Ox Reopens After Last Night's Service-Ending Smoke Out

Last night, a malfunctioning ventilation hood caused Ox to fill with smoke and close mid-service. "I had to evacuate," front of house manager Dani Weiner told Eater by phone. "As gracefully as possible, I bought everyone their dinner and asked them to evacuate. The restaurant was empty by five minutes to seven."

After the hood stopped working, Ox's well-known wood-fired grill quickly filled the restaurant with smoke, causing many to think that a full-on fire had broken out in the kitchen. Ox confirms that there wasn't a fire, only a ventilation malfunction, which has been fixed. Tonight's dinner service should run as usual, and the restaurant will open at 5 p.m.