Captain D's Lands in the Big Apple, Marking First Northeast Location for the Iconic Seafood Brand

New 650-square-foot walk-up restaurant brings high-quality fast casual seafood to New York

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's, the nation's leading fast-casual seafood restaurant, has officially made its debut in the Northeast with a Dec. 8 grand opening at 763 E. Gunhill Road in the Bronx.

Founded over five decades ago in Tennessee, the Nashville-based brand is expanding up the eastern seaboard with a first location in New York. This highly anticipated arrival features a new walk-up design tailored to dense metropolitan areas with limited space and heavy foot traffic. Three additional Captain D's are currently in development for the New York City area.

The 650-square foot Bronx restaurant has a significantly smaller layout with no dining room or drive-thru, catering to customers on the move with a walk-up counter and takeaway service. Guests can enjoy a full menu of Captain D's favorites like signature hand-battered fish fillets, grilled seafood, shrimp, chicken meals, homestyle sides, hushpuppies and Southern-style sweet tea.

Shahid Raza and his development partners at FSR Group are the team introducing Captain D's to the Northeast. They are seasoned operators with successful restaurant and franchise ventures in Maryland, Virginia Beach, and New York, including a Checkers located in the same Bronx retail strip on Gunhill Road. The group is also developing five Captain D's locations in the Baltimore metro area.

"One of the reasons we chose to franchise with Captain D's is that the brand fills a gap in the markets it serves by pairing high-quality seafood with great value," said Shahid Raza, franchise owner of the new Bronx Captain D's. "There is no other franchise concept like it in New York. This new walk-up prototype is fast, convenient, and built for the Bronx, perfectly matching the neighborhood's need for affordable meals on the go."

Brad Reed, Chief Development Officer of Captain D's, added, "Shahid Raza and FSR Group are ideal partners to lead our expansion in this region. They have an impressive portfolio of QSR brands and a proven record of operating successful businesses within their communities. This Bronx opening marks an important step in our strategic growth into the Northeast, showcasing how we can deliver on the Captain D's brand promise in markets where space comes at a premium."

The new Bronx restaurant will be open during standard Captain D's hours and offers convenient takeout service.   

With more than 530 restaurants in 23 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. The company is currently seeking single- and multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-314-4819.    

ABOUT CAPTAIN D'S  
Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has more than 530 restaurants in 23 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for over 55 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature batter dipped fish. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, salmon and whitefish, as well as hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com.        

Media Contact:
Jennifer Williams 
PR Account Manager 
[email protected]
(954) 893-9150 

SOURCE Captain D's