5 Napkin Burger closes on 3rd Avenue and 14th Street

After nearly 10 years on the SW corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue, 5 Napkin Burger has closed... signage on the front door points would-be patrons to other locations of the chainlet...

The burger joint opened here in February 2012... and in the summer of 2019, downsized the space, which became 5 Napkin Burger Express for two years ... which became Tamam Falafel, which closed at the end of 2021. (Both 5 Napkin and Tamam Falafel share the same ownership.)

This space was previously home to Robin Raj Discount Health & Beauty Aids (that seems like a long time ago!). 

There will be some speculation about the future of this high-profile corner with single-story structures — seemingly ripe for development. Not sure what kind of air rights there might be with the newer 21-floor 110 Third Ave. on one side and NYU's 17-floor Palladium Hall on the other.

Thanks to all the EVG readers who shared this news!

Updated: Flashback to the 1980s and Disco Donut here

Check out the Bagel Belly on 3rd Avenue

Workers removed the plywood around the storefront at 114 Third Ave. near East 14th Street ... the incoming deli/cafe will go by Bagel Belly...



The proprietors, who also own Namu Deli & Grocery at 252 Third Ave. between 20th Street and 21st Street, were on CB3's SLA committee docket back in December for a beer-wine license. (This item was not heard during the committee meeting.)

The space was, until the fall, home to Robin Raj/Delicacity. The address was formerly the Grace and Hope Mission.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: Bagel Belly coming to 3rd Avenue

Updated: Bagel Belly coming to 3rd Avenue

You may have noticed some activity at 114 Third Ave. near East 14th Street, home until May of Delicacity (aka Robin Raj!).

Now there are posted signs about the new tenant...



... 114 Bagel & Grill Inc.



The applicants are on CB3's SLA committee meeting docket on Dec. 7 for a beer and wine license. There isn't any other information about the place online just yet.

The place is described as a restaurant ... Maybe they will grill — and not toast! — their bagels?

Updated 7 p.m.

The questionnaire (PDF!) from the applicants is now online at the CB3 website.

The deli/cafe will be called Bagel Belly. And the proposed hours are 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. The proprietors also own Namu Deli & Grocery at 252 Third Ave. between 20th Street and 21st Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More Robin Raj intel (and what about those cartoon hams?)

Oh no! Robin Raj is no longer Robin Raj!

Robin Raj finally makes the move, though there's no sign of the cartoon ham

Live above Robin Raj

Reader report: Rent hike KOs Delicacity (RIP Robin Raj) on 3rd Avenue

Week in Grieview

[Photo on East 6th Street yesterday by Derek Berg]

Claim: Landlord of 444 E. 13th St. threatened "to drop dynamite on the building" (Thursday)

Rumor: East Village Cheese Shop relocating to East Seventh Street (Wednesday)

More about the new Café Pick Me Up-Gnocco combo on East 10th Street (Friday)

Out and About with Alicia Mercado (Wednesday)

A bitcoins ATM (Wednesday)

Rent hike KOs Delicacity (RIP Robin Raj) on Third Avenue (Thursday)

The Second Avenue Spice is closing (Tuesday)

Mono + Mono hoping for a mid-summer return on East Fourth Street (Thursday)

Icon Realty bringing Sexyflow to Avenue A (Tuesday)

Reader report: Please don't destroy the trees (Monday)

Selling off the former Hop Devil Grill (Tuesday)

Fancy Juice for First Avenue (Tuesday)

East 14th Street building returns to the market for a few million dollars more (Wednesday)

Elusive night heron becoming less elusive (Tuesday)

Warning flyers posted about renting from Steve Croman's 9300 Realty (Wednesday)

Making the Tompkins Square lawn more seedy (Thursday)

Spicy House is now Young Chow III on Third Avenue (Tuesday)

… and keep an eye out for the hawklets on the Ageloff Towers on Avenue A…


[Photo from Thursday by Bobby Williams]

Reader report: Rent hike KOs Delicacity (RIP Robin Raj) on 3rd Avenue

A reader let us know that Delicacity (aka Robin Raj!) is closing for good very soon at 114 Third Ave. near East 14th Street. The reader, a regular here, reports that the landlord passed along a hefty rent hike.

In the meantime, you can enjoy 50 percent off most everything in the store...



Robin Raj and their cartoon food illustrations moved here from the corner in January 2009. Robin Raj turned into Delicacity in February 2012.

The address was formerly the Grace and Hope Mission.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More Robin Raj intel (and what about those cartoon hams?)

Oh no! Robin Raj is no longer Robin Raj!

Robin Raj finally makes the move, though there's no sign of the cartoon ham

Live above Robin Raj

Oh no! Robin Raj is no longer Robin Raj!

On Friday, EV Grieve reader evilnyc passed along the following photo from Third Avenue near 14th Street.

A name change at Robin Raj!

We went to investigate and found everything to be ... exactly the same...

Simon Doonan's The window displays...

...the cartoon food (and, what, exactly, is that to the left of the cake?)

... the broken LED light board zipper thing...

Everything is the same except the name...

The name will likely grow on us. Once we can say it three times fast while holding our tongue.

Robin Raj moved here from the corner in January 2009.

Actually, the space has been on the market. Apparently the new owners are keeping it as is.

Check out the rents (and key money). We heard that they paid just under $30,000 when they were on the corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue... and that the landlord was raising the rent to $60,000. Not sure what 5 Napkin Burger is paying, but that's a lot of burgers either way...

For all of our Robin Raj coverage, including an alternate ending, please go here.

Thanksgiving leftovers

Were you away for the holiday? If so, then welcome back. Anyway, we posted a bunch of stuff the last few days... In case you missed it the first time around...:

• Your CB3/SLA booze and bar agenda for December.

• Thanksgiving at the Blarney Cove

• More about Puddin' on St. Mark's Place

• Looking at the Robin Raj holiday window display

• People lined up really early for Black Friday at the Union Square Best Buy

• Lingerie-clad model in a lamp post photo shoot

• You may now buy Christmas holiday trees

• Chico creates a new ad mural on Houston and Avenue B

The Robin Raj holiday window display continues to inspire

Third Avenue near 14th Street...

And arguably Simon Doonan's best work!

A glimpse of the incoming 5 Napkin Burger on 14th Street and Third Avenue

Yesterday, workers removed part of the plywood on the Third Avenue side of the incoming 5 Napkin Burger here at 14th Street...

Not much to see, to be honest. The interior still looks pretty raw. Plywood is remains up on the 14th Street.

In October, Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo reported that a 5 Napkin Burger was opening on the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue — previously home to Robin Raj.

Robin Raj now has an LED electronic moving message sign

Our friends here on Third Avenue near 14th Street have unleashed a new sign, which is almost big enough to fit the word "special."

I'll spare you the video that I took.

Really big 5 Napkin Burger still coming to 14th and 3rd; realtor disses Robin Raj

Back in October, Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo reported that a 5 Napkin Burger was opening on the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue — the former home of Robin Raj, duh. We kind of wondered what happened with that. The site has been rather quiet of late.

The Observer has a follow-up today. Per the Observer:

The restaurant includes 3,570 square feet of ground-floor space, as well as a full basement. "This prime corner has laid fallow for the past five years. 5 Napkin Burger will undertake a full reconstruction of the building and turn it into a wonderful gem," said Winick Realty Group's Tatiana Jung-Voevodina, who repped the tenant.

Fallow!? Robin Raj moved out just two years ago!

Anyway! 5 Napkins is expected to open in April.

Priciest pad at 123 Third Ave. hits the market; private greenhouse included

Yesterday, the most expensive home in 123 Third Avenue appeared on Streeteasy. The penthouse features 7.5 rooms: 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms — 2,334 square feet in all. And it's yours for $4.5 (plus change!) million.
A few more details via Corcoran:

Apartment Features
• North, South, East and West exposures
• Balcony, Greenhouse, Roof deck, Terrace, Full city view, Full skyline view, Partial river view, Floors - hardwood, Light - excellent, Great closet space, Washer/dryer

And, most important, you're just steps away from the best that East Union Square has to offer... like the Four Loko at Robin Raj!

That Four Loko sign isn't lying at Robin Raj

Yesterday, we noted that Robin Raj on Third Avenue near 14th Street was advertising Four Loko... a few people questioned whether this was the real thing...

Then someone passed along this photo of their fridge after a Robin Raj run and this message: "Just look at it. The sign does not lie."

Storm supplies: Where you can buy Four Loko

Forget the Four Loco Black Market... Apparently you can still buy the stuff at our old friends over at Robin Raj on Third Avenue near 14th Street...

The signs have been up at least a week or so... dunno if they actually have the goods, but.... it's probably worth walking in a blizzard for...

Meat coming to the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue

We've been wondering what might be coming here to the former Robin Raj space... And Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo has the answer: An outpost of 5 Napkin Burger, or a variation of it.

Rebecca Marx at the Voice last week named the 5 Five Napkin veggie burger as the best in the city.

Meanwhile, this is NOT their veggie burger:



Previously on EV Grieve:
All your Robin Raj news here.

New tenant making move on southwest corner of 14th and Third

After sitting dormant for nearly 22 months, the prime patch of real estate on the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue apparently has an incoming tenant... workers just put up the freshly painted green plywood...





Robin Raj moved a few hundred feet away on Third Avenue in early 2009... At the time, Curbed heard from the RR guys that the new landlord wanted $60,000 a month in rent. (Heh, oh boy...)

I quickly looked at the DOB records... nothing too alarming afoot... nothing like, a mate for 123 Third Ave. ... Per the DOB:

Application is filed to combine two buildings. General construction, plumbing structural work, install new storefront, install temporary wood fence to be removed upon completion of work...

Even with three Duane Reades and one Walgreens within a block or two of here ... I have to go with a Duane Reade...

Previously on EV Grieve:
All your Robin Raj news here.

Easy as: 3 units in 123 Third Ave. now in contract

Well, we barely even had time to look over the available units at 123 Third Avenue, that new tower of condo going up in East Union Square at 14th Street. (It's the one up there on the left — I get them mixed up too...).

Curbed just brought the news that the units were on the market back on Aug. 30 .... And now! A quick look at StreetEasy finds that three of the available homes are already in contract. Hmmm.....



Fear not if you were slow to act... 10 units remain for purchase, including the big honkin' penthouse for $3.7 million that provides unobstructed views of ConEd... and, presumably, our friends down at Robin Raj...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Living local: Here comes the 123 Third Ave. sales center!

[Top photo by Blue Glass]

Was just a matter of time before EV got The 13th Step

Thanks to Jeremiah for remembering this one... So, now that the Jake's Dilemma-Down-the Hatch team and their Celebrating xxx years of Debauchery slogan folks have finally established an EV beachhead with the 13th Step.... We recall that Team Hatch unsuccessfully tried to open a bar at the former Grace & Hope Mission at 114-116 Third Ave. Our old friends at East Village podcasts covered the CB3/SLA meeting back in July 2008.

And, of course, the former Mission is now home to Robin Raj ...and the psychic!

Futurizing about the corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue

Earlier today, we spotted workers cleaning out the former Robin Raj space on the southwest corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue...





Perhaps this is an early sign that a new horrible tenant is on the way... The space has been vacant for nearly a year. As reported then: The landlord was looking for $60,000 a month in rent...

Psychic looking a little more permanent

The psychic/clairvoyant/chakra balancer who took up board above Rockin' Robin Raj at 114 Third Ave. now has spiffy new awnings and signs. Maybe they're here to stay? If so, then maybe someone wants to take down that "building available" sign.

Previously on EV Grieve:
I sense that Robin Raj gets a new upstairs tenant