19 Cleveland Restaurant: Our Story

Our story begins nearly 70 years ago in Casablanca, Morocco, with Grandma Terez and Grandpa Shimon, in a home where the door was always open, the table was always full, and there was always a reason to celebrate.

That spirit made its way to New York.

Eyal Hen grew up in his family’s restaurant, starting at the age of 11. He learned the business from the ground up, peeling potatoes, washing dishes, bussing tables, taking orders, cooking, and eventually bartending. He grew up surrounded by food, music, conversation, and a constant flow of new faces.

Years later, while DJing in New York, he felt something was missing from the downtown scene. A place where great food, music, and hospitality could come together naturally. Somewhere personal, spontaneous, and alive.

Together with a group of lifelong friends, he opened 19 Cleveland around the same values he grew up with: good food, good music, celebration, and an open door.

The history is our foundation.
The rest is still being written.

Today, 19 Cleveland is a downtown New York meeting place built around one simple belief: the best nights don’t have to be planned.

You come for dinner.
You wipe the plate clean.
You stay for the music.
You meet someone.
You order another round.
And somehow, the night takes you somewhere you didn’t expect.

Our food follows the same philosophy.

Our roots are Moroccan, Yemeni, Italian, and Syrian, but we’ve never believed in staying inside one box. The menu moves freely between bold flavors, fresh ingredients, seasonal mezze, and unexpected influences from around the world. Food designed for the table and meant to be shared.

The food is personal.
The room is alive.
The music matters.

But what truly brings 19 Cleveland to life is our people. Our team is warm, genuine, and exceptional at making you feel at home from the moment you walk through the door. We believe great hospitality is about more than service. It’s about making you feel like you belong here.

Because to us, hospitality is bigger than a restaurant.

It’s the table you keep coming back to. The place you bring your friends. The night you didn’t expect to remember. The feeling that something is already happening the moment you walk through the door.

Welcome to 19 Cleveland.

Come hungry. Stay awhile.