A changing of the bar at 16 1st Ave.

The Grayson, the sports bar at 16 First Ave. between First Street and Second Street, has closed. 

Michael Brennan, who's behind the sports bars Triona's (with locations in Gramercy and the West Village) and the Hairy Lemon on Avenue B, is opening Lydia's in this space. (Lydia's has a spaceholder Instagram account here.)

Community Board 3 approved the liquor license for the new establishment despite extensive issues with the 16 First Ave. space, including "175 311 complaints in the past two years, with 71 non-crime corrected (on 34 separate dates)," according to the minutes of the December 2023 meeting. 

Per the minutes: "Although this location has a serious history of problems for over 15 years, including noise, open doors and windows, wait lines, participating in pub crawls, etc, we are approving it based on the current applicant's history at the locations on 3rd Avenue and Sullivan Street."

The Grayson opened at No. 16 in June 2015, taking over for the short-lived Bar Akuda (not a Heart song).

I have a bad feeling about this

Passing this along for fans of stunt burgers, "Star Wars" and indigestion ... you just have through Thursday night (New Year's Eve!) to order The Force at The Grayson (RIP Bar Akuda) at 16 First Ave.

The Force Burger ($19.95) is an off-the-menu special with: two beef patties, mac & cheese, pulled pork, bacon, cheddar and American cheeses, onion rings, mushrooms, jalapenos, a sunny-side egg and waffle fries with bacon Thousand Island and barbecue ranch sauces.

The burger arrives with two souvenir lightsabers.

Then you wait for the force to awake. (Or erupt.)

Name change for Bar Akuda?

[EVG photo from May 8]

Bar Akuda, the sports bar-restaurant at 16 First Ave. between East First Street and East Second Street, opened on May 21.

Perhaps ownership decided to rethink the name, which sounds like a Heart song.

An EVG reader notes this morning that the Bar Akuda is sign is gone... and there's a banner noting a more dignified-sounding name — The Grayson...



There isn't any mention of a name change on the bar's Facebook page... here is the latest entry...