First sign of Moody Tongue on St. Mark's Place

There's renovation activity taking place inside 123 St. Mark's Place.

As previously reported, the owners of Chicago's Moody Tongue Brewing Company received conditional approval last November for a beer-wine license for the space. According to the brand's CB3 questionnaire, the unnamed Japanese restaurant will serve a variety of sushi platters and entrees. 

The team opened Moody Tongue Sushi on West 10th Street in early 2023.

This address will also likely be a Moody Tongue (so to speak). EVG reader Jose Garcia spotted this Moody Tongue apparatus (so to speak) being loaded into the space this past Thursday...

People seem to like what they do — the Dining Room at Moody Tongue in Chicago boasts two Michelin stars, for instance.

This space just west of Avenue A last housed Pop's Eat-Rite, the veggie burger joint.

Pop's Eat-Rite debuts on St. Mark's Place

Pop's Eat-Rite, a plant-based burger joint from the Good Night Sonny-Wild Son team, opened yesterday at 123 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. (First reported here.) 

Pop's is serving a classic smashburger, made using Impossible Meat. 

Per their website: "Our meatless menu is our updated take on a classic burger stand, with fries, veggie sides, vegan donuts, soft-serve, smoothies and frozen lemonade and will be entirely free of animal products. "

You can find the menu online here. Or gaze at this...

Moving forward, the quick-serve stop with a to-go window will be open from noon to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

Earlier in 2019, the team at Endless Group Hospitality had plans for a steakhouse at No. 123 (most recently Mr. White). However, CB3's SLA committee nixed a full-liquor request for that spot in March 2019.

Wild Son-Good Night Sonny team bringing plant-based burgers to St. Mark's with Pop's Eat-Rite

Signage is up now at 123 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue for Pop's Eat-Rite, a plant-based burger joint...



Here's more about the operation via the team behind Good Night Sonny, the Wild Son and the Wayland:

Pop’s Eat-Rite is a plant-based fast service burger joint, opening on St. Mark's Place in September 2020. We will serve a classic smashburger, made using Impossible Meat. Our meatless menu is our updated take on a classic burger stand, with fries, veggie sides, vegan donuts, soft-serve, smoothies and frozen lemonade and will be entirely free of animal products.

Pop’s was born from the idea that the landscape of the restaurant industry has changed suddenly and like never before. In these times we want to offer our neighborhood a convenient, responsible product at a fair price...

Earlier in 2019, the team — Robert Ceraso and Jason Mendenhall — had plans for a steakhouse at No. 123 (most recently Mr. White). However, CB3's SLA committee nixed a full-liquor request for that spot in March 2019.

Plans for an East Village outpost of the Wild Son moving forward; steakhouse no go for St. Mark's Place

[Photo of 132 1st Ave. yesterday by Steven]

As we reported back on March 19, Robert Ceraso and Jason Mendenhall are planning to open an outpost of their Chelsea cafe the Wild Son at 132 First Ave. at St. Mark's Place.

CB3's SLA committee gave their approval for a new liquor license on March 19.

The current tenant in this corner space, the Rolling Stones-themed Waiting on a Friend, which opened back in the fall (taking over the space from Colibri and VBar before that), is expected to close after Thursday.

The EV Wild Son will be open all day for breakfast and lunch, with dinner-drinks in the evening.

Meanwhile, Ceraso and Mendenhall, whose East Village credits include the Wayland on Avenue C and Good Night Sonny on First Avenue at St Mark's Place, had planned for a steakhouse at the former Mr. White space at 123 St. Mark's Place.

However, as Eater reported yesterday, CB3's SLA committee nixed a full-liquor request for that spot between Avenue A and First Avenue.

So, per Eater:

They felt the steakhouse concept would only work with a full liquor license and are now pivoting to something that could work with just wine and beer, Ceraso says. That idea is still in development and moving forward with the location is not a definite yet according to Ceraso. He also says plans for a steakhouse are on hold since it would require finding a new space.

So for now No. 123 will remain empty...


[The former Mr. White on St. Mark's Place]

Previously on Ev Grieve:
Team behind the Wayland and the Wild Son eye St. Mark's Place for 2 restaurants

Team behind the Wayland and the Wild Son eye St. Mark's Place for 2 restaurants

[The former Mr. White on St. Mark's Place]

Robert Ceraso and Jason Mendenhall have plans to open two restaurants on St. Mark's Place.

This duo behind the Wayland (Avenue C), Good Night Sonny (First Avenue and St. Mark's Place), the Lost Lady (Avenue C) and the Wild Son (West Little 12th Street) are on tonight's CB3-SLA agenda for two spaces between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Ceraso provided a quick recap of what they have lined up...

123 St. Mark's Place, the former Mr. White

"We are planning an American grill with our partner Chad Shaner as the executive chef. Chad is an alum of Gotham Bar and Grill and Union Square Cafe and most recently with his own restaurant, Freeks Mill in Brooklyn," Ceraso said. "The grill will focus more on naturally raised meats and steaks."


[Photo by Steven]

The unnamed-for-now restaurant has proposed hours of 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., according to the questionnaire on file at the CB3 website. The space will accommodate 20 tables for up to 50 diners as well as an eight-seat bar.

Mr. White, the upscale, New Orleans-themed restaurant, closed in January after less than a year in business.

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[132 1st Ave.]

132 First Ave., former VBar, current Waiting on a Friend

On the southeast corner of First Avenue and St. Mark's Place, Ceraso is planning on a second location of his all-day restaurant, the Wild Son, which opened on the West Side near the High Line in June 2016.

Ceraso said the Wild Son "focuses on vegetable-driven small plates, salads, sandwiches and homemade pastas at night and breakfast/brunch foods all day seven days a week in the mornings and afternoons."

As such, the proposed hours are 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, per the questionnaire on the CB3 website.

Here's a look at the evening menu...


[Click for more detail]

The owner of the building, who was born and raised on St. Mark's Place, "was adamant that she didn’t want a nightlife concept there, so the Wild Son was a perfect fit," he said. (In addition, a partner in this project is also the GM across the street at Good Night Sonny who lives on the block "and is always available to oversee the goings on.")

The Rolling Stones-themed Waiting on a Friend opened back in the fall, taking over the space from Colibri and VBar before that. The Vbar's original 10-year lease is expiring.

Back to Ceraso and his plans: "We think that the two concepts really balance each other out and we’re excited to be able to bring both to the block."

The CB3-SLA meeting is tonight at 6:30. The location: the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton.