After 28 years in business, Joseph Donovan has sold his restaurant, Donovan's of Bayside.It'll be back better than ever, say new Donovan's owners
The Bayside fixture with the homey feel and hearty American fare at 214-16 41st Ave. is undergoing renovations and will reopen under the same name in late summer, according to new owner Martin Picone.
Last week, the Queens Chronicle reported that a new restaurant was replacing the institution, but instead it is just under new ownership.
Photo from Daily News
7 comments:
These are the guys who ruined Louie's. "Run down clam shack?" Maybe a little run down, but it was a classic. Now it's a dark wood steak house.. like every other one. And the food is strictly ehhh. Mediocre and expensive.
Donovan's will return as an expensive imitation of a working class pub. Say goodbye to reasonable prices.
"It'll be back better than ever, say new Donovan's owners"
BULLSH*T CAUGH CAUGH BULLSH*T !
Its gonna be $9 Martini's and 45+ minute wait's for French frys or burgers just like Louies in Port Washington !!
I was there (Louies)Monday night We waited 45 minutes for a burger platter and side order of frys only to have the same waitress come up and ask "can I get you anything"
At the same time a drunk mother was hanging a toddler over the deck like Micheal Jackson no securiety was to be found.
I get the impression Another words if your not spending $100.
The 2 owners are never ANYPLACE to be seen or found, they just lost (or never had) there Caberet licence.
...yeah they will run it good LOL
Why would Marty (of Louie's) pay....wasn't it 4 million clams ????? (it seems.... way above the going market value for the area)....spend a fortune to completely gut the interior of the former Donnovans then redecorate and reopen it in a one story "taxpayer" building (when a pair of 2 story buildings, just across the street, is selling for 1.6 million dollars ?
H-m-m-m....maybe he's got his eye on assembling the adjacent parcel of properties (eventually) that Joe Donnovan still owns to the left!
There's a lot of "switcheroo" that seems to be going on here!
One day the local gossip said it was gonna reopen as a new upscale wattering hole ....."Anthony's" ??? now it's back to "Donnovans" ????? !
Wuz up folks ?
One thing for certain the drinks will cost more to pay for the costly renovations!
You old regular Bayside drunks had better find a new place to booze on the cheap!
You should see the dust (toxic ????) coming out of Donnovan's during demolition !
It looks like they hired a bunch of "day laborers" with cheap hardware store (buy 'em by the dozen) "protective" face masks.....open dumpsters and a dust bowl storm headed towards Bell Blv'd. !!!!!
Do I see any demolition permits in the window ???
Maybe somebody ought to call 311 !!!!
it will be interesting to see what happens here, but for sure the low prices and the original atmosphere r gone 4 ever. be carefull louies because donovans bread and butter customers that filled the tables evryday of the week , r not going to eat there on a regular, if the prices r considerably higher. the place should have never been sold for any amount of money. it was an institution, that would have been even more valuable over time. good luck joe enjoy the money in good health.
This place has been sold and the new owners completely renovated it- which is the only good thing. The "new" Donovan's has high prices, mediocre food, expensive drinks and absolutely NO buybacks- even if you spend $300 at the bar. The Crab Cakes($$), as listed in the menu are really: "Crab Cake" (1), minus any crab whatsoever- but LOTS of cracker! Plus, the bartenders have ZERO personality, fyi. Basically, it looks and feels like a corporate chain- meaning no charm, crappy food and many managers watching to see if a staffer gives away a free ice cube resulting in a very nervous staff- which is never a good thing for a diner and their experience.
The locals are all very sorry that the Donovan family sold it to such vultures and it's misleading that the name remains- as it used to be fun going there, but not anymore. Also, there is no jukebox and no music anyone can hear which means: hurry up & eat your "food", drink your drink and go somewhere else to have fun.
Save your money and go somewhere, anywhere, else....many better choices on Bell Boulevard within walking distance of this once fine place.....
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