Signage alert: Waiting on a Friend on Avenue A

Signage recently arrived for Waiting on a Friend, an establishment opening later next week at 206 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street. 

A grand opening is set for Sept. 13. Per the invite: 

That new cocktail bar in the East Village is finally open & it's everything you wanted it to be. Waiting on Friend is emerging with the intention of creating a fun space for everyone and a guaranteed good time. 

The bar is the perfect go-to destination for all your nightlife needs — amazing cocktails, fun music for dancing, and living room-like lounge areas for catching up with friends. 

Waiting on a Friend is a strict 23+ venue. 

We're not sure who's behind the concept. There's still an active liquor license for the space, and public records list Adam Fulton, Kyle O'Brien and Gavin Moseley as the principals via Den Hospitality/Garret East. 

Garret East and Borrachito Taqueria & Spirits switched places inside 206 Avenue A in the summer of 2020. Borrachito went dark in January without any notice to patrons. 

And this is the second Waiting on a Friend to give the East Village a try. 

The first Waiting on a Friend opened at 132 First Ave. at St. Mark's Place in September 2018. It didn't last too long.

The bars are named for the song by the Rolling Stones from their 1981 album Tattoo You. The "Waiting on a Friend" video was shot on St. Mark's Place. 

 The 2024 Waiting on a Friend's Instagram account also references the video.

 

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Schmuck announces itself on 1st Avenue

Renovations continue at 97 First Ave. at Sixth Street, where a cocktail lounge called Schmuck is in the works. 

There are now Schmuck wheatpaste posters on the plywood...

Reps for Miami-based bar owner Dan Binkiewicz appeared before CB3's SLA committee last November. Binkiewicz teamed up with bartenders Moe Aljaff and Juliette Laroui, late of Two Schmucks in Barcelona.

The World's 50 Best Restaurants site included Schmuck in its list of "11 bar openings to look forward to in 2024." 

Following their departure from high-ranking Barcelona bar Two Schmucks in 2022, Moe Aljaff and Juliette Laroui have been roaming the world as cocktail nomads in search of a new home. After a plethora of guest shifts around the world, in late 2023, they announced their new permanent residence in New York's East Village, set to open in partnership with Dan Binkiewicz of Sweet Liberty Drinks in Miami. 

Since obtaining the keys to the venue, Aljaff and Laroui have been rebuilding the space from the ground up ... to create a cultural hub that extends beyond just a space for great cocktails (of which there will be many). 

Schmuck will also offer Middle Eastern-style cuisine. (The CB3 questionnaire includes a sample menu.) The space is said to open later this summer. 

In the years since Banjara moved out in late 2013, the restaurants at 97 First Ave. have gone through multiple name changes/concepts, including, but not limited to, Figaro Villaggio, an Italian bar-restaurant that later changed its name to Figaro Cafe Bistro Bar & Grill. They eventually gave up part of the space to Apna Masala. 

In March 2015, Figaro Cafe Bistro Bar & Grill changed its name/concept to La Esquina Bar & Grill ... then the name evolved to La Esquina Burritos and Bar ... and eventually East Village Burritos & Bar. Then Spicewala Bar Indian Cuisine. And then Mancora moved here from across the street.

The Mayfly debuts on East Houston

The Mayfly debuted yesterday at 269 E. Houston St. 

As previously reported, the bar-restaurant is from the team behind Gael Pub, Trinity Pub and Juke Bar, among others. This place has been in the works dating back to the fall of 2019. (There was previously an April 2020 opening date, though the pandemic put all that on hold.)

You can follow them on Instagram for updates. (Checking on hours of operation. They opened yesterday at 4 p.m.)

The space on the southeast corner of Houston and Suffolk has seen its share of bars come and go through the years. It has sat empty since Suffolk Arms shuttered in 2018 after two-plus years. 

Thanks to Vinny & O for the photo!

Sweetie debuts on Avenue A

Sweetie debuted earlier this month at 85 Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

We don't know too much about the bar in the space below Somtum Der (try the tum pla too & kao mun!). The bar's Instagram description is "cocktails + music + fun."

Sweetie is open Thursday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m.

This subterranean space had been vacant since Elvis Guesthouse checked out at the end of 2016. 

First sign of the Mayfly on East Houston Street

Updated: The Mayfly opened on Sept. 28.

Signage went up over the weekend for the next bar for 269 E. Houston St. — the Mayfly.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy took these shots of the in-progress interior ...

The Mayfly is from the team behind Gael Pub, Trinity Pub and Juke Bar, among others. This place has been in the works dating back to the fall of 2019. (There was previously an April 2020 opening date, though the pandemic put all that on hold.)

You can follow them on Instagram for opening updates.

The space on the southeast corner of Houston and Suffolk has seen its share of bars come and go through the years. It has sat empty since Suffolk Arms shuttered in 2018 after two-plus years. 

Before Suffolk Arms, we had the Local 269, which never reopened after a flood wiped out the live music venue's equipment in the fall of 2012. Other recent tenants included Meow Mix and Vasmay Lounge.

Little Rebel announces itself on 2nd Avenue

Signage is up now for Little Rebel at 219 Second Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street. 

Hospitality vets Dermot Lynch and Jarek Krukow are the owners of the bar-restaurant here. (They appeared before CB3's SLA committee last month.) 

Don't know too much about the concept at the moment except for what was on the CB3 questionnaire at this link.

This two-level space was previously home to Professor Thom's for 15 years. The sports bar did not reopen after the pandemic PAUSE in March 2020.

A bar called Spike's is coming to 218 Avenue A

You may have noticed a new name on the front door at 218 Avenue A ... a bar called Spike's is in the works for this space between 13th Street and 14th Street...

We're told that the owner of the Spotted Owl (and other ventures) on Avenue A at 13th Street is behind this pending establishment. No word on an opening date.

This space was previously the Horsebox, the sports bar that opened in the spring of 2010 ... they never reopened after the PAUSE in March 2020. A for-lease sign arrived here in August. 

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

On tonight's CB3-SLA agenda, applicants for 185 Avenue C, 507 E. 6th St.

[185 Avenue C]

Here are a few of the items on tonight's CB3-SLA agenda...

New Liquor License Applications

• Rumba NYC Bar & Grill Corp, 185 Avenue C between 11th Street and 12th Street

A bar-restaurant with a Latin-influenced menu called Rumba NYC Bar & Grill is in the works for this space. The proposed hours are 2 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday; with a 2 a.m. close on Friday and Saturday.

The applicants also run Salome Latin Cuisine on Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, per the questionnaire on the CB3 website.

There has been a lot of turnover in recent years at this address. The last tenant, Bar Taco, which closed earlier this year, arrived in early 2018, taking over the space from a short-lived venture called Malcriada, a self-described "Latino Gastropub" ... which arrived after Kaz, another short-lived venture that lasted seven months.

Cafecito, the Cuban-style cafe, had a good run here, closing in early 2016 after 14 years in business.


[505 E. 6th St.]

Items not heard at Committee

• Entity to be formed by Jae Lee, 507 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. (wine-beer only)

A Korean-American restaurant called Nowon will open in this space.

The applicant, Jae Lee, has been running the well-regarded kitchen at Black Emperor on Second Avenue. He was previously the executive chef of Rice & Gold at Hotel 50 Bowery.

NowOn's hours are listed at 5 p.m. to midnight during the week, with a noon opening on Saturday and Sunday. Find the full questionnaire here.

No. 507 was last Carma East, the dim sum bar that closed in early 2019.

Tonight's CB3-SLA committee meeting starts at 6:30 at the Perseverance House Community Room, 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Pub in the works for longtime corner bar space on Houston and Suffolk

Jackdaw, coming soon to the former Durden space on 2nd Avenue

Jackdaw is the name of the bar-restaurant opening soon at 213 Second Ave. at 13th Street... you can see the outline for Jackdaw on the marquee here ...



The Jackdaw Instagram account describes this as a "craft bar and kitchen" that will serve brunch, lunch and dinner.

CB3 OK'd the new liquor license last December for Curt Huegel, who runs a handful of establishments around the city, including Campagnola, Printers Alley, Galli and Bill's NYC.

While it sounds like an Aerosmith song or Johnny Depp character, Jackdaw is actually a crow-like black bird.

Durden, a "Fight Club"-inspired sports bar, closed earlier this year after five-plus years in the corner space that previously housed the Nightengale Lounge.

Updated 5/17

The Black Emperor has arrived on 2nd Avenue

An EVG reader shared this shot... showing the exterior of the incoming Black Emperor at 197 Second Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street.

We wrote about this incoming bar-restaurant back in October when the applicants were to appear before CB3 for a new liquor license.

The Three Kings Restaurant Group, whose résumé includes bars and restaurants in the Bowery Hotel and Arlo NoMad Hotel, among other establishments, was behind this venture.

However, as Eater reported in early January, partners Dale Talde, David Massoni and John Bush dissolved Three Kings, with each of them going off on his own for new projects.

No word yet who is running Black Emperor ... or if they will be sticking with the "Asian fusion tapas" menu pitched to CB3.

Shoolbred's closed here in June 2017 after nearly 10 years in business. This address was Jade Mountain, home of the great Chow Mein sign, until 2007.

Joyface debuts on Avenue C

A new neighborhood bar called Joyface opens today at 104 Avenue C at Seventh Street.

These photos, by Steven, were taken last week with the Joyface signage was added to the exterior...



This has been in the works going back to the summer of 2017, when applicants Jennifer Shorr, who used to live in the building at 104 Avenue C, and her partner Brian Powell were OK'd by CB3 to take over the space.

The previous tenant, Alphabet Lounge, was apparently not well-liked by immediate neighbors. During the CB3 SLA committee meeting in August 2017, four longtime residents of either No. 104 or nearby buildings talked about what a horror show Alphabet Lounge was. (They were also there to support Shorr and Powell.)

The bar's 1970s basement rec-room look was also the subject of a feature last week in Architectural Digest...

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Previously on EV Grieve:
New ownership taking over the Alphabet Lounge space on 7th and C

C Lounge debuts on Avenue C

[Photo Wednesday night by EVG reader Kelvin]

Several EVG readers were surprised to see the opening this week of C Lounge, which debuted Monday at 14 Avenue C at Second Street. (Surprised, because there wasn't any kind of Community Board notice about its pending arrival with opportunity for community input, according to several local residents.)

The sidewalk sign shows offers of 2-for-1 happy hour (until 9 p.m.), $25 buckets of beer and $20 hookah.

Sherif Beshir, a principal of the Cozy Cafe on First Street and a co-owner of Mazaar Lounge on Essex Street, is said to be an owner of C Lounge. (Mazaar Lounge has had a controversial history as you can read here. And here.)

Santatorum, the hospital-themed cocktail lounge via mixologist Albert Trummer, quietly closed in this space back in the spring.

The Santatorum awning remains up, though black tape covers the previous business name...



Thanks to Nat Esten and Kelvin!

Here's Mister Paradise

The signage has arrived for Mister Paradise, a new cocktail bar-restaurant from Will Wyatt (The Nomad) at 105 First Ave.

For now there's not a whole lot of public information about the place, aside from a teaser website here ... and an Instagram account here. (You can read the the application from Wyatt and his partners before they appeared before CB3's SLA committee in July 2017.)

The space has been empty since Empellón Cocina closed in this spot between Sixth Street and Seventh Street in May 2017.

Start me up: Waiting on a Friend opens on 1st Avenue and St. Mark's Place

[Photo by Steven]

A new bar called Waiting on a Friend recently debuted here at 132 First Ave. at St. Mark's Place.

The corner space had been VBar St. Marks before a conversion to Colibri last September. Not sure who's behind the new venture at the moment. (You can find the bar's Instagram account here.)

We had some reader-submitted photos in mid-to-late August as the place was under renovation...



The bar is named for the song by the Rolling Stones from their 1981 album Tattoo You... one of the reader photos shows a new mural inside the bar of the album cover ...



And, as you may know, the "Waiting on a Friend" video was shot on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue... where Keith and Mick eventually saunter into this corner space, when it was the St. Mark's Bar & Grill. There, the other band members are already assembled (this old EVG post has pics from the shoot) ...

Blue Quarter debuts in the back of Local 92 on 2nd Avenue

A post shared by Blue Quarter (@bluequarternyc) on Jun 2, 2018 at 10:05am PDT

A rather hidden new 35-seat bar serving tea-infused cocktails opened last evening in the back (through the blue door) of Local 92, the Middle Eastern restaurant at 92 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

Blue Quarter, which occupies previously unused space at Local 92, is run by Max Green and Sother Teague, who worked at Amor y Amargo on Sixth Street at Avenue A.

Here's part of Eater's preview:

At Blue Quarter, Green pivots from bitters to tea cocktails. One called Unfinished Story incorporates matcha, coconut, lime oil, and tequila, while a Soon to Ripen includes earl grey tea, coconut water, paprika, and scotch. Black tea and mint tea also make appearances, and one drink arrives in a vintage tea pot. All of the nine cocktails are $15, and a few wines and beers round out the drinks.

Blue Quarter is open Tuesday-Thursday from 5 p.m. to midnight; until 1 a.m. on Friday-Saturday.

Cocktail specialist looking to take over Double Wide on 12th Street

Cocktail specialist Greg Boehm is on tonight's CB3-SLA committee docket for a new liquor license for 503-505 E. 12th St. — the current home of Double Wide.

Boehm, the founder of Cocktail Kingdom, a manufacturer and distributor of professional barware, is a partner in the cocktail bar Mace on Ninth Street and Boilermaker on First Avenue.

According to the public documents on the CB3 website (PDF here), the unnamed bar-restaurant would have proposed hours of 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday; until 3 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. (The outdoors space in the back would be open from 5-9 p.m. daily.)

The sample menu on the questionnaire features small plates and "not so small plates," with items like oysters on the half shell, moles frites and a tuna baguette...



... a contrast to the current menu at Double Wide, which serves chicken-fried steak and Frito pie, among other things.

The questionnaire describes this as a sale of assets. If this all goes through, then this would mean the end of Double Wide, which opened here between Avenue A and Avenue B in late 2011.

Two previous bars in this space, Mundial and Totem, were especially problematic, according to nearby residents.

CB3's SLA committee meets tonight at 6:30 in the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another nightmare bar for 505 E. 12th St.?

Last night's CB3 recap: Residents 1, Bar Owners 0

Here comes the fear again: 505 E. 12th St. back on the market

Illegal work continues at former Mundial space on East 12th Street

New ownership taking over the Alphabet Lounge space on 7th and C

[Photo from Tuesday night]

New operators are planning to open a bar in the current Alphabet Lounge space on Avenue C at Seventh Street.

CB3's SLA committee approved the application for a new liquor license during their monthly meeting on Monday night.

In an interesting twist, the main applicant, Jennifer Shorr, used to live in the building at 104 Avenue C. She and her fiance, Brian Powell, are planning to open a neighborhood bar in the space. (This is a sale of assets.)

There was a lot of love for the applicants in the room: Four longtime residents of either No. 104 or a nearby building spoke out on their behalf. The residents talked about what a horror show Alphabet Lounge is, and that an approval here would replace a bad, disruptive business with good operators.

However, committee members said that the applicants needed to better articulate their method of operation, which seemed to be "it will be better than what's there now." Said one committee member: "You are asking us to approve something because you're really nice people." (The PDF of their application is here.)

Powell, who said he has served as a consultant on many bar-restaurant openings in NYC and Southampton, most recently owned Grange, an American bistro in Westwood, N.J. (He said they decided not to renew the lease this summer after six years in business.)

The still-unnamed venture will offer a limited food menu, though Powell emphasized that they will be a bar first and not a restaurant. "We're not trying to hide anything," he said. One of the first orders of business will be to remove Alphabet Lounge's ample sound system. Shorr said that they may have an occasional performance featuring acoustic musicians.

In the end, the committee members signed off on the application.

E.Vil is coming to the East Village

We are not like the others... #rockandroll #deathtodisco #newyorkcity

A post shared by EVIL NYC (@e_vilnyc) on Mar 18, 2017 at 3:20pm PDT

Earlier this month, I noticed a new account following me on Instagram ... for EVIL NYC, a "Rock & Roll Club Opening 4/17" in the East Village. (I sent them a DM asking for their address — no response. Just the "seen.")

Anyway, Page Six had more details yesterday about this E.Vil, which is reportedly inspired by CBGB and Max's Kansas City. Turns out it's a new venture from, among other partners, club owner Richie Akiva, whose credits include 1OAK, Butter and Up&Down

Per Page Six:

• Leo DiCaprio will have a new watering hole to meet models.

• Akiva’s partnered with Jue Lan Club’s Stratis Morfogen on E.Vil, “short for East Village and pronounced evil,” an insider said.

• The spot will open near 1970s-themed VNYL nightclub on Third Avenue in April.

• “It’s where you go to hear Aerosmith, the Clash, Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, ’80s/’90s rock, the Cult,” the insider said.

Feel free to guess where E.Vil might live near VNYL, which is in the former Nevada Smiths space on Third Avenue between 12th Street and 13th Street.

Mr. White bringing 'new Southern cuisine' to St. Mark's Place

As previously noted, February's CB3-SLA agenda includes an applicant vying for a beer-wine license at 121 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Here's more about the space via public documents (PDF) at the CB3 website. For starters, Mr. White will serve "New Southern cuisine." (The online application did not include a sample menu.)

The proposed hours are noon to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday. (The application notes that alcohol service will end at 2 a.m., with the restaurant closing one hour later "to allow the customer to finish his meal.") The configuration shows 10 tables seating 28 patrons, and two bars seating 19 people.

The documents also note that the principals have experience at the Grand National (now the Big Whiskey) and the Whiskey Brooklyn in Williamsburg.

No. 121 was last home to the Belgian Room, which the state seized for nonpayment of taxes in April 2015. (The reconfigured space includes the former Ton-Up Cafe next door.)

The February SLA committee meeting is Monday at 6:30 p.m. Location: The Thelma Burdick Community Room, 10 Stanton St. at the Bowery.

Lucky's has its grand opening tomorrow (Saturday!)

Longtime East Village resident Abby Ehmann fulfilled a dream and opened her first bar back in early July.

Now tomorrow (Saturday), Ehmann is hosting the official grand opening of Lucky at 168 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street. (The space was home to Boxcar, which closed in February after 18 years in business.)

Ehmann aspires to foster a sense of community at Lucky. To date, the bar has provided space for Gays Against Guns' poster and t-shirt painting parties, Waggytail Rescue's adoption socials and other gatherings, including memorials.

She also says that she "hopes to attract people who feel unwelcome or out of place at the many newer East Village establishments."

The bar opens at noon. (Free pizza is expected around 6 or 7 p.m. tomorrow.)

You can read our interview with Ehmann from March right here.