AT 100 YEARS OLD, SARDI’S IS BROADWAY’S LONGEST RUNNING SHOW
Our story meet our strategy
In 1921, Vincent Sardi, Sr. and his wife Eugenia opened “The Little Restaurant at the current site of the St. James Theatre. Shortly thereafter, the restaurant was renamed Sardi's and in 1927 it was moved down the block to its current location at 234 West 44th Street. Brook Atkinson wrote in his book ‘Broadway, “Sardi's Restaurant, [is] the center of Broadway’s upper class.”
Inspired by Joe Zelli’s Restaurant in Paris, Sardi Sr. hired Alex Gard to draw caricatures of the famous theatre folk who patronized his establishment in exchange for one free meal a day. A deal was struck. Sardi would not criticize the caricatures and Gard would not criticize the food. After Gard’s death in 1948, he was succeeded by Tom Mackey, Don Bevan and Richard Baratz, who have contributed to the some 1,200 portraits, which line the walls of all four floors of Sardi’s. Among the famous faces are legends like Henry Fonda, Rex Harrison, Laurence Olivier, Jack Lemon, Robert Preston, Paul Newman, Walter Matthau, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Leonard Bernstein, James Earl Jones, Lauren Bacal and Yul Brynner. The early caricatures could be cruel. Milton Berle disliked the nose on his caricature and even though he complained strongly, Gard did not change it. Other stars were less forgiving. Maureen Stapleton allegedly stole her caricature, took it home and burned it. Vincent Sardi, Jr., who took over Sardi's in 1946, sent Ms. Stapleton a note saying, “All is forgiven – come home, Papa Sardi.” She has since come back and in 1996, a new caricature was hung on the first floor.
Inspired by Joe Zelli’s Restaurant in Paris, Sardi Sr. hired Alex Gard to draw caricatures of the famous theatre folk who patronized his establishment in exchange for one free meal a day. A deal was struck. Sardi would not criticize the caricatures and Gard would not criticize the food. After Gard’s death in 1948, he was succeeded by Tom Mackey, Don Bevan and Richard Baratz, who have contributed to the some 1,200 portraits, which line the walls of all four floors of Sardi’s. Among the famous faces are legends like Henry Fonda, Rex Harrison, Laurence Olivier, Jack Lemon, Robert Preston, Paul Newman, Walter Matthau, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Leonard Bernstein, James Earl Jones, Lauren Bacal and Yul Brynner. The early caricatures could be cruel. Milton Berle disliked the nose on his caricature and even though he complained strongly, Gard did not change it. Other stars were less forgiving. Maureen Stapleton allegedly stole her caricature, took it home and burned it. Vincent Sardi, Jr., who took over Sardi's in 1946, sent Ms. Stapleton a note saying, “All is forgiven – come home, Papa Sardi.” She has since come back and in 1996, a new caricature was hung on the first floor.
Today, Sardi's maintains the caricature tradition. Each year Richard Baratz draws approximately 20 new portraits that are unveiled at a champagne reception attended by friends of the honoree as well as the media. Among the hundreds of recent additions are Christian Slater, Michael Douglas, Whoopi Goldberg, Charlton Heston, Brooke Shields, Nathan Lane, Dame Edna, John Stamos, Peter Gallagher, Kevin Bacon, Jason Biggs, Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Alfred Molina, Hugh Jackman, Barbara Streisand, David Hyde Pierce, Hank Azaria, Liev Schreiber, Michael Sheen, David Byrne, Harry Connick Jr., Dame Eileen Atkins, Samantha Barks, Melissa Errico, Jon Voight, Melissa Benoist, Condola Rashad, Sara Bareilles, Julie Taymor, Cynthia Erivo, Josh Groban, Ben Platt, Cate Blanchett, Bruce Willis, Christopher Jackson,
Blair Underwood, Heather Headley, Sting, Berry Gordy, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lupita Nyong’o, Bradley Cooper, Helen Mirren, Bryan Cranston and Cuba Gooding Jr. to name a few.
Blair Underwood, Heather Headley, Sting, Berry Gordy, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lupita Nyong’o, Bradley Cooper, Helen Mirren, Bryan Cranston and Cuba Gooding Jr. to name a few.
“I used to shine shoes outside Sardi's and watch the stars go by,” said Tony Curtis, “I never thought I would get inside for lunch.” Indeed, everyone has to start somewhere. Just ask Chevy Chase, who used to work the door or Imelda Marcos, who sang “Stranger in the Night,” to Mayor John Lindsay in the restaurant. “Sardi's is a much part of New York as Park Avenue or Central Park,” said playwright Marc Connolly. Indeed, the restaurant has appeared in films including “Country Girl”, “King of Comedy”, “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies”, “No Way to Treat a Lady”, “Made for Each Other”, and “The Muppets Take Manhattan”, “The Producers”, “She’s Funny That Way”. Nevertheless, in his song “This Could be the Start of Something Big,” Steve Allen says it best. “Meet me at Sardi's!”
Sardi's continues to be a popular spot for lunch, cocktails, dinner and supper. Sardi's Continental Cuisine combines flavors of Middle Eastern, Caribbean and European countries when creating new dishes. On any given night, Sardi's serves 600 pre-theatre meals between 4:30 and 8:00. The menu changes seasonally, and new specials are offered daily. The fine fare complements the fabulous décor – red walls, dark wood paneling and plush seats that create the atmosphere of an English clubhouse.
The Eugenia Room, on the fourth floor, is the site of private functions. From corporate events to opening night, parties and caricature singings in between, these special events are essential to the Sardi scene. The Eugenia Room pays homage to the warmth, charm and concern of Eugenia Sardi, the woman whose recipes are in some of our favorite dishes and whose gracious hospitality keeps guests coming back today.
Sardi's continues to be a popular spot for lunch, cocktails, dinner and supper. Sardi's Continental Cuisine combines flavors of Middle Eastern, Caribbean and European countries when creating new dishes. On any given night, Sardi's serves 600 pre-theatre meals between 4:30 and 8:00. The menu changes seasonally, and new specials are offered daily. The fine fare complements the fabulous décor – red walls, dark wood paneling and plush seats that create the atmosphere of an English clubhouse.
The Eugenia Room, on the fourth floor, is the site of private functions. From corporate events to opening night, parties and caricature singings in between, these special events are essential to the Sardi scene. The Eugenia Room pays homage to the warmth, charm and concern of Eugenia Sardi, the woman whose recipes are in some of our favorite dishes and whose gracious hospitality keeps guests coming back today.
