Monday, January 7, 2013

Max has apparently closed on Avenue B

As Eater first reported last Jan. 31, Max, the Avenue B stalwart, was expanding to Williamsburg some time in the near future... a few days later The Wall Street Journal reported that they would actually be closing the Avenue B location when the Brooklyn space was ready ... not sure what the status is with the expansion.

A reader noted the following yesterday...



Another tipster reported that Max has, indeed, served its last meal here, as of New Year's Eve ... the place was closed last night...


Per the Journal last Feb. 3:

Luigi Iasilli, an owner, wrote in an email that he plans to close the East Village location as the neighborhood is getting "slow."

"I finally found what I believe I was looking for," he said of his Williamsburg site. "For me, [it is] going back to the roots, small space, $3,000 rent, a small yard, a mixed ethnic neighborhood with only a bodega across the street."

There are rumors that the east side of the Avenue here between Third Street and Fourth Street, the stretch of storefronts that included the LeSouk empire and Max, will receive a few extra floors during an upcoming renovation ...

[EVG file photo]

6 comments:

  1. I believe that they were hit pretty hard by Hurricane Sandy and it just didn't make financial sense to stick it out on Avenue B, even if the Williamsburg place isn't established yet.

    Hopefully the rumors aren't true about the building getting extra floors, though -- I've always thought it was one of the underrated gems of the avenue.

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  2. Max was my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood, I am so sad to see it go.

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  3. Wave goodbye to the East Village as you remember it.

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  4. So, so, so sad to see them go. Will REALLY miss these guys. Their food is fre@kin TOPS. SO many fantastic meals over many many years!!! Glad they are leaving on their own accord, and will definitely go to the wburg outpost. Best of luck guys and thanks so much for all the DELICIOUS, TRUE ITALIAN goodness!
    Losing this place AND kates really blows for lower ave b!!

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  5. I dunno...I had some really good meals there in the early days, but went back recently and was way less impressed. The food was nothing special, the service was serve-em-up-and-move-em-out.

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  6. Its tough to compete on Italian food in the EV, there are so many good choices these days. Max was fine though, and I worry about what will happen to this space. I cant imagine the neighborhood is getting slow, that may be his experience, but only cause the business is going elsewhere...

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