One of the best parts about writing restaurant news for a living is discovering good news. It can become disheartening to write about so many closures, especially during these past two years, so it’s always a treat to be able to report on a bar that makes a powerful comeback.
Bleecker Street Bar was a popular dive bar that operated in the Bowery for over three decades. Established in 1990, Bleecker Street Bar had become a fixture of the neighborhood and was known as a local community bar, where residents could hang out in a casual, low-pressure environment and enjoy their favorite drinks together. Then in August 2020, locals were devastated to learn that their 30-year standard appeared to be shutting down for good. Failing to strike a new lease deal with their landlord, it seemed for a short time that Bleecker Street Bar had no future in the neighborhood.
Thankfully, recent developments have extinguished those doubts, and Bleecker Street Bar is now plotting a powerful new comeback only a couple blocks away. Formerly located at 56 Bleecker Street, the bar’s new location will be opening up on 648 Broadway, replacing the recently vacated Café Mercado. Still owned by James Abraham, the new bar will be conveniently located between Bleecker Street and Bond Street. Featuring an impressive 4,000 square feet of space, the bar will have plenty of room to accommodate all manner of guests.
For the bar’s revival, James and the team are planning on doing things a little differently this time around. While the original Bleecker Street Bar was seen as a more casual, low-key kind of place, James is envisioning a slightly more elevated concept for Bleecker Street Bar 2.0. Described as “first and foremost a community gathering place to enjoy good food and drink in a warm neighborhood pub environment,” the new bar will also offer a complete menu of classic comfort food prepared with farm-to-table ingredients.
In addition to their new menu, Bleecker Street Bar will be upgrading their drink options with a “thoughtfully curated selection of craft beer, wine and spirits” with a special emphasis on local breweries and distilleries. Beyond beer and wine, Bleecker Street will also serve unique cocktails with an elegant twist alongside local natural wines and a variety of nonalcoholic drinks. While the team still has a lot of work of ahead of them before they can open, you can follow the bar on Instagram for more updates as James and the team get closer to opening day.
Correction: A previous version of the article named Dustin Everett as the bar’s new chef. Dustin is only consulting, he will not serve as the bar’s chef.
