Tocqueville Restaurateurs Bolt From Hyatt Union Square

Marco Moreira and Jo-Ann Makovitzky, the restaurateurs behind perennial favorites Tocqueville and 15 East, are parting ways with the Hyatt Union Square, where they have operated three separate venues for the last few years. The duo's subterranean Brazilian bistro, Botequim, is already closed, although Flo Fab notes that they hope to reopen the restaurant elsewhere. Robert Sietsema gave the restaurant two stars back in 2014.

[Paul Crispin Quitoriano]

Moreira and Makovitzky's all-day American restaurant, The Fourth, and their Latin-themed bar, Singl, are still chugging along, although the duo will not be involved with these establishments after June 1. Later this summer, new operators will take over those spaces.

Although some critics liked The Fourth, the restaurant never really found an audience. When the weather was nice and the French doors were open to the street, the dining room was often empty — it's a tricky corner. The downstairs restaurant also faced similar challenges. In his review, Sietsema notes that if you ordered correctly, you might "forget you're dining in the roughly finished basement of a chain hotel."

No word yet on who is taking over the three restaurant spaces inside the Hyatt Union Square.