If you walked into 1626 Broadway back in the early 2000s, you weren't just going for dinner. You were stepping into a high-octane, three-level fever dream of red lacquer, sushi, and absolute chaos.
Ruby Foo’s Times Square was the kind of place that defined an era of New York dining that simply doesn't exist anymore. It was loud. It was garish. It was incredibly successful until, one day, it wasn't.
Most people remember the wall. That massive, 30-foot red-lacquered structure filled with Asian artifacts and curiosities that looked like a giant bento box come to life. It was designed by David Rockwell, the same guy who did Nobu, and it felt like a theatrical set. Honestly, that’s because it was. In Times Square, you don't just serve food; you put on a show.
The Man Behind the Mahjong Tiles
Stephen Hanson, the founder of B.R. Guest Hospitality, was basically the king of "approachable" luxury in New York. He had this uncanny knack for taking a cuisine—whether it was Mexican at Dos Caminos or seafood at Blue Water Grill—and turning it into a massive, 400-seat engine of hospitality.
Ruby Foo's wasn't actually his original idea, though. The name was a throwback to a legendary Boston restaurateur from the 1920s, a woman who broke every rule in the book by opening a high-end Chinese "den" that attracted celebrities and non-Chinese diners alike. Hanson took that vintage "Chinatown glamour" vibe and injected it with 90s adrenaline.
People loved it. Families from Jersey, tourists from Germany, and office workers on lunch breaks all sat together under those weirdly beautiful mahjong tile walls. It was "Pan-Asian" before that term became a cliché, serving everything from dim sum to Pad Thai to sushi rolls that were probably too big for a human mouth.
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Why the Vibe Worked (And Why Critics Hated It)
If you read old reviews from 2004 or 2007, the critics were often... let's say "confused." Ruth Reichl actually gave the Uptown sibling two stars in the New York Times, but many food snobs dismissed it as "style over substance."
They weren't entirely wrong. The menu was a bit of a Frankenstein’s monster. You could get:
- Tamarind Glazed Baby Back Ribs that were surprisingly tender.
- Crunchy Florida Rolls (snow crab and avocado) that felt very "suburban mall" but tasted great after two martinis.
- Seven-Flavor Beef served with ginger mashed potatoes.
- Chocolate Layer Cake for dessert, because why not?
But here is the thing: the service was tight. Hanson’s staff were trained like Swiss watchmakers. You could have a party of twelve, three kids, and a Broadway curtain time in 45 minutes, and they would get you out of there fed and happy. That’s a miracle in Midtown.
The Quiet Death of a Giant
In October 2015, the music stopped.
There was no big farewell tour. No week-long celebration. Just a sign on the door at 1626 Broadway saying it was over after 15 years. The Uptown location at 77th and Broadway had already folded a few years prior, so this was the final nail in the coffin.
Why did it close? It’s the usual New York story, but with a corporate twist. B.R. Guest had been sold to Starwood Capital, and later, the whole portfolio shifted toward Landry’s (the guys who own Bubba Gump). When leases in Times Square come up for renewal, the numbers are astronomical.
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Sometimes, a 300-seat restaurant just can't sell enough Pad Thai to cover a rent hike that looks like a phone number.
Today, if you go to that spot, you’ll find Junior’s Cheesecake. It’s a different kind of New York institution, and while the cheesecake is legendary, it doesn't quite have that "Auntie Mame on a bender in Shanghai" energy that Ruby Foo's brought to the block.
What We Can Learn From the Ruby Foo’s Legacy
Ruby Foo’s Times Square was a bridge. It bridged the gap between the old-school "chop suey" houses of the mid-century and the modern, ultra-sleek Asian fusion spots like Tao or Buddakan. It taught New York that you could scale "cool."
If you’re looking to recapture that vibe today, you have to look for the few remaining "megashops" that prioritize theater as much as the plate. But let’s be real—the era of the 10,000-square-foot independent theme restaurant is mostly gone, replaced by smaller, more "authentic" (and often more expensive) boutiques.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Diner:
- Don't wait to visit the "institutions." In NYC, a 15-year run is a lifetime. If a place you love is over a decade old, go this week.
- Appreciate the "Middle Ground." We spend so much time looking for the "best" hidden gem that we forget how hard it is to run a massive, high-quality operation like Hanson did.
- Look for David Rockwell designs. If you miss the Ruby Foo's aesthetic, check out other Rockwell Group projects like Catch Steak or Nobu Downtown to see how that theatrical DNA evolved.
The red wall is gone, but the lesson remains: in New York, the spectacle is often just as important as the sauce.
Next Steps for Your NYC Food Tour: If you’re mourning the loss of the Pan-Asian giants, your best bet is to head to Buddakan in Chelsea for the scale, or Nom Wah Tea Parlor for a taste of the actual history that the original Ruby Foo represented. You might also want to look into the current B.R. Guest (now Landry's) portfolio to see how brands like Dos Caminos are still holding down the fort in a much tougher real estate market.