Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse was not the athlete’s first venture into the restaurant business, but it was a success and has since expanded across the country.
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Michael Jordan Steakhouse is a fine-dining restaurant group founded by retired American basketball player Michael Jordan. The main location was in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, but there are also locations in Connecticut, Washington, and Chicago.
Many celebrities have their names or brands engraved on steakhouses and other restaurants. Most of the time, these restaurants are average, with nothing noteworthy to mention. Sure, the food is good, but it’s clear that many people come for the celebrity connection.
When Michael Jordan named a steakhouse chain after himself, he went above and beyond to ensure that his steakhouse was a restaurant worth talking about, celebrity connection or not. But it wasn’t always easy to build that brand.
The restaurant is part of a collaboration with Cornerstone Restaurant Group, and the mega basketball star known for his championship runs with the Chicago Bulls first collaborated with the group in the 1990s, when his eponymous Chicago restaurant was one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.
Michael Jordan ventured into the restaurant business successfully with his Steakhouse outlets
According to Thrillist, Jordan’s first steakhouse opened in New York City in 1997 as a project of the Glazier Group. While Michael Jordan’s first steakhouse location in New York City opened in 1997, it was not his first restaurant.
Jordan’s first restaurant was simply called Michael Jordan’s Restaurant, and it opened three years earlier in 1994 in Chicago. Unfortunately, despite Chicago’s love of Jordan, the restaurant was a flop, receiving mostly bad reviews.
Fortunately for Jordan, his attempt at a steakhouse fared far better than his attempt at a sports-themed restaurant. The emphasis on “Michael Jordan the businessman” struck a chord with both regular diners and high-brow foodies.
Jordan has a special booth at Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse in Chicago. Table 23, also known as Michael Jordan’s booth. This tucked-away corner booth is usually reserved for the GOAT himself. However, if certain conditions are met, you can enter and have a good time.
If you book one and are having dinner at Table 23, and Michael Jordan happens to walk in, you will be asked to leave — not the restaurant, just the booth.
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