10 Kitchen Nightmares Restaurants That Are Still Open Today

Watching any episode of "Kitchen Nightmares" is a real rollercoaster. What this TV show captures better than almost any other food program out there is the feeling of triumph over adversity, and the best "Kitchen Nightmares" episodes have us cheering at the screen as the restaurants featured learn the errors of their ways and turn their business (and their lives) around — all helped by Gordon Ramsay's infamously colorful vocabulary. When the cameras stop rolling, though, it's a different story. Ramsay may help restaurant owners transform their operations while he's there, but when he walks away, there's no guarantee that they'll keep them up and be able to keep their eateries afloat.

Sadly, that's perhaps why so many restaurants featured on the show are now closed — but some of them are still alive, kicking, and thriving. Even some of the earliest joints that appeared on "Kitchen Nightmares" are in operation to this day, and throughout the years, plenty of them have done a complete 180 on their food and ambience, with some restaurants now receiving stellar reviews. Which of your favorites have kept going? We've got them all right here.

Over the years, Gordon Ramsay has had no shortage of chefs on "Kitchen Nightmares" who have struggled to see that they need to change how they're doing things – but in Season 3, he met his match in Andy Trousdale. The owner of Le Bistro in Lighthouse Point, Florida, received sharp criticism both from Ramsay and viewers of the show for his seemingly arrogant attitude and his inability to realize that this could be a key factor in his business failing. Back in 2010, when the episode first aired, it seemed as though there was little hope for this European-style restaurant to continue for even just a few years.

Fast forward to the present day, though, and Le Bistro is still doing brisk business — and its customers seem to be very happy with how things are going. "Excellent dinner at Le Bistro. Can't wait to return," said one reviewer on Yelp, who went on to praise the restaurant's atmosphere. Others have said how excellent the food is, and have even mentioned that Chef Trousdale was hospitable and accommodating. The restaurant even has a cheeky quote from Ramsay himself on its website, in a callback to its episode, saying that one day it may win a Michelin star. Hey, it's all publicity — and considering that Gordon Ramsay has won 17 in his career (although he's not the chef with the most stars), he knows his stuff.

You can't make a show like "Kitchen Nightmares" and not expect blowback here and there. That's exactly what happened after Gordon Ramsay visited Oceana Grill in Louisiana, filming a Season 4 episode that was, of course, subsequently edited for television. The owners of Oceana Grill, however, took issue with the way that the restaurant was represented and filed a lawsuit in 2011 to try to prevent the episode from appearing on TV. It was ultimately unsuccessful, but when a clip from the episode subsequently resurfaced seven years later, a second lawsuit was filed, with the restaurant claiming defamation.

With all of the drama behind the scenes, it wouldn't surprise anyone if the actual restaurant had suffered in the process — but amazingly, it hasn't seemed to. Oceana Grill is still in operation, and as of 2026, it seems to be doing pretty well with customers. Its food routinely gets great reviews, with people particularly loving its authentic take on New Orleans cuisine. Some people have even reported going back multiple times in successive days. To be honest, we kinda get why the restaurant would be annoyed when its grub is clearly hitting the spot.

Now and again, "Kitchen Nightmares" comes up with the goods with a restaurant that not only needs help, but with restaurateurs who are one of a kind. Such was the case back in 2012, when the Spin a Yarn Steakhouse appeared on our TV screens. Gordon Ramsay rocked up to the Fremont restaurant, run by Saki Kavouniaris and his wife Jennifer, after the business put the couple on the brink of divorce. It appeared that Ramsay's intervention wasn't enough to keep their marriage intact, though. Following the "Kitchen Nightmares" episode, the Kavouniaris' split up, before Jennifer decided to pursue her political ambitions. Jennifer still owns an active stake in the restaurant, while Saki runs it — and has been filmed on social media shouting at customers who try to tell him that his food is cooked poorly.

Pretty wild, right? Nonetheless, if you want to see all of this for yourself, you can: Spin A Yarn Steakhouse is still open for business. That being said, its reviews have been up and down to say the least, with some customers enjoying their food and mentioning the good service, while others state that they have faced unexpected charges on their bill, and flagging the poor customer experience. We'll leave it up to you as to whether you wanna go or not.

Fiery family dynamics are nothing new on "Kitchen Nightmares," but few have felt as combustible as the ones seen at the Spanish Pavillion in a Season 4 episode of the show. This New Jersey restaurant was staffed by two brothers who couldn't help but be at each other's throats, and chefs who were equally as ready to fight — and they were filmed in the episode nearly coming to blows in the kitchen, before Gordon Ramsay intervened. It wasn't exactly a set-up for a functional workplace, and ultimately, it took one of the brothers leaving the restaurant for things to settle down.

This was a "Kitchen Nightmares" episode where the restaurateurs clearly wanted to get things right, and so it's great to see that the Spanish Pavillion is still going strong to this day, with loyal customers keeping it afloat. "The Spanish Pavillion is great, I would recommend it always!" said one review on TripAdvisor, who also praised its "exceptional service." People also love the size of its portions, and its great prices. Turns out that going on reality TV really can make a difference.

It's hard to know where to start with this 2013 episode of "Kitchen Nightmares." When Seattle-based restaurant Yanni's first appeared on screens, viewers were shocked by the state that owner Peter had allowed his eatery to get to. With a menu that hadn't changed since 1984, rotten food in the fridges, and defiant staff who were passing the blame to each other, it looked as though this restaurant was past the point of no return.

That being said, Yanni's is miraculously still open – and its recent reviews appear to show that it's turned things around. Its food wins rave reviews from customers, who highlight its quality, flavor, and price. "Let me say this: For $18, the gyro is a spectacular deal in Seattle," states a reviewer on Yelp. "The meat was tender, the pita was fluffy and fresh, and there was just a dusting of spice on top of the vegetables [...] Everything tasted homemade and fresh off the stove." Despite the fireworks seen in its "Kitchen Nightmares" episode, diners have also said that Yanni's now has a friendly, relaxed ambience. We almost feel proud, guys.

There's a clear pattern when it comes to "Kitchen Nightmares" episodes: More often than not, an immovable object in the form of a stubborn restaurant owner meets the unstoppable force of Gordon Ramsay, and the former person changes their ways. That happened yet again in 2013, when the owner of the Olde Hitching Post in Massachusetts went head-to-head with the British chef. Owner Tom Kessaris was seen in the episode praising the benefits of frozen food (which Ramsay won't touch) and struggling to relinquish control to his daughter and the people who could improve his business ... Before ultimately realizing that he needs to turn things around.

We're glad he did, both for his own sake and for the sake of his restaurant, which now looks as though it's doing good business after changing hands in 2022. The Olde Hitching Post may not have universally positive reviews, but with a 3.7 rating on Yelp, it seems that it's far from the chaotic place that it used to be. Its food is a highlight with customers (which we guess is good for a restaurant, right?), and its ambience is generally perceived as cozy and warm, although its service has been flagged as slightly patchy here and there.

Lido Di Manhattan (a Californian restaurant whose name makes sense when you realize it's located in Manhattan Beach) is one of the longest-lasting eateries since its appearance on "Kitchen Nightmares." This joint featured in Season 3 of the show and was a great example of how ambition can sometimes set you back. In the episode, viewers learned that Lido Di Manhattan had been founded by 23-year-old Lisa Hemmat, who had just graduated from business school and was ready to take the restaurant world by storm. However, a lack of restaurant experience meant that the plucky entrepreneur quickly began struggling, leading to Gordon Ramsay rocking up at her door to set things right.

It seems as though Lido Di Manhattan's appearance on "Kitchen Nightmares" was a smart move for the restaurant, as it's now stronger than ever. The restaurant now routinely gets rave reviews from its customers, many of whom are long-time diners. "Best food! Always great. Service is always perfect," said a particularly positive Yelp review. "My favorite place to go to eat." That sentiment is shared by many diners, who are clearly backers of Hemmat and her business. Hemmat herself has gone on to open a second restaurant, Playa Hermosa Fish & Oyster Co., making her one of the biggest success stories from the show.

While the restaurants in "Kitchen Nightmares" are frequently shocking, few have been as frightening as what Gordon Ramsay found when he walked into the Bel Aire Diner in New York, in a 2023 episode of the show. "It's like a scene out of Saw!" he cried as he walked through the restaurant's kitchen, seen via YouTube, met with overflowing sinks, leftover food, containers of chicken that's gone bad, and a general sense of grime. Ramsay had some harsh words for the family that owned the restaurant, saying, "This place is seconds away from going up in flames." Yikes.

It wouldn't have surprised anyone if the Bel Aire Diner hadn't lasted long after its appearance, but it's managed to keep on trucking. Not only that, but it feels as though it's turned a corner. A few years on, and the Bel Aire Diner is receiving excellent reviews from customers, who have highlighted the service as a real positive and the welcoming atmosphere as a highlight of their trip. Plus, its food is dubbed fresh and tasty, with generous portions. Looks like they took Chef Ramsay's advice on board.

Back in 2011, "Kitchen Nightmares" featured a restaurant that made viewers reflect on the state of their own family dynamics, hopefully in a positive way. That's because of the way that the, shall we say, memorable way that the Catizone family, who run Luigi's D'Italia, operated. The family was seen screaming at each other throughout the episode in full view of customers and bursting into tears repeatedly, in an hour of television that almost felt scripted in its total wildness.

With all of those fireworks going on, this restaurant surely couldn't stay open, could it? Well, turns out, it could — although not in the same place. Luigi's D'Italia is still open, but it has since moved locations to a smaller unit, taking its dishes and its passion with it. To be honest, this move looks to have been a good thing for the business: Luigi's now gets great reviews almost universally, and customers are quick to point out that it retains its original charm. "This was our first visit since Luigi's relocated from Anaheim, and the food is just as amazing as we remembered," said a review on Yelp. "The calamari is a must-try, every dish we ordered was delicious, and the cannolis are perfect to take home and enjoy with a cup of coffee." The review also pointed out the warmth from its owners. Talk about a turnaround!

It's pretty fair to say that Gordon Ramsay doesn't make life easy for the people that he's helping out on "Kitchen Nightmares." If you need any proof of this, check out what he did in the 2011 episode that featured Leone's, an Italian restaurant based in New Jersey. In the show, Ramsay asked the chefs at Leone's to make him one of every dish on the menu, which had over 100 items on it. Ramsay came back into the dining room to find the tables adorned with countless dishes. He subsequently tore the restaurant's chefs apart for the food's appearance and taste, before forcing them to eat the dishes themselves. Hey, no one ever said he was nice.

For a lot of restaurateurs, this kind of humiliation might have caused them to walk away from their business for good. So, we totally admire how the folks at Leone's doubled down on making their restaurant as good as possible, and 15 years later, it's going strong. Its reviews can be a little up and down, but by and large, people are now generally impressed by its food and the overall experience at the restaurant.