Tuesday, March 15, 2011

[Updated] Acme Bar & Grill closes after nearly 25 years on Great Jones Place


Mainstay Acme Bar & Grill on 9 Great Jones Place has closed. An EV Grieve reader had called the Creole/Southern-style eatery about lunch hours today and was told they were no longer in business. "We've had our run and we're done."

Just last month they were approved for a full liquor license, as Eater reported.

[Updated]
Fork in the Road has more here.

[UPDATED 7:14 p.m.]

Guess everyone at Acme didn't get the memo — the owner now says they'll just be closed for a few months.

22 comments:

esquared™ said...

oh noes, loved that place. saw may bands there too. bummer.

Anonymous said...

Sad. They were very generous with hosting fundraisers for New Orleans support post-Katrina.

Laura Goggin Photography said...

WTF?!

I just ate there last night! Seriously - had catfish, green beans, corn bread and a pitcher of lemonade. Nothing seemed amiss and my dining partner and I were talking about how great the food is and that we should go there more often.

This is a big loss. They had a friendly, casual atmosphere and the food had been great every time I've been. Dammit to hell!

Marty Wombacher said...

Shit! I haven't been there since last summer. Guess there's no going back now.

Jon Langston said...

I worked at Acme from 99-2005. This is a sad, sad day.
What's going to happen to Rudy?!?!

HippieChick said...

Oh noes! I LOVED that place...

Vivienne said...

Why did they close? This is so depressing. I played there years ago with one of my bands in their little performance space and I just ate there a week ago (it was packed!).

I absolutely loved that place even if it was a little pricey for my budget (the shrimp po'boys and cornbread were incredible). Sad, sad news. I was just talking about how much I wanted to go back there soon.

Anonymous said...

LOVED THE FOOD, AND WHEN "CHUCKLEHEAD" PERFORMED DOWNSTAIRS. SAD...

cl pyle said...

oh no... many great music gigs there ... very sad that another nyc music place is closing.. just played a gig there last oct .. rhsc nyc

Jon Langston said...

Just heard from a friend who still works, er, worked there. Lease was up in August anyway - owner Bob Pollock (also owns Great Jones Spa) was looking to sell. Apparently he got the deal he wanted, b/c the staff of both the club & restaurant were told YESTERDAY (Monday 3/14) that it was a done deal - and that they had till WEDNESDAY to vacate. Two frickin' days.

C Merry said...

Was one of my band's regular gigs always loved it there, many great memories :(

Bowery Boy said...

This was probably the only restaurant I still went back to after watching a mouse run between the water pitchers on a ledge during a busy saturday night last year. I liked it that much, but it was kinda cool watching a busboy catch it in his hand with a bar-rag.

What seems interesting is that they renewed their liquor license when they already knew they were vacating. Can I guess that a "transfer" was part of the new $ deal? Seems kinda wrong.

Anonymous said...

I performed there too a couple of times. :(

Teri Tynes said...

Sad. Another comfort food place in the nabe closes. I will miss the corn bread. I worry it will be replaced by something decidedly uncomfortable.

glamma said...

will be sorely missed. pretty soon you will have to be a millionaire in order to eat downtown

i2h said...

liked the place, hated the food. still, it was a cajun option, and having options was better than not...

Anonymous said...

really sad! was their rent that expensive? it was always busy whenever i walked by...i used to order for delivery every week until recently when i moved.

Anonymous said...

chicken fried beef, black eyed peas and white gravy. mmmmm. all washed down with toxic strength margaritas.

onemorefoldedsunset said...

I went to the opening night for Acme Bar & Grill back in'86! Too bad.

XtraKrispy said...

I go to ACME at least once a week for lunch as I work a block away. I'm even the FourSquare mayor of the place! I will truly miss the great staff and reasonable priced food. Thanks for all the free iced tea guys!

Bowery Boy said...

I bet that the folks at Great Jones Cafe will see a bump in business. They're probably thrilled.

Anonymous said...

I am so-o-o-o sadden by this news. They made the best roasted garlic home-made mash potatoes that was to die for. They also made a number of great dishes. My favorite was the Chicken Fried Steak.

They will be sooooo missed.