Thursday, November 8, 2012

Latest on Old Vienna

According to a commenter on this blog a week or so ago, in case you missed it (kinda got buried in the storm coverage):

Old Vienna Cafe on Queens Blvd is turning into an Irish bar/ restaurant in a few weeks. Same owners as lately. The "new owners" in the window.

13 comments:

  1. that corner is jinxed. and it's the worst corner for a restaurant with outdoor seating

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  2. Good idea, b/c old vienna was just not going to make it no matter who owened it.

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  3. I bet a Dallas BBQ would have succeeded there. Now this place is going to be competing with the Irish cottage. I'm sure the owners aren't happy about that.

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    1. Dallas BBQ would need a much bigger space than Old Vienna.

      I think it would do good in the old Staples location, though there is a Dalls BBQ already in the Rego Center

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  4. If this is indeed true, I can't say I am very enthusiastic about the idea. An Irish bar and restaurant? Why? As if we don't have more than enough of those already? What is so hard about coming up with an innovative concept for that space? What does Forest Hills really need? I've said it before and I'll say it again: how about a high-end diner/cafe like you can find in pretty much any neighborhood in Manhattan? Show me one of those here with food that is actually good. I don't know of one.

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  5. Forest Hills Diner near the police station is very good, though it seems no one here wants to walk all the way down there.

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    1. While you certianly might be correct (I havent been there, so I cant say) , I think what Drake is referring to is a more upscale setting with diner inspired menu - such as "cafeteria" in Chelsea, The Eatery on 9th ave or the bowery diner. Definitely would love one of those types of places in our neighborhood.

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  6. Ive heard ppl say many times this spot is jinxed, but wasnt the italian place there for like 15 years? Or was it several italian places?

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  7. Anonymous at 12:59 p.m.: Have you been to the Forest Hills Diner lately? They had a sign up about new ownership and serving "steaks and chops." I haven't had a chance to go and see what that was all about yet. I've always found it to be a good, clean diner. Nothing special though.

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    1. Stacey, I have not been back to FH Diner in the last 3 months so I have no idea about the new ownership. I don't eat diner food often and that was the last time I had diner food. They were not special, but the food was good and the place was clean like you mentioned. I cannot say the same for T-Bone diner and Austin Diner. The only thing these 2 diners have better is the location.

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  8. Old Vienna will become Old Dublin...ain't gonna work.
    An authentic BBQ rib joint , take out, sit in with a Nathans of Coney Island set up would really break the mold on that corner.

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  9. Nick's, which is always crowded with too long of a wait, should move there and something else should move in where Nick's is.

    I like the "nice cafe" idea, but didn't Network just clean up?

    The Old Vienna might have worked, but the people running it did a poor job. The menu (visually) looks like crap. And the whole bakery-inside thing was confusing.

    Is there any existing post of a list of things we need in Forest Hills? (e.g. a better hardware store, a better crafts store, etc.)

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    1. Is Network good? I still think of it as being a confused place serving hummus and the like.

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