Harlem Bespoke is happy to be the first to report that an outdoor restaurant called the Harlem Tavern will be arriving at the former gas station on 116th Street and FDB/8th Avenue. We mentioned on Wednesday that the DOB filings on the property that is currently being gutted looks cryptically like it was going to have a restaurant similar to downtown's B Bar (which is also a gas station-to-outdoor restaurant conversion). Between all the information exchange from our previous post, a clever reader got in contact with the owner and connected us to the Harlem Tavern website: LINK. The above images are some samples of the outdoor and indoor space that the Harlem Tavern will feature. A low brick wall (just like B Bar) will surround the corner section and the patio outdoor flooring has some nice herringbone brickwork planned (click on images to enlarge). The overall aesthetics of the place looks like one of more well-designed contextual eateries downtown so this is the next one to look out for. Based on the site, early winter might be the opening date (don't worry, outdoor heat lamps provide a year round dining environment). Check out the past post where readers pieced together the clues: LINK
WOW!!!!! Very cool!!!! This is exactly what Harlem needs.
ReplyDeleteWhat is significant for me is the name “Harlem Tavern”, this is embracing the name Harlem as a cool viable part of Manhattan, the New Harlem that is available to all new Yorkers, not the old Harlem that was separate and apart from downtown Manhattan. This is a sign of Harlem turning another corner. The old Harlem was synonymous with blight, crime, drugs, no go area etc, the new Harlem is another Manhattan neighborhood accessible for all and this Tavern is proud to be a part of it.
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliant news. Westsider said it all and it clarifies the fact that Harlem has been in dire need of a PR makeover. This is another step in that direction. The Aloft Hotel, Busboys and Poets, Bier International etc. This is all positive stuff. Plus, this place looks GREAT!
ReplyDeleteThis is spectacular! Hope their prices are actually reasonable and not like Chocolat's ($15 burgers.) A healthy dose of competition will certainly help.
ReplyDeleteOoooooooooo!
ReplyDeleteI've suddenly over my qualms about old fuel tanks!
This is truly outstanding news!!
ReplyDeleteThe renderings look phenomenal -- a great use of the space. Having an "American-style" bistro in this location should work very well, as I think there is quite a bit of of pent-up local demand that will reward the folks stepping in to provide a variety of dining choices and social venues in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteSanou's Mum -- You should be pleased to know that one of the first things the owners did was order an extensive environmental test of the site, and the results came back clean.
Kudos to Ulysses for getting the ball rolling on reporting this, and for all of his efforts to keep us abreast of new developments all around Harlem. Exciting times indeed!
Looks good. Would be better with more greenery, however.
ReplyDeleteWOW THAT LOOKS GREAT.....I CANT WAIT .
ReplyDeletePlease God they should keep the prices "neighbourhood" and not have pretenses of becoming destination dining and it is sure to be a smashing success.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with Sanou's Mum and zLister about hoping that prices are neighborhood-appropriate, otherwise very excited about this!
ReplyDeleteSM: Hoping to find out more about the menu and pricing, but my sense is they plan to make it a fun outdoor space and hangout for a variety of folks in the neighborhood. The kind of place where you can go grab a drink and watch the game, have a decent steak if you want one, etc.
ReplyDeleteLovely, Absolutely Lovely, lets all make a date to go to the opening.
ReplyDeleteCBR--how great to have a pub/bar/tavern whatever they want to call it. If it is truly to become that I'd happily go over and lay bricks myself!
ReplyDeleteGreg: Perhaps we can start up some Harlem Bespoke "outings" -- as in local get-togethers where we put faces to pseudonyms and get to know each other offline as well... There's probably some folks here that would be down for that.
ReplyDeleteI really hope that they steer clear of the Hudson River Cafe model of being pretentious, overpriced and destination dining oriented. The neighborhood needs a place that people can afford to frequent on a regular basis without pretentious attitude.
ReplyDeleteAgree on Hudson River Cafe, UptownGirl -- but I can't imagine that is an approach they would be looking to emulate for this space. I guess we'll find out before too long...
ReplyDelete@CBR & Greg. . .I think one has to take into account that commenters might MIGHT be less inclined to be open or provocative in their postings if they were to meet in real life. Or what passes for real life. I, of course, have no personal life and would gaily and cheerfully trip along to the pub to meet Jack the Ripper. And bring my own razor if I thought he might buy a round.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ulysses for being such a reliable fountain of new and exciting information about our Harlem neighborhoods!
ReplyDeleteThe Place looks great ! Like a good meeting place ! It may replace my preference for The Shrine...Harlem really needs a place like this, nice but not too much. Simple and chic...oh and not too pricey !
ReplyDeleteHow can it not be pricey? If the renderings are remotely close, just count the tables & seats, look at the square footage and do the math. Factor in the extensive build that's required and re-coup'ing that cost. This is serious development that may actually never happen, I would believe it more if Harlem Tavern was simply occupying a finished space like the RedRooster is doing. And why isn't Harlem Tavern simply occupying Soha118 or some other already built in space? And thereby making money year round on all the floor space (independent of weather)? The outdoor factor? Which as a model is nuts since you don't invest on an unpredictable ability to capture revenue (weather), this is not a climate wherein you can rely on outdoor customers, and if you do, the cost of heat would be significant adding to the pricey-ness of the place.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's going to happen as stated as it does not cut it as a business model. I would believe it if they were occupying an already built up place. If they do build, it's going to be quite pricey do the the extensive investment. Plus they're not an established brand like Dino BBQ with a huge following of customers mostly not from or in Harlem, before they even opened, nor do they have Soros money behind it, do they? Now with all that in place - plus lots of years and proven profitability, you can build like Dino has done (opening in 2 weeks by the way, the new spot).
Though HV is doing great, I have it on pretty good authority that Nectar is having a tough time (being profitable - and it's a pure play in the profit stream of the space, alcohol). It's hard making money in this business, and that's assuming you don't have to build the site, and can generate revenue on the entire floor space year round. This above has 2 factors in the equation assuring it to be pricey if it ever happens...
Macadoo,
ReplyDeleteSome interesting points, though I think you're overstating the downside and understating the potential upside. The element of outdoor space cuts both ways, and the open configuration of the place is likely to draw a lot of interest and customers even when the weather is not prime.
I would add that the folks behind this are are owners / partners in several other restaurants in Manhattan. It would appear they have a good understanding of the business and the challenges involved -- in addition to the potential opportunity.
yeah but that's cause Nectar sucks...
ReplyDeleteA nice outdoor space like that is a real rarity in Manhattan, and can drive a lot of business.
ReplyDeleteCBR, fair enough, but this place has extremely unique aspects that would raise eyebrows, I doubt there's a restaurant in NYC that has ratio of outdoor dining to indoor dining as this place, appears to be at least 60% of it's seating outdoors. The Red Rooster's kitchen will be designed to support the seating/tables in the design. I am assuming the Harlem Tavern's will too however the HT appears to have 60% easily of it's tables outside and I don't see people sitting outside in most of Nov, all of Dec/Jan/Feb/March, and in most of April.
ReplyDeleteIt's a function of cost, building a kitchen capability that's literally built for "seasonal" use. That's expensive. How does it shake out? The whole place appears to be a seasonable design with nothing quite to this measure in NYC, I've only seen design like this in Arizona & Mexico. What's it mean? That beer or burger you buy in January has costs built in it supporting the seasonal aspect of the business. In sum, you can count on this place being pricey.
Macadoo , Great to see this is being developed by owners / partners in several other restaurants in Manhattan who know what they are doing, so I think your comments are somewhat negatively speculative.
ReplyDeleteI expect to see more of this, owners / partners in several other restaurants in Manhattan bringing their visions to Harlem that may not be so easy to implement downtown with the pricier real estate, Harlem will be the canvas for some creative establishments like this.
ReplyDeleteMacadoo -- Agree that it will be interesting to see how it pans out. I'm no expert on this stuff, but the amount of indoor seating still appears significant to my eye. I can't imagine that the additional investment in kitchen equipment needed to accommodate a full complement of customers outside would be so great as to drastically change the economics of the entire venture -- especially if it operates more as a "tavern" than a restaurant.
ReplyDeleteI would imagine the more significant issue would be labor / staffing between seasons -- and that's a variable cost that can be scaled a lot more flexibly.
Or, perhaps it is a brilliant plan to capitalize on global warming... :)
Westsider, I agree. Sheri, one of the aforementioned owners behind this place, actually lives nearby and saw the potential for something like this to work well on FDB. I'd also note that her contact information is posted on the Harlem Tavern web site -- anyone inclined to get into the weeds on their plans and business model might consider getting in touch, as she seems to be pretty receptive to talking about it.
ReplyDeleteThis is great news!
ReplyDeleteFDB is coming along nicely. But I don't have any hope that this place will be reasonably priced when both Chocolat and Billie's Black think a 14 dollar burger is "reasonable".
It'll be a cool addition anyways.
Cool Blue Reason, the owner Sheri sounds very cool if she is open to discuss her plans and great to know she is one of us, a Harlemite and she is bringing her vision to her neighborhood. This is similar to Marcus Samuelsson, living in Harlem and then bringing his vision to his neighborhood. This may be a driving force of the new Harlem, interesting successful people decide to make their home in Harlem and then invest their talent into Harlem.
ReplyDeleteIt does look like a nice place. Reminds me of Bowery bar and that place in Chelsea (the parc???). II too hope they keep their prices neighborhood appropriate. I think part of the reason for the outdoor space is that it takes less investment - from the pictures it looks like they are just keeping the existing building - maybe with a small extension- and converting the front lot into a front yard. We will see
ReplyDeleteGreenGirl: That would also be consistent with the plans that have been filed with the DOB.
ReplyDeleteAs for the other places owned by Sheri Wilson, there are two sports bars in midtown:
http://www.tonicbarnyc.com/
Just a reminder that anon post are removed from the thread so put in that user namer if you want your comment permanent to the site.
ReplyDeleteFOLKS!!! HELLO??? Although this will be a perfect use of the space, the design looks TERRIBLE. Seriously, people, this place looks just a cut above one of those bars in an airport terminal. Look at the decor in the rendering. The horrible black furniture, standard cheesy black & white framed photos on the wall. Where is the warmth, the creativity, the human factor? Yes, it's only a rendering, but, honestly, it reflects an almost complete lack of taste. It needs to look like something else...either more modern or more like a real beer garden, such as the one in Williamsburg (see http://www.radegasthall.com/). It's nice to see the area change like this, but why does it seem that so many ventures are half-baked, ill-conceived or, in this case, poorly designed??? If the beer selection, staffing, management, etc. matches the decor, this place will never live up to it's potential. Can't anyone get it right the first time?
ReplyDeleteHarlemmeer, haven't been there, but I actually thought these were pretty nice. Sounds like the owner is receptive to feedback though, so might be worth giving her a shout if you think there is something to add.
ReplyDeletePsyched about this place though and if England is anything to go by, throw up a few heaters and people will sit outside year round :)
@ Harlemmeer - I couldn't disagree more. The design in the renderings looks warm and classic to me and far from half-baked. And how exactly is the black furniture awful? Ive seen plenty of bad design in the past and this is far from it.
ReplyDeleteI'm with UptownGirl on this -- I think the renderings look fantastic. Clearly aesthetics will always come down to individual taste on some level, and there is no single design that will satisfy everyone.
ReplyDeleteAn amusing observation in the design. I own a sliver of a trendy similar spot in another city. We designed in similar seating of all wooden seats for a specific reason, to drive turnover. Unpadded chairs and stools go a long way in assuring butts get sore, fatigued, up and out. Taverns, bars, coffee houses all have the same challenge of wanting customers, but not wanting people to sit too long (talking and not spending money). You assure that with the kind of seating shown in the renderings, comfortable to a point. Stools with no back support are usually only reserved for "waiting for your table" status, which you may have seen locally like in Dinosaur BBQ.
ReplyDeleteIn examining the rendering, the flooring, the planks, if they're true to scale, the indoor space will be very narrow and small. Very odd to see the majority share of the space devoted to outdoor use lacking pretty things to view and in a cold climate. Harlemmeer has a point in that the decor is straight from an Ikea catalog.
I am PUMPED about this place. I understand the criticisms of the choices in furnishings, but keep in mind that such renderings are often used to sell an idea in order to gain approval from various governing bodies, landmarks, the public, etc. - chances are the end result will look a little different. How many new buildings have we seen erected in NYC that look incredible in the renderings, but turn out to be quite bland (and look very dated very quickly) in actuality? Also, I would be surprised if furniture selections have been finalized at this early stage.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, this is very exciting.
SugarHillBill: I wonder if this place is going to function a lot like Habana Outpost in Fort Greene, which is mostly an outdoor summer joint: http://www.cafehabana.com/planet.htm
Maybe they'll have a small indoor winter business, since they do have indoor seating?
I'm looking forward to having this place in the neighborhood, regardless of the decor. I agree prices are going to be on the pricier side for many of the reasons stated earlier, unless the owners are willing to subsidize it with revenue from their other establishments while HT gets going. Tried the new Bier Garden last week and the beer there is very expensive for small pours - if HT is renovating an old building (and probably remediating dirty land), they'll have no choice but to charge more for food/drink to make it back.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank God they didnt name it the SOHA Tavern!!
Passed by today and there was already a lot of activity inside. Looks like the plan is to get this place up and running asap. Also, from what I saw, there appears to be quite a bit of space indoors, so as long as the turnover rate is pretty good, I don't think these guys will have any problems keeping things ticking over during the off season. Of course, that is unless they mimic the crazy prices up at Chocolat. $16 for a cheeseburger (+$2 for bacon!). C'mon guys!
ReplyDelete$16 for a burger Chris? Are you kidding me? Well, looks like Cholcolat just put itself on a fast track to its own demise with the prices being so pretentious. Especially since the few food reviews I've read to date aren't exactly justifying the prices. Even 5 & Diamond had some sense enough to offer a price appropriate menu. Could owner Leon Ellis be that out of touch?
ReplyDeleteYeah, pretty sure that's what I saw on the window menu Restaurant Her. Haven't actually been yet, so can't comment on the quality, but it has to be something special to match 5 & Diamond (whose burger I loved and would be willing to shell out a few more $ to have again).
ReplyDeleteHey Cool Blue Reason, lets make a point of developing the opening of this tavern as an outing for Harlem Bespoke readers, your idea was superb.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely an interesting proposal. I think they might be too reliant on outdoor space though. Maybe they should have a section that can be indoor but made to feel like outdoor?s?
ReplyDeleteAny news on this? Doesn't look close to ready from what I can tell but I imagine they for sure want to get in on summer 2011.
ReplyDeleteThe east vil has B Bar, bk has Havana Outpost, & we will have Harlem Tavern. Can't wait!