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Reuben's Restaurant
Reuben's restaurant menu cover 1943.jpg
Menu circa 1943
Restaurant information
Established 1908
Closed December 2001
Previous owner(s) Arnold Reuben
Harry L. Gilman
Food type Delicatessen
Street address 244 Madison Avenue
City New York City
County New York
State New York
Postal/ZIP code 10016
Country United States
Coordinates 40°45′00″N 73°58′53″W / 40.7501278°N 73.9814707°W / 40.7501278; -73.9814707

Reuben's Restaurant and Delicatessen was a very famous restaurant and Jewish deli in Manhattan, New York City. It was started by a man named Arnold Reuben. People loved its delicious sandwiches and lively atmosphere for many years.

History of Reuben's

Reuben's Restaurant
Reuben's Restaurant

How Reuben's Began

Arnold Reuben was an immigrant from Germany. He opened his first restaurant in 1908. It was located at 802 Park Avenue in New York City.

In 1916, the restaurant moved to Broadway. Two years later, it moved again to 622 Madison Avenue. Reuben's kept growing and changing locations.

A Grand Opening

Thirty years after it first opened, Reuben's Restaurant had a big, formal opening. This was at its new home on 6 East 58th Street. The mayor of New York City, Fiorello La Guardia, even came to the event!

Reuben's stayed at this location for a long time. It was a popular spot for many years.

New Owners and Closing Time

In the mid-1960s, Arnold Reuben sold the restaurant. Harry L. Gilman became the new owner. The restaurant then moved to 38th Street and Madison Avenue.

Reuben's continued to serve customers at 244 Madison Avenue. However, in December 2001, the restaurant had to close its doors.

Famous Stories and Sandwiches

Reuben's Restaurant was known for more than just its food. It had some interesting connections to history.

A Small Part in Sports History

In 1919, a big sports event happened. It was called the Black Sox scandal. This was when the Chicago White Sox baseball team was involved in a plan to lose the World Series on purpose.

A man named Abe "The Little Champ" Attell met with a powerful gambler, Arnold Rothstein. Their first meeting about this plan happened in a private room at Reuben's. So, the restaurant played a small part in this famous story.

Sandwiches for Stars

Arnold Reuben had a fun idea for his menu. He would name sandwiches after famous people! Celebrities like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra had sandwiches named after them. This was a popular way for restaurants to attract customers back then.

What People Thought of Reuben's

Arnold Reuben's son, Arnold Reuben Jr., worked with his father. They ran the restaurant together for many years.

In 1986, a writer named Marian Burros wrote about Reuben's. She described its fancy look in the New York Times. She mentioned the "Italian marble, gold-leaf ceiling, lots of walnut paneling and dark red leather seats." To her, it felt like the perfect New York restaurant.

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