---
title: "Thai Ramen Eatery to Open at Original Site of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Cafe"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/1d3d5718-192e-41ec-a7e2-4255b548ed73
source: "Commercial Observer"
original_url: https://commercialobserver.com/2026/06/bua-thai-ramen-robata-grill-lease-21-east-16th-street/
author: "Mark Hallum"
category: "Fine dining"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Fine dining"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2026-06-26T13:40:31.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T13:17:47.578Z
image: https://commercialobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/06/Brandon-Singer-21-E-16th-St-credit-Jazz-Guy-from-New-Jersey_CC-by-2.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons.jpg?quality=80&resize=1200%2C630&strip=
---

# Thai Ramen Eatery to Open at Original Site of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Cafe

**TL;DR:** Bua Thai Ramen & Robata Grill has signed a 10-year lease for a 4,840-square-foot space near Union Square, taking over the site where Danny Meyer's Union Square Cafe was originally located. The lease is for $250 per square foot and the space is currently occupied by TsuruTonTan.

*By Mark Hallum, originally published in Commercial Observer on 2026-06-26. [Read the original](https://commercialobserver.com/2026/06/bua-thai-ramen-robata-grill-lease-21-east-16th-street/).*

## Story

An Upper East Side Thai ramen joint is taking over a retail space near **Union Square** famous for being the location for **Danny Meyer**’s first restaurant, Commercial Observer has learned.

**Bua Thai Ramen & Robata Grill** has signed a 4,840-square-foot lease at **David Ellis Real Estate**’s **21 East 16th Street** in an expansion of its current presence at **1611 Second Avenue**, according to landlord broker **Retail by MONA**.

The lease is for 10 years and asking rent for the space was $250 per square foot, the brokerage said.

“Very few restaurant spaces in New York City carry the history and significance of 21 East 16th Street,” **Brandon Singer**, founder and CEO of Retail by MONA, said in a statement. “This is a location that has helped define Union Square’s dining scene for decades. Bua brings the energy, quality and hospitality needed to write the next chapter of that story.”

Singer and **Max Kreinces** represented the landlord in the transaction, while **Frank Ko** of **E Realty International** negotiated on behalf of the tenant. Ko did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“The Union Square market continues to attract operators looking for highly visible locations with strong foot traffic and an established customer base,” Kreinces said in a statement. “Bua’s concept is a great fit for both the building and the neighborhood.”

Meyer ran **Union Square Cafe** at the location from 1985 until 2015, when it moved to its current spot at **101 East 19th Street**. The East 16th Street spot is currently occupied by Japanese restaurant chain **TsuruTonTan**.

Retail by MONA also recently signed **State of Play Hospitality**’s darts concept **Flight Club** in the corner retail space of the building. Flight Club is expected to open this summer.

## Entities

- unit expansion (topic)
- QSR (sector)
- Commercial Observer (publication)
- Mark Hallum (person)
- Danny Meyer (person)
- Union Square (location)
- Flight Club (company)
- restaurant leasing (topic)
- Union Square Cafe (company)
- State of Play Hospitality (company)
- Brandon Singer (person)
- Retail by MONA (company)

---
Originally reported by Mark Hallum, Commercial Observer (https://commercialobserver.com/2026/06/bua-thai-ramen-robata-grill-lease-21-east-16th-street/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/1d3d5718-192e-41ec-a7e2-4255b548ed73).