After years of building a seaside-minded restaurant empire in New York, brothers Alex and Miles Pincus are steering their Holywater oyster bar back to their hometown, this time anchoring it in the French Quarter. The pair is turning a long-dormant building into a raw-bar-forward hangout that will match Gulf seafood with Crew’s signature cocktails and small plates. Renovations are already underway, with the team eyeing a late-spring opening, as reported by NOLA.com.
According to NOLA.com, Holywater is set to take over 622 Conti St., a building that dates to 1837 and has been empty since Salon by Sucré closed in 2019. The story, published March 13, 2026, notes that the project includes a third-floor lounge and event space that could eventually host live music. Alex Pincus told the outlet the concept feels like “home” for the brothers as they try to blend New York polish with local flavors.
From Tribeca To The Quarter
The Pincus brothers lead Crew, a hospitality group built around maritime-themed venues that include Grand Banks, Island Oyster and a compact Holywater bar in Tribeca, according to Crew. The group’s roots trace back to 2014 with Grand Banks, which Eater New York chronicled as the Pincus brothers’ breakthrough project. The New York portfolio’s focus on raw bars and polished nautical design is the template the brothers say they plan to translate to Conti Street.
What To Expect On The Menu
NOLA.com reports that Holywater New Orleans will serve oysters from the East, West and Gulf coasts, along with fruits de mer towers, caviar, burgers, fried chicken, lobster rolls, charbroiled lobster frites and gumbo. The outlet also notes that Alex Pincus has tapped chef Alex Harrell to run the kitchen and that Anne Pincus’s pralines will be sold at the bar. The idea is to stitch the Crew brand to the Quarter’s own culinary traditions rather than simply dropping in a New York import.
Old Building, New Life
Business filings and Crew's hiring page point to 622 Conti St. as the Holywater NOLA address, and current job listings show the group recruiting for management and front-of-house roles. The listing describes Holywater NOLA as a dining, drinking and events destination, signaling that the buildout has moved into staffing and service planning. For New Orleanians, the Pincus homecoming marks a high-profile example of hometown restaurateurs reinvesting in the Quarter’s hospitality scene.
Who's Cooking
Crew elevated Kerry Heffernan to culinary director as the group expanded, and his résumé, which includes stints at Eleven Madison Park and helping craft the original Shake Shack burger, has shaped the kitchens across the portfolio. Eater New York has profiled Heffernan’s long-running collaboration with the Pincus brothers and his role in scaling their seafood operations. The Pincuses say Holywater is meant to land as a true neighborhood raw bar, just one with the level of polish their New York venues are known for.
