After 14 years, the popular Dolphin restaurant located at 1 Van Der Donck Street in Yonkers has transformed into One Pier Steakhouse and reopened on April 1st.
Humble Beginnings
Current owner Jimmy Rugova and his family have been in the restaurant business since 1982. In that year, Mr. Rugova Sr. opened the original Dolphin Restaurant on 33rd and Lexington in New York City. The name paid homage to Mr. Rugova Sr. as both Jimmy’s mother and father were immigrants who worked tirelessly to give their children a chance at the American dream, and they are making that happen to this very day.
The decision to rebrand after 14 years came as they wanted a fresh start and to enter a new era for the new One Pier Steakhouse.
Transformation
While One Pier Steakhouse will continue to serve fish, they now incorporate a lot more meat options on the new menu. The downtown area of Yonkers has grown and flourished enough to warrant the upscale vibe that a traditional steakhouse tends to bring.
Not only is there a new menu with a variety of meat dishes to choose from, the restaurant itself has received a facelift. This includes a new bar, new flooring, new windows, and a new logo. The logo itself includes the word “Yonkers,” showing Mr. Rugova’s pride in his own heritage within the city.
Mr. Rugova also owns the recently opened Urge Burger and the seasonally opened outdoor space called TaqueRio Taco Bar. All of these restaurants are near Hudson River waterfront. As a seasoned restauranteur, he prides himself and his staff on their excellent customer service.
Our mission is to greet people with a smile when they come in, and make sure they leave with one as well.
Mr. Jimmy Rugova – Owner of One Pier Steakhouse
