If you only get out to Long Island City during the weekends, you may have thought Brooks 1890 Restaurant (a.k.a. “that place across from P.S. 1”) already was closed, since it’s traditionally been open only during weekdays until around 8 p.m., but as Lost City pointed out last year, it’s actually “one of the oldest and most unheralded restaurants” in the city. It’s flown pretty much under the radar since it was praised in a Best of New York issue about a decade ago: “The current owner has preserved the turn-of-the-century-saloon feeling with such Victorian trimmings as a 1904 Tiffany back bar, etched-glass lamps, and a 1903 oak bar.” Now Lost City reports that it’s closed for renovations and will reopen under new management, which “doesn’t sound good.”
The outside globe lamps have already been removed, but let’s not shed a tear just yet. We haven’t been able to reach the new operators, but if they preserve the interior, finally open the place during the nights and weekends, and give the food an upgrade, this might just be a good thing. In the meantime, we’ll wait it out at the Shannon Pot.
Brooks 1890 Restaurant Closed for Renovation [Lost City]
