The beer-friendly restaurant is in the Shoppes at Graylyn on Marsh Road. A notice posted today on the door reads:
“It is with great sadness that we write this letter. After much consideration we made the difficult decision to close Ulysses American Gastropub. We want to thank all of our wonderful guests and employees, past and present, for supporting us over these past 13 years.
“We have had many good times and made many great friends since 2011. We have been a part of so many birthdays, anniversaries, bridal showers, baby showers, fundraisers, rehearsal dinners and celebrations of life.
“We are extremely humbled that so many embraced our restaurant and that we were able to provide a welcoming neighborhood restaurant for all.”
Steve and Mike Lucey also own Six Paupers Tavern in Hockessin, which remains open.
“It’s doing great,” Steve Lucey said.
This note was attached to the front door of Ulysses American Gastropub today. Photo by Pam George.
Ulysses’ lunch traffic
Keeping Ulysses afloat was tough after the work-at-home trend took hold during the pandemic.
The dinner service returned to normal in the years following COVID-19’s arrival, but the daytime traffic remained sluggish, and it was hard to recovery with many area workers only in the office a few days a week
The 2023 opening of a second Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House & Saloon in nearby Branmar Plaza only briefly affected Ulysses, he noted.
“I’m a big believer that having a lot of restaurants in one area is a good thing,” he said.
Trolley Square and Kennett Square are examples, he noted.
In 1997, the brothers opened Dead Presidents Pub and Restaurant on North Union Street in Wilmington’s Little Italy. They later sold that restaurant.
The Wilmington natives followed with Six Paupers in 2004. It will celebrate its 210th anniversary in June.
The name comes from Hockessin’s first handwritten census, which reported six paupers in the city limits.
Ulysses opened with Sean McNeice as executive chef. He already had made a name for himself at Washington Street Ale House and Mikimotos when Darius Mansoory owned them.
Ulysses quickly became popular for its burger nights, mussel dishes and craft beer selection.
While families dined in the striped dining room, friends and coworkers gathered around the U-shaped bar in the front.
Lucey said Ulysses is currently for sale through Joe Latina at LMT Commercial.
Meanwhile, Brandywine Hundred residents who want their Chicken Nixon fix must travel to Hockessin.
