The River Cafe Reopens 15 Months After Hurricane Sandy

Tonight, fabled restaurateur Michael "Buzzy" O'Keeffe will reopen his 36-year-old floating fine dining establishment The River Cafe. Over the last 15 months, O'Keeffe spent millions of dollars repairing the damage caused by the four feet of water that flooded the restaurant during Hurricane Sandy. The kitchen equipment, tables, chairs, bathroom fixtures, and piano are all brand new. Buzzy also replaced the sheetrock with cement board, and raised all the wiring above flood zone, to make the space "hurricane-proof." O'Keeffe tells the Daily News: "I always knew we would open, but I never thought it would take this long."

For more on O'Keeffe's legacy, read Josh Ozersky's recent profile of the restaurateur. And for more on his experience with Hurricane Sandy, watch Eater's original video about the one year anniversary of the storm.
· A Peek Inside Iconic River Cafe [NYDN]
· All River Cafe Coverage on Eater [~ENY~]