Updated 11/18
The Bean is now open! Hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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The Bean reopens today in its former home on Second Avenue at Third Street... almost a year to the date that it closed at this very location.
As you may recall, the Bean shut down two EV locations in November 2019 — here on Second Avenue and on First Avenue at Ninth Street. At the time, owner Ike Escava blamed rising costs on the closures. The outposts on Third Avenue at Stuyvesant and Broadway at Ninth Street remained in operation.
This site has been vacant for years, last housing Irreplaceable Artifacts until its demolition by the city in July 2000. There's a lot of back story, which the links below cover...
It is with great sadness that we announce the closing of Ugly Kitchen. Due to the insurmountable challenges of the pandemic, we have come to the sad and difficult decision that we have no alternative but to close our doors. We want to thank all of our wonderful guests and employees for supporting us ... You have truly become a member of our family and our bonds will surely continue in the future.We could have not have achieved our success over the past few years without you and we are confident that our cherished memories will continue anywhere we gather. Perhaps one day, when the time is right, Ugly Kitchen will rise once again. Until then, we bid our farewell.
Last night aprox 3 a.m. there was a HUGE series of explosions rocking the entire block. What sounded like extremely loud electrical crackling was booming as a sustained series of explosions that lasted 10-15 minutes as giant clouds of acrid smoke rose from a vent in the street near the bike lane directly in front of 87-89 First Ave.The bizarre crackling/buzzing/explosion sound had me thinking we were under attack again (9/11 flashback). Either that or some kind of "Cloverfield" situation... Multiple firehouses and emergency agencies arrived.
