Oh No, No More Armando's

How very sad. Beyond sad, actually, quite depressing. One of my favorite restaurants in my neighborhood has gone out of business after 72 years. Armando's was the first restaurant that I ever ate at in this neighborhood, back when I was still living in Manhattan. It has remained a favorite over the years and I generally eat here at least once a week. The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I were planning on eating there last night as well when, to our dismay, we found it had closed.

Lights Out


It closed on March 16th while I was in Puerto Vallarta so I hadn't seen anything about it closing in any of the papers. It might have been big news in Brooklyn, but not in Mexico. We actually just stared at the darkened windows in stunned silence, not really believing what we were seeing.

Deserted And Forlorn


Really, this was like losing an old friend. We always felt like family in here and now I don't even know where the bartender has gone. Hopefully I will be able to track him down and visit him at his new place of business.

It Just Gets More Depressing


Apparently the current "owners" of Armando's have decided to retire after 27 years. I wonder if increasing rents had anything to do with this decision. The restaurant always seemed to do a good business, both at lunch and dinner. The bar had a regular crowd too. I think I am going to cry.

The Goodbye Note


The place had a lot of history behind it that will now be gone for ever. Supposedly Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller used to dine there and it was also frequented by the Dodgers back when they were the Brooklyn Dodgers. Norman Mailer was also a regular.

An Homage To Marilyn


Never again will I be able to dine underneath the picture of Marilyn. In just a few short months Spicy Pickle, a Denver based sub franchise, will be moving in. Not too long ago the Five Guys hamburger chain opened up a place across the street. Montague Street used to be full of neighborhood restaurants, but the times they are a changing. And, in my opinion, not for the better. No matter how good Spicy Pickle may be, it will never be Armando's.

I think I am going to go back to bed now and pull the covers over my head. Oh, but first I will draw a beer from my new BeerTender. I may not leave the house for days.

On a brighter note, we did end up eating at Pete's Waterfront Ale House last night and that was comforting. The food was great, as usual, the bartender and waiter were old friends, and the manager, Sam, gave us a complimentary after-dinner Apple Pie. This is a house specialty made by macerating apples, pears, cinnamon, and other secret spices in vodka. Quite delicious and packs a wallop. Thank goodness for Pete's, we really needed some comforting.