History of The River Café

The River Café opened under the Brooklyn Bridge in June of 1977, in a forgotten and abandoned neighborhood by the docks — desolate except for trucks waiting to enter the piers. When Michael "Buzzy" O'Keeffe first discovered this spot, it was barren and devoid of life. To him, this neglected piece of waterfront was very special — lacking any civility, but with wonderful possibilities.

It took twelve years of convincing the City before Mr. O'Keeffe obtained approval, in 1974, to begin building the restaurant. Some of New York's most important business executives and government officials advised him that building on the Brooklyn waterfront was extremely dangerous. In 1974, New York City was itself struggling with financial problems, and the idea of creating a serious restaurant in one of the city's forgotten industrial districts seemed out of control.

From the restaurant's first days, Mr. O'Keeffe insisted that The River Café be dedicated to serving only the highest level of cuisine, prepared from the freshest and finest ingredients available anywhere. As a result, the restaurant emerged at the forefront of the arrival of classic American cuisine on the East Coast — searching out the finest and purest ingredients in every aspect of the dining experience.