Helbraun Levey

11/14/2025

Most people dream about opening a restaurant. Smart operators? They dream about opening five.

Join us for The Second Course: How to Build a Hospitality Group. We’ll talk about how to build a restaurant that can grow, scale, and still feel like you.

Monday, Nov 17 | 11 AM EST. Register at link in profile.

05/14/2025

We’re diving into the details of the Good Guy Guaranty, a crucial clause in any hospitality lease. Today: where does the term “Good Guy Guaranty” even come from?

Well, it refers to you, as the tenant, when you properly notify your landlord that you must terminate your lease early and vacate the premises in good condition. Essentially, you’re agreeing to be a “good guy” and vacate under certain terms, allowing your landlord to re-lease the space once you’re gone. It’s “good” of you, sure – but you’re also protecting yourself from owing the rent on the full term of your lease if your business must vacate. Once you depart according to the terms of the Good Guy Guaranty, you’re no longer personally liable for the remainder of the lease. NY is one of the few places where you can find this type of guaranty.

Check back with us all month long as we explore the conditions, and value, of this essential component of the lease for your hospitality business. And if you’re working your way through a lease, we’re here to help. Reach out to our Real Estate Team at 212-219-1193 or https://helbraunlevey.com/contact/ before you sign anything, and we’ll work through it with you.

05/12/2025

Live from New York, it’s Monday morning…!

To conclude our spring semester of FREE educational webinars, we’re pulling out all the stops and going LIVE with you: join us on Mon 5/19 at 11AM for our end-of-semester Corporate Round Table. David Helbraun, Andrew Fine, and Winfield Glascock will discuss All Things Corporate, from how to structure your business to sustainable growth, plus so much more – and they’ll take your questions live on air.

To share your questions, sign up at the link, or save them for the comments once the session begins! We can’t wait to hear from you. Register now at https://twh5qzf1.paperform.co/

05/11/2025

It’s almost time…! On Sun 5/18, Founding Partner David Helbraun will moderate a panel at the first-ever NYC edition of The Chef Conference. Join him, with panelists John Fraser, James O’Brien, Missy Robbins, and Rafiq Salim, for “Making the Move from Chef to Partner: The Challenges of Being a Restaurant Owner.” (There’s no better way to educate yourself about the myriad issues that owners face – many of which you never really hear about until it’s your name over the door… and on the lease… and signing the checks…)

Tickets are available at https://www.thechefconference.com/

05/08/2025

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agents swarmed the streets of DC this week, visiting more than two dozen restaurants. We don’t know when or where more of these visits may happen, and we want you and your teams to be prepared.

Today, we sent out a newsletter outlining what to do, what to expect, and how we can help. Find the whole thing at https://helbraunlevey.com/breaking-news-ice-moving-on-restaurants/ and (just in case you haven’t yet) sign up to receive timely updates from us.

Whether you’ve been visited by ICE, are anticipating a visit, or just need more information, our Employment Practices Group is here to help guide you during these challenging times. Email [email protected] or call 212-219-1193 with your questions.

05/07/2025

The hospitality business comes with wild risks. We don’t have to tell you this.

You’re facing…

*** High failure rates (many restaurants close within the first few years)

*** Large upfront investments (including costly build-outs and equipment)

*** Fluctuating revenue (say hello to seasonality, economic shifts, and competition – and that’s just the start…)

For landlords, leasing to a hospitality tenant comes with more uncertainty than leasing to an office or retail tenant. That’s why you AND your landlord need to negotiate your Good Guy Guaranty. It’s an unusual – and CRUCIAL – part of your lease.

We’ll be diving deeper into this clause all month long, so stick with us and learn a bit about this absolutely essential protection for your hospitality business.

And if you’re already getting close to the process, don’t hesitate: reach out to our Real Estate Team at 212-219-1193 or https://helbraunlevey.com/contact/

05/06/2025

“Love yuh self. Eat yuh guts full.”

Simple, compelling instructions, pulled from the menu at Kabawa, the new ode to the Caribbean diaspora from Chef Paul Carmichael and Momofuku. And if New York magazine is to be believed, they’re not just pretty words. While it’s tucked away on a quiet East Village cul-de-sac, the restaurant proves to be a find worth seeking out.

Asked about his “birthday flan” dessert, the chef replied that “It’s just joy. And I want people to have it.”

And couldn’t we all use a little more of that??

Read the whole review at the link.

Kabawa is an entirely new restaurant for the company — one devoted to the many cuisines of the Caribbean.

05/05/2025

We’re spilling the tea – er, coffee! – on NYC licensing.

On Mon 5/12 at 11AM, join partners David Helbraun and Joseph “Joey Regs” Levey for the latest on licensing:
– What’s really happening with liquor license timelines
– How to prepare for, and what to expect from, the outdoor dining process
– The latest issues and trends at community boards
– Pro tips to keep your place open and compliant for the long haul

Grab your caffeinated beverage of choice, and we’ll see you there. Sign up at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1517449215075/WN_ROhM6KQYSEGUNgR-52OPmg

05/01/2025

As a diner, how much does atmosphere influence your dining-out decisions?
What about you, operators: how much time, energy, and funds do you put into your ambiance?

The New York Times has a hot take on restaurants and branding: “A decade ago, the country’s most buzzed-about restaurants were largely defined by the ambition of the food and the credentials of the chef. Now, they’re all about atmosphere and appearance. For many diners who grew up in the visuals-obsessed Instagram era, a restaurant doesn’t need to have a particular aesthetic — it just needs to have a memorable one.”

Full article, free to read via gift link, at

Restaurateurs are finding that ambience and branding matter as much — and to many diners, more — than the food they serve.

04/30/2025

Is a critic’s job to review, or to reveal?

This week, the Times finally gets around to Bridges, the buzzy downtown restaurant that has, in their words, “been overflowing with It-people and It-hype from the moment its doors opened in Chinatown last September.” Perhaps their wait was justified: as Melissa Clark writes, “a critic likes to lift the veil on new finds, not just hit the ‘like’ button on a viral smash.”

And yet, as readers: don’t we want – nay, deserve – to know whether that viral smash is worth our dining dollars?

At last, we find out, and the verdict is overwhelmingly positive: “…this glamorous hot spot was in fact just a front for a piercingly intelligent and original restaurant, with a kitchen whose dexterity and finesse handily outshone the dining room’s influencer flow.”

Wowza. (Good luck getting a reservation now.) Enjoy the full review at the free gift link here.

Under all the hype and beautiful-people veneer, Bridges is full of surprises, starting with an imaginative, globally inspired menu.

04/28/2025

You work EVERY DAY to build, grow, and improve your brand. But how do you protect it?

Trademarking your name can help ensure that your assets – and your hard-earned reputation – remain your own. Learn how from the best in the business: Intellectual Property Group Chair Hamutal Lieberman and Corporate Group Chair Andrew Fine. Join us on Mon, 5/5 at 11AM as we discuss how to protect and structure your brand. Registration is open now at https://twh5qzf1.paperform.co/

04/24/2025

You pour your heart and soul – and not inconsiderable funds – into your business. So…ya gotta protect it.

A trademark might not be the first thing you think of when opening a restaurant. (You’ve got plenty of other things on your mind!) But securing your brand helps you be sure that others don’t benefit from your hard work.

The trademark process can be long, and there’s a lot to consider.
a) Federal, or State?
b) What specifically should I trademark?
c) Can I trademark my recipes?

It’s worth it in the long run to establish ownership of your business. (The answers, by the way, are a) it depends, b) anything you can, and c) no – how crazy is that??)

Whatever your trademark needs, our Intellectual Property Team is here to help. Whether you’re just starting a search for “confusingly similar” marks (a legal term of art), preparing to defend your business with a Cease and Desist letter, or litigating your case, we are available to help guide you and protect your hustle. Reach out to us to learn more today at https://helbraunlevey.com/legal-services/intellectual-property/