Kinkead's Seafood Restaurant to Close in December (Updated)

Downtown seafood restaurant Kinkead's, An American Brasserie announced via Twitter last night that it will be closing its doors in December. The restaurant has been a Washington institution since 1993, and is the flagship restaurant of chef Robert Kinkead. The restaurant did not reveal the reasons for the closure, and a manager at the restaurant Wednesday morning referred questions to Kinkead, who was not immediately available for comment. The chef also operated Hell Point Seafood in Annapolis, which closed earlier this year. Kinkead's is located at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

Update: Depending on how you interpret this message from the Kinkead's Facebook account, despite the closure, it may not be the end for Kinkead's: "We have some big plans in the works for the new year. Stay tuned!"

Additionally, Kinkead spoke with Tom Sietsema about the closure in the critic's weekly chat, saying that the lease for the restaurant is up in February. "I'm a big believer in restaurants having a shelf life," he tells the critic. But the empty space could eventually house a new Mediterranean concept from the chef.

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