Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley heads to Times Square

By AI, Created 10:32 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley will open its ninth location at 7 Times Square in summer 2026, bringing the Southern comfort food chain’s largest and most visible outpost to New York City. The move caps a growth run built without outside investors or a franchise model and signals a push into one of the country’s highest-profile dining corridors.

Why it matters: - Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley is moving into Times Square, one of New York City’s most visible dining and entertainment corridors. - The 10,000-square-foot opening at 7 Times Square will be the brand’s largest location. - The New York debut extends a chain built city by city without outside investors or a franchise model.

What happened: - Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley will open its ninth location at 7 Times Square in summer 2026. - The space sits at the corner of 42nd Street, Broadway and Seventh Avenue. - The venue previously housed Pink Taco. - The location is steps from Bryant Park, the Broadway theater district and the Times Square–42nd Street subway station. - The site draws more than 50 million visitors annually. - The brand operates in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Philadelphia and Miami. - Boston and New York City are both slated to open in summer 2026.

The details: - Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley opened in Dallas in August 2020. - Kevin Kelley built the concept without venture capital, outside investors or a franchise roadmap. - The brand’s signature elements include an iconic rose wall, live music, handcrafted kocktails and a “Welcome Home” greeting. - Philadelphia drew more than 10,000 reservations before opening. - The menu centers on Southern comfort food with elevated technique and bold flavor. - Signature dishes include Crispy Fried Chicken and Waffles, Blackened Shrimp and Grits with Lobster Tail and Jamaican Jerk Lamb Chops. - The cocktail menu includes the Peach D’Ussé Frosé, the Gold Old Fashioned and the Blackberry Margarita. - The Blackberry Margarita is Kevin Kelley’s personal favorite and has been the most reordered drink at every bar the brand has opened. - The Times Square location is designed to deliver the full Kitchen + Kocktails experience, including live music, the rose wall, the kocktail program and the brand’s dining culture. - The company’s announcement links to more information.

Between the lines: - The Times Square opening is a brand-building move as much as a restaurant expansion. - Landing in a tourist-heavy, high-traffic district gives Kitchen + Kocktails a national stage, not just a local one. - Kevin Kelley is leaning into origin story and consistency as differentiators in a crowded restaurant market. - The celebrity guest list is part proof point, part brand signal, but the core pitch remains food, atmosphere and repeat traffic.

What’s next: - Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley is targeting a summer 2026 opening in New York City. - Boston is also scheduled to open in summer 2026. - The brand is expected to bring its full operating playbook to Times Square, including live music and handcrafted cocktails.

The bottom line: - Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley is taking its comfort-food formula to one of the most exposed restaurant addresses in America, betting that a proven concept can scale without losing its identity.