At long last, a full reveal at the Five Guys, opening this week on 2nd Avenue

Top photo by Vinny & O 

Yesterday, workers removed the plywood from the SE corner of Second Avenue and 12th Street (188 Second Ave.), completing the full reveal of Five Guys, which has been in the works since November 2023. 

The plywood has been up at least back to last spring.

The burger chain, which started in Washington, D.C., in the 1980s, now has 1,700 outposts worldwide, including more than 30 locations around NYC.

According to the door signage, the 5G opens this week (the photo was from yesterday, so three days!)...

As previously noted, the restaurants at 188 Second Ave. haven't fared well since old-timer Shima was rent-hiked out of here in January 2014. Lumos Kitchen lasted three months in 2018. Later, Hot Pot Central, DumplingGuo, and Dumpling Go also departed quickly. 

Strings Ramen, which closed in April 2022, did OK, with a tough two-year-plus run after opening just before the start of the pandemic.

Let's look inside the Five Guys slated for 2nd Avenue and 12th Street

We've been receiving numerous inquiries about the Five Guys setting up a new outpost on the SE corner of Second Avenue and 12th Street (188 Second Ave.). 

The coming-soon signage arrived on Nov. 13. This outpost is on the Five Guys website, though no other info is available. 

Looking inside reveals a lot of work is left to do before a grand opening...

The burger chain, which started in Washington, D.C., in the 1980s, now has 1,700 outposts worldwide, including 30-plus locations around NYC.

Five Guys takes over the space from Strings Ramen, which closed in April 2022 after two years in business, opening just before the start of the pandemic. (Signage remained up for Strings, giving the impression they were still in business.)

As previously noted, the restaurants at 188 Second Ave. haven't fared well since old-timer Shima got rent-hiked out of here in January 2014. Lumos Kitchen lasted three months in 2018. Others that made quick departures in the past five years were Hot Pot Central, DumplingGuo and Dumpling Go.

Five Guys coming to 12th and 2nd

Photo by EVG reader Joe

Signage arrived yesterday on the SE corner of Second Avenue and 12th Street (188 Second Ave.) for Five Guys. 

The burger chain, which started in Washington, D.C., in the 1980s, now has 1,700 outposts worldwide, including 30-plus locations around NYC.

Five Guys takes over the space from Strings Ramen, which closed in April 2022 after two years in business, opening just before the start of the pandemic. (Signage remained up for Strings, giving the impression they were still in business.)

As previously noted, the restaurants at 188 Second Ave. haven't fared well since old-timer Shima got rent-hiked out of here in January 2014. Lumos Kitchen lasted three months in 2018. Others to make quick departures in the past five years were Hot Pot Central, DumplingGuo and Dumpling Go.

Thank you to everyone who sent photos from yesterday, including Choresh Wald.