Puleo's, Broadway Theatre District Eatery, Closes Its Doors

By Robert Simonson
May 30, 2006

Puleo's recently became the latest theatre district restaraunt to close up shop, shutting its doors for good over the Memorial Day weekend.

Puleo's made no official announcement about the closure, but by May 30 the storefront had been chained and the restaraunt's phone number had been disconnected. Puleo's II, which sits a couple of addresses down from Puleo's, was also dark.

As recently as last winter, the owner of Puleo's told Playbill.com that the business had a seven-year lease on the building.

Puleo's death follows that of neighbors Sam's and Barrymore's—both longtime theatre hangouts. Frankie & Johnny's, the steakhouse that began life 80 years ago as a speakeasy, is the only eatery that remains on the west end of the W. 45th Street block between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. Though Frankie & Johnny's has refuted rumors that it, too, is closing, the landmark, second-floor business is expected to end its run soon to make way for a projected highrise hotel.