Beyond Sushi’s Guy Vaknin Opening Mexican Restaurant in Flatiron District

The Beyond Sushi restaurateur’s company, City Roots Hospitality, signed a 4,300-square-foot deal to open a new spot, Siete, on the ground floor and lower level of Evenhar Development‘s 37 West 19th Street, according to landlord broker Kaufman Organization.

Kaufman did not disclose the length lease and said asking rent was $30,000 per month for the retail spot between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas. 

“Not a lot of restaurant spaces are on the market and restaurant spaces that do hit the market are very landlord-friendly deals because everybody’s looking. Some tenants right now are just going to sign a lease because they’re very desperate for turnkey restaurant spaces,” Noam Aziz of Meridian Retail Leasing, who negotiated on behalf of City Roots Hospitality, told Commercial Observer. “A lot of landlords really just care about sustainability.”

Sustainability, meaning that landlords are prioritizing 10-year deals with operators who can go that distance, according to Aziz.

City Roots Hospitality is best known for its vegan sushi chain, Beyond Sushi, which has locations at 134 West 37th Street and 62 West 56th Street. Vaknin is also known for his television appearances on “Hell’s Kitchen” Season 10 and ABC’s “Shark Tank” in 2018 where he was able to get $1.5 million for his East Coast eateries and expand to the West Coast.

“This new venture promises to enrich the local community with its vibrant Mexican cuisine,” Elliot Warren of Kaufman Organization, which represented the landlord, said in a statement. “We are certain that this expansion, coupled with its innovative concept, will seamlessly integrate into the company’s ongoing success story.”

It’s unclear when Siete plans to open, but it will take over the former Tacos Güey storefront in the building. 

Mark Hallum can be reached at mhallum@commercialobserver.com.