. Smith or a Mr. Wollensky involved. He opened the Manhattan phone book twice and randomly pulled out two names, Smith and Wollensky. The announcements for the opening, however, carried the names Charlie Smith and Ralph Wollensky. Stillman later admitted that Charlie and Ralph were the names of his dogs ^[3].

[edit] Locations

[edit] New York

Located in midtown Manhattan, the first S&W steakhouse occupies a stand-alone building whose wooden exterior bears the trademark green and white colors. Also included is Wollensky's Grill, a bar room within the restaurant that has a more bar-type atmosphere and food, and is open later than the dining room. It and its kitchen were used for scenes in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. It had also been used for the famous 2008 $2.11 million and 2007 $ 650,100 "Power Lunch with Warren Buffett" charity auction on eBay, with Zhao Danyang and Mohnish Pabrai & Guy Spier, respectively.^[4][5]

The New York Smith and Wollensky is used as a meeting place for Christian Bale and Willem Defoe's characters in the 2000 Film American Psycho.

When Mr. Stillman sold the Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group he retained ownership of the New York restaurant, although all locations share promotional and marketing efforts.

[edit] Chicago

Bearing the same green and white painted exterior the New York location has, this steakhouse overlooks the Chicago River and the Loop. It played a role in the revival of Chicago's River North area, and is neighbored by Marina City and the House of Blues. This location was featured in the 2006 film The Break-Up. In May 2009, Hans Aeschbacher, its chef of ten years, announced that he was leaving Smith and Wollensky to run the kitchen at Trader Vic's. ^[6]

[edit] Miami Beach

In a building on the waterfront, the S&W's Miami is technically located in Miami Beach, and offers views of the Miami skyline and boats passing by the beach. It takes advantage of its waterfront location, with an outdoor patio for diners to enjoy the outdoors.

[edit] Washington D.C.

Located at 1112 19th Street NW, near the corner of 19th and L in the heart of Downtown Washington, DC.

[edit] Las Vegas

The restaurant has three floors and is across from the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

[edit] Philadelphia

This restaurant has two floors and is the chief restaurant of Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Hotel. It has a splendid view of Rittenhouse Square.

[edit] Columbus

The restaurant opened in 2002 and is in the Easton Town Center "lifestyle community".

[edit] Houston

The restaurant is located in Highland Village, is similar to the Columbus location in that it was built as part of a "lifestyle community".

[edit] Boston

The restaurant occupies the Armory of the First Corps of Cadets, a castle built in 1891 originally intended as a military building, and is the only Smith & Wollensky location on the National Register of Historic Places.

[edit] External links

• Smith and Wollensky official site
• Gifts to End All Arguments

[edit] References