Captain Americas, one of Dublin's most iconic restaurants, is to close this Sunday and rebrand later this year, under a new name and concept, The Grafton Tavern..
The restaurant is to close down as part of a bigger shake up of the business behind the famous venue.
This newly revamped premises will include a pub, which means it will remain the only licensed pub along Grafton Street. It has reportedly taken inspiration from the brasseries of Paris and New York, focusing on Irish produce, all day dining, and has been described as "timeless hospitality" and "relaxed elegance".
The restaurant was purchased by the McKillen family in 1993, and remained family owned since then, after it was first opened by restauranteur, Mark Kavanagh in 1971. It became one of the best known establishments among diners, tourists and late night crowds in Dublin.
“Captain Americas has been part of Dublin life for generations and we are immensely proud of its legacy,” the McKillen family said in a statement. “It never would have become such a special part of Dublin life without the incredible people who worked there and the generations of customers who supported us over the years".
Marking an end to an era, it was confirmed that all memorabilia and historic items from the restaurant are to be auctioned off over the next few weeks.
The decision to close down comes amid legal and financial difficulties involving the business over the past year.
Back in 2024, court documents stated that the company operating the restaurant in question had entered examinership, and that court filings had revealed that an ongoing row over the licensing rights to the Captain Americas brand between companies linked to Paddy McKillen Jr and the Cheyne Capital controlled hospitality group, which were formerly known as Press Up.
The Grafton Street business was also warned against using the Captain Americas branding over alleged breaches of a franchise agreement, claims which were disputed by the restaurant operator at the time.
This latest development will not affect the Captain Americas restaurant in Blanchardstown, which will remain open.
