Joe Allen (restaurant)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Founder | Joe Allen |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | United States, France, United Kingdom |
| Products | Dining services |
Joe Allen stands as a renowned American dining establishment and a staple of Broadway culture, widely recognized as a popular gathering spot for performers, theater professionals, and enthusiasts. Situated on West 46th Street within the Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan neighborhood, it was founded in 1965 by restaurateur Joe Allen.[1] The restaurant is distinguished by its interior adorned with posters showcasing Broadway failures including Laughing Room Only, Moose Murders, and Dance of the Vampires.[2] It has also been featured in films like No Way to Treat a Lady (1968) and Woody Allen’s Melinda and Melinda (2004).
Expanding its presence internationally, Joe Allen launched a location in Paris’s Les Halles area in 1972,[3] followed by another branch in London's Covent Garden in 1977.[4][5] Since 2018, these overseas venues have been under separate ownership[6] while maintaining the original name and theatrical ambiance. In response to closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the London site introduced An Evening At Joe's, an online variety show series featuring performers from West End and Broadway, aimed at supporting both the restaurant and theater-related charities.[7]
The founder, Joe Allen (February 20, 1933 – February 7, 2021), was celebrated as a traditional restaurateur who favored maintaining a discreet presence within his venues. He credited his achievements to his reserved nature: “Maybe it’s because I don’t inflict myself on the customers.”[8][9]
- ↑ Established in 1965 by Joe Allen, a former actor, this modest brick-walled pub and restaurant has served as a favored Broadway hangout for working actors for over forty years.
- ↑ Joe Allen is well known for decorating its walls with posters of Broadway flops such as Laughing Room Only.
- ↑ Joe Allen Paris website
- ↑ ‘It’ refers to a new Covent Garden restaurant named Joe Allen – an iconic theatrical hotspot for Broadway stars in New York.
- ↑ Jay Rayner, The Guardian
- ↑ Meet the Team
- ↑ Grace Dent reviews Joe Allen: Still up to its old tricks, The Standard
- ↑ Joe Allen, Theater District Restaurateur, Is Dead at 87, The New York Times
- ↑ Tributes pour in for famous theatre restaurateur Joe Allen, WhatsOnStage.com