The retail space — the former Sidewalk Cafe — at 94-96 Avenue A is for lease

Photo by Stacie Joy 

A for-rent side now hangs above the retail space at 94-96 Avenue A at Sixth Street. 

The Newmark listing notes that this storefront is "prominently located in the East Village dining/nightlife scene." 

The monthly rent for the 6,500 square feet of space over two levels is available upon request. 

The corner spot has been home to Offside Tavern since spring 2023. This is a new iteration of Offside, which had a three-year run at 137 W. 14th St. until the pandemic-related PAUSE of March 2020. During the NHL season, OT is a hockey bar — specifically for fans of the New York Islanders. They will apparently move on once a new tenant is secured. 

August Laura had a brief run at the address, opening in October 2019 ... then a haphazard schedule during the pandemic before finally shutting down in December 2021. 

They took over the space from what some people considered an East Village institution — Sidewalk, the restaurant bar and live music venue (home of the Antifolk Festival) that closed in February 2019 after 34 years.

Pini Milstein, who retired, was the principal owner of the building and the operator of Sidewalk. According to public records, Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019. The building's new owners added a one-floor extension here in 2020. 

Some readers/residents had been hopeful that the post-Sidewalk life of the space would be something more interesting than a charmless, overpriced bistro or another sports bar. Perhaps the third time may be a winner.

Openings: Offside Tavern on Avenue A

Signage arrived late last week for Offside Tavern, which opened in mid-April in time for the Stanley Cup playoffs here at 94 Avenue A.

As previously noted, this is a new iteration of Offside, which had a three-year run at 137 W. 14th St. until the pandemic-related PAUSE of March 2020. 

During the NHL season, OT is a hockey bar — specifically for fans of the New York Islanders. (The Hurricanes knocked the Islanders out of the playoffs with a 2-1 OT loss on April 28.) The place made enough of an impression that when the Islanders opened UBS Arena in late 2021, the new venue included an Offside Tavern tribute bar located in Section 217.

August Laura had a brief run at the address, opening in October 2019 ... then a haphazard schedule during the pandemic before finally shutting down in December 2021. They took over the space at Sixth Street from what some people considered an East Village institution — Sidewalk, the restaurant bar and live music venue (home of the Antifolk Festival) that closed in February 2019 after 34 years.

Pini Milstein, who retired, was the principal owner of the building and the operator of Sidewalk. According to public records, Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019. The building's new owners added a one-floor extension here in 2020.

Offside Tavern shapes up on Avenue A and 6th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Renovations continue on the NE corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street, where a new outpost of Offside Tavern is expected to open in the months ahead here at 94 Avenue A. (First noted here. Comments from readers who had been to the original OT were positive.)

We spotted owner Nick Costa out front painting the exterior of the highly-tagged storefront...

This is a new iteration of Offside, which had a three-year run at 137 W. 14th St. until the pandemic-related PAUSE of March 2020. 

During the NHL season, OT was a hockey bar — specifically for fans of the New York Islanders. The place made enough of an impression that when the Islanders opened UBS Arena in late 2021, the new venue included an Offside Tavern tribute bar located in Section 217.

Costa said that they hope to debut on A in a few months — as soon as the liquor license arrives... and they hire and train new staff. 

Here's a look inside the space... where there are multiple rooms, including one for a bar and another area (along the Sixth Street side) with a communal table... not to mention multiple TV sets for watching the Islanders — or whatever happens to be in season...

August Laura had a brief run here, opening in October 2019 ... then a haphazard schedule during the pandemic before finally shutting down in December 2021.

August Laura took over the space from what some people considered an East Village institution — Sidewalk, the restaurant bar and live music venue (home of the Antifolk Festival) that closed in February 2019 after 34 years.

Pini Milstein, who retired, was the principal owner of the building and the operator of the Sidewalk. According to public records, Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019. The building's new owners added a one-floor extension here in 2020.