Monday, April 9, 2018

[Updated] Suffolk Arms has not been open lately



Suffolk Arms, the cocktail lounge on Houston at Suffolk from celebrated bartender Giuseppe Gonzalez, has been dark this past week — weekend included.

There isn't any message about a temporary closure on the bar's website or social media properties ... or on the front door. Will update if we hear back from them.

The well-appointed bar opened in February 2016 to much acclaim. Per Grub Street: "New York’s Next Big Cocktail Destination Opens Tonight."

This prime corner spot sat empty for several years. The Local 269 never reopened after a flood wiped out the live music venue's equipment in the fall of 2012. Other recent bar tenants included Meow Mix and Vasmay Lounge.

Updated:

Thanks to ed in the comments for this info from Neat Pour:

No official reason for the locked and dark bar was provided by ownership. Emails, calls, and messages to Suffolk’s Arms official contacts went unanswered as did attempts to reach both owners.

Two employees told Neat Pour that they were informed that the establishment would reopen at a later date with a new concept, but the same staff. Other employees declined to comment.

Co-owners Ruben Rodriguez and Giusseppe González have long been rumored be at odds with one another. Sources told NP that there were previous attempts to remove González from the business this winter, but the staff’s loyalty to the charismatic bartender thwarted these efforts.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plywood wraps itself around the incoming Suffolk Arms

9 comments:

JQ LLC said...

"New York’s Next Big Cocktail Destination Opens Tonight."

You can say that for the next 100 that opened up since then and the next 100 in the near future right snotty community board chairperson cum six figure salaried Night Mayor?

Anonymous said...

I was just at Suffolk last Monday, wtf?

Giovanni said...

Google says it is permanently closed, but Yelp says it is temporarily closed...and scheduled to reopen October 5, 2018. It looks like the Suffolk Arms has now been Disarmed.

Hey19 said...

This place never seemed to get going to me. We went a few times, very weird, variable service. Next door, Subject has also recently changed management or something, it used to be a chill place, but the vibe has changed recently. Suffolk is a nice space, and they put some money into the build, hopefully someone opens something there.

RRReality1 said...

It was never going to be long-lived. Another over priced 'cocktail' lounge too far east on East Houston where there are still not enough new luxury condo buildings to supply the clientele to support a pretentious bar. If someone did a Meow Mix in that space again it would fly as long as it also had regular events like their smash weekly Xena Look Alike Contest. But a pretentious, over priced cocktail bar in that location, not all that smart of a business move.

Sam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ed anger said...

From neatpour:
A dispute between co-owners, Giuseppe González and Ruben Rodriguez, recently boiled over, resulting in the closure of Suffolk Arms according to multiple sources.
No official reason for the locked and dark bar was provided by ownership. Emails, calls, and messages to Suffolk’s Arms official contacts went unanswered as did attempts to reach both owners.
Two employees told Neat Pour that they were informed that the establishment would reopen at a later date with a new concept, but the same staff. Other employees declined to comment.
Co-owners Ruben Rodriguez and Giusseppe González have long been rumored be at odds with one another. Sources told NP that there were previous attempts to remove González from the business this winter, but the staff’s loyalty to the charismatic bartender thwarted these efforts.

Giovanni said...

Since this is a fancy-schmancy artisanal crafty beverage type bar, I guess we can't just say they're crying in their beer, so maybe we need to say something like:

They’re crying in their Village Idiot Brewing Co. “Thong Remover” Belgian Tripel. Or maybe:

They’re crying in their Clown Shoes “Tramp Stamp” Belgian India Pale Ale. Or:

They’re crying in their Sweetwater Brewing Co. “Happy Ending” Imperial Stout

Anyway, just pass me a Rolling Rock or a Red Stripe on a hot day, or a Kingfisher with some Indian food and ill be fine. It sounds like these kids just need to think about their employees and just stop fighting. Maybe they need to have a beer summit.

Anonymous said...

Not a shock. By the way, WTF happened to Subject next door? Used to be super-chill, now just weird.