At Butcher Bay: A dishwashing/laundry equipment notice

Things still seem awfully quiet at Butcher Bay on East Fifth Street.... Back in November, the eatery papered over the windows...the sign on the door said: "...closed temporarily to write our memoirs..." The other day, we noticed an addition to the front door...



...this sticker.



Perhaps Auto-Chlor wants their equipment back?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Butcher Bay deep-sixed?

What the old Butcher Bay is fetching

A few weeks ago we reported that East Fifth Street's Butcher Bay was for lease... but there weren't any details on the Tower Brokerage site... now the eatery is listed... $170,000... with a $6,000 monthly rent.

Butcher Bay deep-sixed?

Yet another strange chapter in the short history of fish-shack eatery Butcher Bay, which opened back in February on Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... after the owners gutted the space from the short-lived Seymour Burton... there have been menu changes, new chefs and CB3 lawsuits...and now, the restaurant is closed...the windows are papered over...with the following note:



"...closed temporarily to write our memoirs..."

Butcher Bay now being used for low-budget film shoots

I was walking on Fifth Street this past weekend, and saw some activity at now-shuttered Butcher Bay eatery.... Did they reopen?




...turns out a small crew was there to film a scene for an independent film...

Seeing more of Seymour (er, Butcher Bay)

The plastic and plywood came down at the former Seymour Burton location -- now called Butcher Bay -- on 511 E. Fifth St. this past week.



Given the size and scope of the project, we thought they were renovating the Sistine Chapel inside or something.

Some future new bars to maybe not like

I haven't even written about all the action from the last CB3/SLA meeting... and the CB3/SLA released the docket for the July meeting... and this one has a few summer blockbusters... (Eater and Fork in the Road noted a few of these last Friday afternoon...)

The big one: The historic Amato Opera on the Bowery is destined to become a bar.



Of course! I recently noted the new for rent sign on the building, which said that food was OK here... So, the owners of V Bar, a West Village beer-and-wine cafe, are taking the challenge... which might be why someone removed the commemorative plaque that was placed above the Amato Opera doorway last June.

[Update: Thanks to EV Grieve Mimi reader for pointing out there's a V Bar on First Avenue and St. Mark's Place too, at the former Tribe space. Same owners at the West Village location.]

Also! There are takers for the Butcher Bar space on East Fifth Street and Lilly Coogan's on First Avenue...

A few more highlights....

Sidewalk Cafe Applications
-- The Penny Farthing, 103 3rd Ave
-- The 13th Step, 149 2nd Ave

Alterations/Transfers/Upgrades
-- Mama Bar LLC, 34 Ave B (alt/op/expand to basement space)

New Liquor License Applications
-- Justified LLC, 102 1st Ave (op) (Lilly Coogan's)
-- Teany (Teany Cafe LLC), 90 Rivington St (rw)
-- Tin Lizard LLC, 511 E 5th St (rw) (Butcher Bay)
-- La Isla (MJDD Enterprises Inc), 542 E 14th St (rw)
-- Vbar Amato (Vbar2 LLC), 319 Bowery (op)

The meeting is July 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the JASA/Green Residence - 200 E. Fifth St. at the Bowery. Bring a date!

Washed up: Butcher Bay calls it a day

The long, expensive saga of Seymour Burton/Butcher Bar on East Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B has apparently come to a close... the space is for lease...




A quck refresher on this fish eatery that opened last February:

After The former Le Tableau space closed in December 2007 and became Seymour Burton... there were gut renovations, menu changes, new chefs and CB3 lawsuits...the restaurant closed in November with the following note:



"...closed temporarily to write our memoirs..."

GG's closes tomorrow

As previously reported, GG's ends its three-year run tomorrow on Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Owner Nick Morgenstern told Eater that business is good at GG's, but he and his partners want to focus on new projects, such as a restaurant for the Ace Hotel on the Bowery.

Here's the message GG's left on their social media....

Customers, Neighbors, and Friends,

For the past three years, GG’s has proudly served the East Village with the highest quality of pizza, drinks and service possible. We are grateful for the many meals and memories that you have shared with us.

After much consideration, we have decided to hand over the keys to 511 East 5th St to a new owner and operator.

This means that GG’s will close its doors permanently on Saturday, December 23rd.

We are proud of the success that GG's has seen over the years, and we're excited for what our individual futures hold.

It has been a joy to serve our friends and neighbors every day...

Something relatively similar will be taking over — Emmy Squared. The Williamsburg pizzeria serves Detroit-style pizza via the wife-and-husband team behind Emily on Downing Street.

No word on when they might be open for business here.

The address has been home to several restaurants since Le Tableau closed in December 2007. Before GG's, there was Goat Town, Seymour Burton and Butcher Bay.

Previously on EV Grieve:
GG's looks to be yielding to Emmy Squared on 5th Street

[Updated] Goat Town is closing to make way for a pizzeria

[Image via nycgo.com]

According to a tipster, Goat Town, the nearly 4-year-old bistro at 511 E. Fifth St., will close by July 4.

The new concept: "some kind of pizza place," per the tipster, who notes that the staff was given less than two weeks notice of the impending closure. (We understand that ownership will remain the same, with a shift in management.)

The restaurant between Avenue A and Avenue B arrived in the farm-to-table heyday, with Goat Town staffers setting out to grow herbs and vegetables in the backyard garden ... and as Eater noted in December 2010, "all pickling, preserving, and jarring" was to be done in house.

The address has been home to several restaurants since Le Tableau closed in December 2007. Before Goat Town, the space was home to Seymour Burton and Butcher Bay.

Updated 3:04 p.m.

Per Eater:

The new restaurant, called GG's, will serve pizza and other dishes that, just like the current New American menu, include ingredients sourced from the restaurant's back garden. A representative tells Eater that Morgenstern hopes the new place will "serve the East Village community in a broader way." GG's is slated to open in September.

Violet won't be reopening on 5th Street

Violet, the restaurant by the Pizza Loves Emily Group and chef/owner Matt Hyland, will not be reopening after the COVID-19 PAUSE here at 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Eater had the news yesterday about the spin-off from Emmy Squared and Emily:

[I]t wasn’t the runaway hit of the chef’s past restaurants. The restaurant built its menu around the grilled pizzas made famous at Italian restaurant Al Forno’s in Providence, Rhode Island, and critical reception was tepid. Eater critic Ryan Sutton found that the toppings-saturated pies at Violet often missed the mark, while New York Times critic Pete Wells praised the pizzas but saw some flaws in the pasta and dessert lineup. The restaurant, which opened its doors in January 2019, also featured pasta and seafood dishes like spaghetti with clams, and grilled shrimp with spicy butter and cilantro.

Hyland called the restaurant “a fun experience” in a statement on the closure, but said that Violet wasn’t feasible to run “in a New York that is increasing drastically in cost of goods and wages.”

FWIW, I liked the pizza, and it was a good spot after a drink at Sophie's a fews doors away.

The address has been home to several restaurants since Le Tableau closed in December 2007. Before Violet, there was Goat Town, Seymour Burton, Butcher Bay and GG's.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Emmy Squared's owners are bringing grilled pizza to the former GG's space on 5th Street

Getting 511 E. 5th St. ready for new grilled pizza venture from Emmy Squared's owners

Openings: Etérea debuts on 5th Street

Etérea, the latest plant-based concept from Ravi DeRossi's Overthrow Hospitality, is now open (as of last night) at 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Per the Overthrow Instagram account:

Etérea is Spanish for "ethereal," meaning "light and delicate, as if not of this world." It communicates our CEO Ravi DeRossi's vision of a tequila and mezcal bar unlike any other in the city, past or present. With deep red velvet banquettes, vividly colorful pillows, and thousands of hanging flowers, we hope the place will offer our guests an escape from the rat race of the city. ⠀

Mixologist Sother Teague from Amor y Amargo is behind the bar menu here ... while Executive Chef Xila Caudillo oversees the plant-based small plates "that honor her Mexican Heritage and SoCal Upbringing."

Etérea is open Wednesday-Friday from 5 p.m. to midnight, with a 2 p.m. open on Saturday and Sunday. You can find the menu here. 

DeRossi's other EV establishments include Avant Garden, Ladybird and the recently opened Cadence.

And previously here... Violet, the restaurant by the Pizza Loves Emily Group and chef/owner Matt Hyland, did not reopen after the COVID-19 PAUSE.

The address has been home to several restaurants since Le Tableau closed in December 2007. Before Violet, there was Goat Town, Seymour Burton, Butcher Bay and GG's.   

A tin ceiling and Vermont veal meatballs for Goat Town

The Times had an update last week on Goat Town, the new restaurant taking over the former Seymour Burton-Butcher Bay space (Le Tableau closed in December 2007) on East Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B:

The restaurant will hew to the current shoestring restaurant formula of repurposed materials, including a weathered copper bar and a tin ceiling, and ingredients that are often local, perhaps even grown in the restaurant’s own garden, and pickled on the premises. The menu is fairly straightforward American, with a raw bar, and dishes like Vermont veal meatballs, seared Block Island swordfish, and braised Flying Pigs Farm pork shoulder.

Nicholas Morgenstern, late of General Greene in Fort Greene, and Joel Hough, a former chef de cuisine at Cookshop, are behind this venture.

I caught a look inside the other day...



Goat Town opens Thursday.

EV Grieve Etc: Mourning edition

Good news from the Holiday (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

St. Mark's DJ Lenny M busted (Down by the Hipster)

City takes a year and a day to replace a bulb in a street light -- in a nice part of town (New York Times)

The longest article ever on Mr. Kim and Kim's video (New York Times)

Seven months later, Butcher Bay opens on East Fifth Street (Eater)

The end of the Sixth Avenue El (Ephemeral New York)

A great shot of the defunct Con Ed plant on Kent Avenue (Brownstoner)

"Nothing throws a neighborhood into relief like death, and nothing organizes a neighborhood like a good bar, preferably one that can sort the locals from the tourists or barhoppers." (Patell and Waterman's History of New York)

East Fifth Street is turning into a Ghost Town ... or Goat's Town (with a $75 entree!)

Hey, meet Sophie's new neighbor! One more item from last night's CB3/SLA space...  courtesy of Thomas Garry's reporting at Eater.

The committee said OK to an eatery for the former Le Tableau/Seymour Burton/Butcher Bay space .... tentatively titled Ghost Town.

Hmmm... if that name holds up, then I can't wait to walk by when the place is empty and say, Ghost Town is a ghost town now!

[Waiting to get booed]

Uh, anyway, Ghost Town?! The way I like it!

''

[UPDATE]: Grub Street has more details. And GS says the name of the joint will be Goat's Town! Not Ghost Town. Hmm. Nick Morgenstern of the General Greene in Brooklyn is behind the place. "He plans to open an eleven-table restaurant called Goat's Town in late October that will serve "continental" cuisine, and there’ll be at least one $75 entrée, as a board member pointed out to assuage one neighbor's fears that the place would attract a loud and rowdy crowd."

So, maybe a selection from Goats Head Soup is in order?

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

A piece of Michael Jackson at Coney Island (Kinetic Carnival)

Developing story: Fire on the Manhattan Bridge (BoweryBoogie)

Markey Bena beaten in his sleep (Neither More Nor Less)

Join the Joe Jr. Facebook group (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

More love for Joe Junior on Third Avenue (Lost City; previously on EV Grieve)

Butcher Bay suing CB3 (Eater)

Squash Wall Streeters with your iPhone (BoingBoing)

Shockers: Some people don't like the new Duane Reade logo (New York Post)

And our old LES friend is featured in the German edition of FHM:



RTL II hat ein neues Gesicht: "it’s fun.“ Und da darf der aktuell heißeste US-Import, der internationale Superstar Lady GaGa natürlich nicht fehlen! Sie ist die frisch ernannte Fun-Botschafterin und ihr neuer Song "Love Game“ ist zugleich der offizielle Sound des Senders.

Reminders tonight: Sweet CB3/SLA action!

Sadly, I won't be able to attend tonight's CB3/SLA meeting... and many things to monitor on the docket...

Such as a liquor license transfer for Sin Sin/Leopard Lounge...

And... A few more highlights....

Sidewalk Cafe Applications
-- The Penny Farthing, 103 3rd Ave
-- The 13th Step, 149 2nd Ave

Alterations/Transfers/Upgrades
-- Mama Bar LLC, 34 Ave B (alt/op/expand to basement space)

New Liquor License Applications
-- Justified LLC, 102 1st Ave (op) (Lilly Coogan's) — from the good people behind the International
-- Tin Lizard LLC, 511 E 5th St (rw) (Butcher Bay)
-- Vbar Amato (Vbar2 LLC), 319 Bowery (op) — The old Amato Opera



The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at the JASA/Green Residence - 200 E. Fifth St. at the Bowery. Bring a six-pack!

Please let me know if you happen to attend and want to share a few highlights...

Ravi DeRossi plans vegan Mexican restaurant for former Violet space on 5th Street

[Photo from July 30]

East Village restaurateur Ravi DeRossi has plans for a vegan Mexican restaurant at 511 E. Fifth St., the former Violet space between Avenue A and Avenue B.

DeRossi is on tonight's virtual CB3-SLA agenda for a new liquor license for the address. According to the questionnaire for public viewing at the CB3 website, the working name is Spider in the Garden. (The space has a garden in the back, which a previous tenant, GG's, would use to harvest several ingredients.)

The proposed hours are 5 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, with a 1 a.m. close on Friday. Proposed weekend hours: Noon to 2 a.m. on Saturday and noon to midnight on Sunday.

Reps for DeRossi did not respond to an email seeking more information about this venture.

DeRossi's other EV establishments include Avant Garden, Ladybird and Amor y Amargo.

Violet, the restaurant by the Pizza Loves Emily Group and chef/owner Matt Hyland, did not reopen after the COVID-19 PAUSE.

The address has been home to several restaurants since Le Tableau closed in December 2007. Before Violet, there was Goat Town, Seymour Burton, Butcher Bay and GG's.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

An interview with EV Grieve and Jeremiah Moss (I Loved New York)

At the Museum of the American Gangster on St. Mark's Place (New York Times)

Ludlow Street development headed for the auction house (Curbed)

Almanac for New Yorkers circa 1938 (Shawn Chittle)

The death of the corner bar (Ephemeral New York)

Inside the gutted Fedora (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

A Mars Bar tattoo (Slum Goddess)

A fire scare at the Bowery Whole Foods Saturday morning (BoweryBoogie)

Through the years with the Grace Church on 10th and Broadway (EV Transitions)

A reader notes all sorts of activity during the weekend at the former Butcher Bay space on East Fifth Street.... it will be called Ghost Town or Goat's Town.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

Inside Bird's house on Avenue B (The New York Times)

The gingko trees of East Eleventh Street (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

What Guss's Pickles on Orchard looks like now (Racked)

Wall Street types have regained their swagger (The Dealbook)

Tracking an LES burglary suspect (BoweryBoogie)

More on former Butcher Bay space on East Fifth Street (Diner's Journal)

And case you missed the new-look Deitch Wall news from yesterday... here's what it looks like now... 12ozProphet has more on the tribute... which was short-lived.


[Photo via Eddie Brannan]

Looking at 167 Avenue A: Another Hennings-Giraldi production?

In recent weeks, there has been increased activity at the long-dormant 167 Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street, which has housed, in recent years, NoTell Motel and Starlite Lounge. A worker offered the vague "restaurant" when asked what was going into this spot.



The space has been gutted. Someone is putting a lot of money in here. So I checked out the liquor license for the address. According to the SLA:



Jason Hennings and Robert Giraldi? Hmmm... those names may be familiar to you...The vets were behind the now-defunct E.U. on East Fourth Street... and Hennings owns Black Iron Burger on Fifth Street... and Giraldi owns Tonda and Butcher Bay ... (and has done things such as direct Michael Jackson's "Beat It" video). And he went through some epic battles with CB3 in 2006 to try to obtain a liquor license for E.U. Anyway, this all promises to be interesting...

For further reading:
Gastropub is hungry for a beer and wine license (The Villager)