Elaine helped him manage it despite rumors that he was having an affair with an employee, the papers say. Even before construction was finished, Rodriguez proved his celebrity pull when Woody Allen hosted an opening party for his film Sweet and Lowdown in the half-finished restaurant. The Fordham Plaza project rerouted bus routes in the plaza, added more green space, public toilets, seating areas and a cafe space and kiosks. Next they opened a 50-seat storefront named Marisco del CaribeSpanish for Caribbean seafood. Banco Popular didnt tell me that the numbers didnt make sense or that I didnt have enough cash flow, Rodriguez said at the time. In the mid-1990s, after Elaine had the couples third child, she started getting numerous phone calls at home from different females claiming to have an affair with Mr. Rodriguez, the filing says. Gatherings of business people are typically very complicated, said Jimmy Rodriguez, proprietor of the restaurant and lead organizer of the Tuesday night's event. he shouted to his matre d'htel as he stepped into his white Jaguar convertible. The celebrity presence guaranteed press coverage and a steady stream of clientele. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. ''Want to come to a barbecue?'' His health began to decline. Proud papa Jimmy said he's happy his kids are continuing the family tradition in borough where it all began. ''I can't run four restaurants and be in Europe at the same time,'' he said, referring to his Bronx flagship and three other properties -- Jimmy's Downtown in Midtown Manhattan, Jimmy's Uptown in Harlem and Jimmy's City Island. In July of 2004, patrons found Jimmy's Downtown shuttered with a sign announcing renovations. Jimmys Bronx Caf, opened in 1993, immediately became a hot spot for celebrities and socialites, as well as a key gathering place for politicians like Clinton, Michael Bloomberg and Freddie Ferrer. Diddy Combs and American Express CEO Ken Chenault. Come in for Happy Hour from 3 to 8 and Check out all our Drink Specials. Jimmys Grand Cafe owner, Jimmy Mitsios stands proudly with Assemblyman Michael Benedetto. Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. He is the one whirring down the highway in a Jaguar convertible; his friends are the baseball stars, his girlfriend a famous actress. At Jimmy's Bronx Cafe, he got a hero's welcome. Learn More. The Castro dinner was not the only controversy in the early years. Rodriguez was named one of Crain's New York Business's top minority business leaders on a list that included musician Wynton Marsalis, American Express CEO Ken Chenault, and lawyer Johnnie Cochran. NY Patrons already hooked on his signature mix of Caribbean seafood and Latin sounds are eagerly waiting, forks poised, dancing shoes polished. Shortstop Derek Jeter held parties in the restaurant. (Major Deegan Expy.) Jimmy's Bronx Cafe, which opened in 1993, hosted Fidel Castro while he was visiting New York in 1995 and held two birthday celebrations for Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter. Plan an event now in our upstairs Party Room. Recommended Reviews. ''Look at the people here,'' he said proudly. The size of the land lot is 16,625 sqft. ``I can't believe it myself,'' Jimmy Rodriguez, the restaurant's owner, told The New York Times for its Saturday editions. I ordered the healthy combo on a whole wheat wrap. Oh yes you can, because Im going to be right there with you. Jerome-190th Street Municipal Garage 413 spots. Ranchman's Ponder Steakhouse, a 75-year landmark and one of America's most famous small-town cafes, will reopen in March, owner Dave Ross said last week. Sign up with Facebook or Sign up with email 38 Tips and reviews Jimmy Rodriguez's story has all the elements of a fairy tale. "It was a place that everybody identified as very much our own," Bronx politician Jose Serrano told The New York Times. Don Coqui at 565 City Island Ave. in Bronx is the third restaurant for the Rodriguez family. ''I can't believe it myself,'' Mr. Rodriguez, 41, said. The Cuban leader, spurned by the mayor, instead visited Jimmy's Bronx Cafe. The Rodriguez sisters, said Jaleene, are recreating that atmosphere on City Island. New York City, NY 10458. Marisco del Caribe, Bronx, NY, owner/manager, late 1980s-1993; Jimmy's Bronx Caf, Bronx, NY, owner/manager, 1993-2003; Jimmy's Uptown in Harlem, New York, NY, owner, 2000-04; Jimmy's Downtown, New York, NY, owner, 2002-04; Jimmy's City Island, Bronx, NY, owner, 2003-04. Sauteed chicken in a traditional teriyaki sauce served over Asian style fried rice. Describes his exit from a nightclub in a new white Ford Expedition, cell phone pressed to his ear A young woman in a silver-lame dress and silver spike heels rushes from the club and runs with little sandpiper steps up the street, chasing him, shouting, "Stop, Jimmy, stop! Other well-known customers included Bill Cosby and Tito Puente, along with a host of other musicians, sports players and politicians. Picture by BowieNetter Stonefox. Specialties: Jimmy John's spend 6 hours prepping every day. The transcendental icon once performed in The Bronx at the former Jimmy's Bronx Cafe back on October 17th, 2002 as part of a 5 borough Heathen tour he did here in his home city of NYC and across the world. "The inner city is underdeveloped, and whoever gets there first is gonna cash in," Rodriguez told W. Rodriguez's piece of the action was a 17,000 square-foot restaurant he bought for $900,000. He has just expanded the restaurant. $14.50 + Jumbo 3 Egg Omelets Greek Omelette In 2003 Rodriguez opened his fourth restaurant, Jimmy's City Island, in a nautical area of the Bronx. Served with soup or salad. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Desperate, he even considered approaching a local loan shark. She dropped him off at the hospital on March 31 because he had a high fever and trouble breathing. The combination, headed up by Rodriguez's non-stop charm, proved a winner. He said Rodriguez, whos now paying $12,000 a month in support to Elaine and their three children, has told him he wants to settle the case amicably, but has yet to turn over his financial information. 8 min. ARE YOU A PEOPLE PERSON? But I have kids at home and I couldnt take the chance, she said. We've received your submission. By creating an account you are able to follow friends and experts you trust and see the places they've recommended. Located at 1001 Castle Hill Avenue, local elected officials were in attendance to meet with Jimmys Grand Cafe owner Jimmy Mitsios. 2023 Cond Nast. Although born in London, New York was Bowie's home on several . At one point, Major League Baseball asked its players not to go there, but the admonition did not stick. That means if you're in the zone or in-store, you can always count on a Freaky Fresh sandwich made Freaky Fast . He asked her to take over the restaurant and keep it in the family, just like he had been preparing her to do. Once they open, there will be some big shoes to fill. Jose Torres opened the restaurant in 1999, after making a name for himself preparing Latin dishes like Paella at Jimmy's Bronx Caf on Fordham Road. Rodriguez who recently bailed out of the city restaurant business, including the famed Jimmys Bronx Cafe couldnt be reached, and his lawyer didnt return a call for comment. Jaleene and Jewelle Rodriguez are the owners, operators and managers of the beloved Don Coqui restaurant chain, which opened its third outpost on City Island this January. Over the next five years, Jimmy's Bronx Caf continued to attract celebrities and money. After the renovation, DOT partnered with ChaShaMa, an nonprofit arts organization, for an art exhibit until 2021, as well as a farmers market and the Bronx Night Market in warmer months, but there . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Close Reviews Rolando Jaimez Apr 19, 2022 We had good service even with the large party. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Rep. Jose Serrano have been spotted at Don Coqui. ''I like to introduce people who wouldn't normally meet each other,'' he said. The restaurant's selection is a testament to the neighborhood's Latin American population: half-pound cheeseburgers and silver dollar pancakes are served alongside coquito-dunked French toast, fried salami and tostones, and pernil, or slow-roasted Latin-style pork. At one point Jimmy's Bronx cafe was an era for rappers who was balling with borrowed money can stunt around drug dealers and bar maids Sue's rendezvous was another tittie club that rappers ruined. Rodriguez didn't just score a lucky hit with the caf. With the sports stars in tow, other celebrities followed. Ive been disrespected too much, said Elaine Rodriguez, whos divorcing the nightlife impresario after two decades of marriage. $6.50 2 hours. In his 89 years, Jimmy Glenn saw a lot. Restaurants (1) (718) 329-2000. Thanks for contacting us. HIRING 6 BENEFIT REPS-WORK REMOTE W/TRAINING, Bronx kettling lawsuit: NYC will pay millions to protesters bullied by cops at BLM rally, Potful of trouble: NYC stores skirting marijuana licensing rules, prompting legal confusion and safety concerns, Mercy College Opens New Student Lounge & Computer Lab, Charles Rutenberg Realty Opens Bronx Office, Bronx kettling lawsuit: NYC will pay millions to protesters bullied by cops at, Camille Joseph Varlack, Chief of Staff to the Mayor of the City of. By . Someone can work a floor and meet three to four hundred people, all in one night.". By 2004, however, the ending of this fairy tale was clouded by the sale or closure of each of his restaurants. In the case of Jimmy's Grand Cafe, located at 1001 Castle Hill Ave. in the Bronx, a small parking lot has been transformed into an outdoor dining oasis. Ohana Restaurant Corp is the license holder registered here. His four restaurants, Jimmys Bronx Cafe, Jimmys City Island, Jimmys Uptown in Harlem and Jimmys Downtown are now either closed or under new management. Jennifer Lopez posed for a photo with Torres at Jimmys, after enjoying his Sazon that he learned in his hometown of Guayama, Puerto Rico. Reyes intends to see those plans through. ''Plus, how could a Latin person have a terrace like mine and not throw a party?''. Or perhaps not exactly everyone. "He taught me the value of a job, and that patience and kindness can make or break a person," Rodriguez told Crain's New York Business. All rights reserved. "There are so many diverse cultures in New York and they need to mix more or else life gets really boring." It was a tight-knit community and Rodriguez blossomed in it, developing his trademark mile-wide smile and unflappable charm. "This is food from the Latin CaribbeanCuba, the Dominican Republic, PuertoRico," Rodriguez told The Kansas City Star. Ms. Martinez was a regular customer, Mr. Rodriguez said. Baratta owned a restaurant in East Harlem and regularly spent time at Rao's on Pleasant Avenue. Rodriguez has decided to lease the space to Felix Cabrera, who plans to open a seafood eatery there, the Times said. Don Coqui is a mini-chain in the New York metro area started by Jimmy Rodriguez, the former owner of the iconic, now-shuttered Jimmy's Bronx Cafe. And his restaurants, featuring fresh seafood like he once sold on the street, pull down over $10 million a year. Reyes, a close friend, was also helping him manage the restaurant. He later told the New York Times, "I love being the host." . At Jimmy's Uptown, the boss ordered a vodka tonic and looked around. In this story, a high school dropout helps his Puerto Rican father sell seafood from a pushcart alongside a highway. High-profile restaurateur Jimmy Rodriguez has gone underground, leaving a trail of creditors, suppliers and employees behind. With its upscale ambience, a multi-screen sports bar and seafood dishes that owner Jaime (Jimmy) Rodriguez Jr., 33, describes as "bringing a taste of the Caribbean to the Bronx," Jimmy's. "They don't have to sit around and listen to speeches," Rodriguez told The Bronx Beat, explaining the event's appeal. "It's a sad day.". (Enid Alvarez/New York Daily News), "It's so much fun, because we're back home," said Jaleene, 27, who grew up in Castle Hill and Mosholu Parkway with her younger sister Jewelle, 26. Jimmy's closed for the final time after a quiet night on New Year's Eve. Jennifer Lopez posed for a photo with. Meanwhile, he began a relationship with Michael Michelle, former actress on the hit show ER. By the 1990s, Rodriguez decided to expand. Even if Im not there, Im going to be right there with you, he replied during one of their final conversations on the phone. In the sports bar, he pulled up a stool and eyed a group of women in tight denim miniskirts dancing to a deafening mix of hip-hop and salsa. Mr. Rodriguez would not disclose the details of the deal, but he said it was too good to pass up. But he was wrong: every bank turned him down. In April 2001, during an album release party for Angie Martinez at Jimmy's Bronx Cafe, Cuban Link got in an altercation and had his face slashed when he was trying to break up a fight between Fat Joe and rapper Sunkiss. The handsome, Bronx-born Rodriguez, whose friends read like a whos who of politics and entertainment, closed his East 57th Street restaurant, Jimmys Downtown, last Monday with little notice to his patrons or employees. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. 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