Diner24 to Open Broadway Flagship at The EMMES Group of Companies' 1674 Broadway in Midtown Manhattan

Restaurant concept Diner24 has signed a lease for more than 5,200 square feet of retail space at 1674 Broadway, a historic mixed-use building in Midtown Manhattan owned and managed by The Emmes Asset Management Group of Companies. The two-story location, slated to open this fall at the corner of Broadway and West 52nd Street, will serve as the brand's Broadway flagship and introduces a theatrical dining format to a building undergoing a broader repositioning as a boutique headquarters destination.

Financial terms of the lease, including rent, lease term, and tenant improvement allowances, were not disclosed.

A Theatrical Dining Concept for a High-Traffic Midtown Corner

Diner24, co-founded by Stratis Morfogen and Philippe Olivier Bondon, describes itself as a reimagining of New York City's classic 24-hour diner format. The concept's first location drew international visitors with menu items including what the company calls "Crazy Shakes," foot-long hot dogs, triple-decker burgers, and comfort-food dishes prepared with premium ingredients such as Pat LaFrieda brisket and organic produce.

"We call it Diner 2.0," Morfogen said. "We're taking everything people love about the classic New York diner experience and elevating it. Fresh-baked pastries, homemade pastas, organic produce, Pat LaFrieda brisket burgers, incredible breakfast dishes, handcrafted sandwiches and outrageous milkshakes that people travel across the globe to try."

The Broadway location will add a performance element: servers who are Broadway performers will take the stage hourly to perform show tunes for guests. Morfogen described the format as "Show Tunes, Crazy Shakes & Burgers," positioning the restaurant as both a dining destination and an entertainment venue suited to its theater-district surroundings.

"Our servers are Broadway performers, and every hour they'll take the stage and perform show tunes for guests," Morfogen said. "It's dinner and a show. It's New York. And honestly, it's the only place on Broadway where the show never closes."

According to Morfogen, more than half the guests at Diner24's first location are visitors from outside New York, with the brand attracting travelers from Australia, China, New Zealand, and other international markets. The Midtown location places the restaurant within steps of Times Square, Broadway theaters, Columbus Circle, Central Park, and major hotels.

"We've looked at opportunities throughout Manhattan for the past year and a half, but something always felt off," Morfogen said. "When we met the EMMES team, sat down together and started talking about the future of the building, it immediately felt right. They understood our vision, they understood hospitality, and they understood what we're trying to build."

EMMES Repositions a Century-Old Broadway Landmark

The Diner24 lease represents a significant milestone in The EMMES Group of Companies' ongoing repositioning of 1674 Broadway, a nine-story building originally completed in 1921. EMMES recently completed a multimillion-dollar restoration and modernization of the property, which included new elevators, dedicated HVAC systems, upgraded electrical and life-safety systems, renovated restrooms, energy-efficient windows, and secure 24/7 access. The building's Art Deco-inspired lobby was preserved and updated as part of the renovation.

The property has a long history tied to New York's entertainment and performing arts industries. Over the decades, tenants have included music publishers, theatrical organizations, casting agencies, artist management firms, and entertainment publications. The building's lower levels previously housed Birdland, a jazz venue that hosted Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane.

Earlier this year, The Lambs — identified in the source as America's oldest professional theatrical club, founded in 1874 — relocated its clubhouse to the third floor of 1674 Broadway, continuing the building's association with the performing arts.

"When you look at the history of this building, from music publishers and talent agencies to Birdland, The Lambs and now Diner24, there's a common thread," said Christopher DePrince-Levis, asset manager for EMMES Asset Management Company Ltd., LLC. "It's always been a place where people come together around creativity, culture and entertainment. We think that's exactly what makes 1674 Broadway such a special place to work, visit and build a business."

EMMES Asset Management Company Ltd., LLC is a member of The EMMES Group of Companies, which was founded in 1992 and maintains offices in New York and California. The firm is engaged in principal real estate investments, capital management, and real estate services.

F&B as an Office Leasing Amenity

The Diner24 signing reflects a broader strategy by EMMES to position 1674 Broadway as more than a conventional office address. The building offers approximately 1,800- to 5,700-square-foot full-floor office suites, marketed as boutique headquarters space with private restrooms, dedicated HVAC, modernized elevators, and key-fob access. EMMES has noted recent momentum in office leasing at the property following the completion of its renovation.

With Diner24 occupying the lower two stories, office tenants at 1674 Broadway will have access to an on-site dining and entertainment venue for breakfast meetings, business lunches, and after-work gatherings.

"Today's workforce wants more than four walls and desks," DePrince-Levis said. "They want character. They want convenience. They want experiences. At 1674 Broadway, employees can work in a beautifully restored historic building, grab lunch downstairs at one of New York's most exciting restaurant concepts, walk to a Broadway show after work and be connected to every major transit line in the city."

EMMES also noted that an additional ground-floor retail space at 1674 Broadway is expected to come available in the near term.

"Our vision was never simply to renovate a building. We wanted to create a destination that honored Broadway's heritage while providing modern businesses with a unique workplace experience," DePrince-Levis said.

Market Context: Hospitality-Driven Repositioning in Midtown

The 1674 Broadway deal is part of a wider pattern across Midtown Manhattan, where landlords are investing in renovations and curated tenant mixes — particularly destination food-and-beverage and entertainment concepts — to differentiate older office buildings and attract tenants seeking amenity-forward environments. The source notes that post-pandemic shifts in how people work and experience the city have driven this trend.

For Diner24, the Broadway flagship represents an expansion from its original location in Gramercy into one of New York City's most heavily trafficked tourist and entertainment corridors, a move Morfogen framed as a natural next step given the brand's demonstrated ability to draw international visitors.

"EMMES is a visionary in this industry; they don't just develop buildings, they transform them into vibrant, living destinations," Morfogen said. "Being part of an iconic corner like 1674 Broadway and working with a partner that knows how to elevate both the property and the tenant experience, is what makes this opportunity so special for us."