Beloved DC Restauranteur Chokes To Death At The Palm

WASHINGTON, DC — A well-known DC restaurateur died after he choked while eating dinner at The Palm Wednesday night.

The owner of American City Diner in Northwest Washington, Jeffrey Gildenhorn, was taken to George Washington University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 74, The Washington Post reports.

Employees posted a handwritten note on the window of American City Diner Thursday that said they're "broken hearted" over Gildenhorn's passing and that the diner will be closed until further notice.

“All of us in the Palm Restaurant family are saddened over the loss of our longtime friend and patron, Jeffrey Gildenhorn,” said Michael Melore, a spokesman for The Palm, according to The Post. “He was an institution in our city and at our restaurant. We applaud the effort and quick response of the medical response team. Our thoughts are with Mr. Gildenhorn’s family and friends.”

Gildenhorn was a native-born Washingtonian who studied at Georgetown University School of Business Administration and Foreign Service from 1961 to 1965, according to the diner's website.

In 1989 Gildenhorn made a bid to purchase the Atlanta Braves and move the team to DC. That same year, he opened American City Diner.

The diner is known for it's nostalgic '50s feel, 24-hour menu and their monthly movie lists. The diner picks a different movie every day for patrons to watch on their "movie deck" while they eat dinner.

Gildenhorn was an active Democratic supporter and fund-raised for the Jimmy Carter Democratic Presidential candidacy; the Walter Mondale for President candidacy and the Bill Clinton Presidential candidacy. He ran for mayor of DC in 1998, but lost the primary.

Photo: American City Diner, NCinDC/Flickr