Catfish, on Bedford near Park Place
Comments
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The Captain is a good guy.
Here's a thread where we've been talking about the animal hospital coming to Franklin:
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/topic/animal-clinic-coming-to-735-franklin-near-sterling
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That photo looks like the bar at Cornelius.
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It does have some qualities similar to Cornelius
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Any further thoughts on the food? I got a gumbo to go last Sunday and was a bit alarmed at how long it took (close to 20 minutes). Also, it was outrageously expensive ($17 for a large). It was tasty, but not for that kind of money...
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Saw a pic of bananas foster pancakes on their facebook page. Anyone had their brunch?
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I've tried this place a few times and, overall, it's pretty good. Decent selection of beers, bourbons, wines, etc. and the food is tasty. Each time I've gone, it's been crowded, so I think they will be around a while. Anyone else give it a shot yet?
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Was here last night and have been a handful of times. Had the roast beef po'boy and the lady had andouille sausage sandwich. We both left full and satisfied. It was super crowded (fri night). They have a great coconut beer also.
Would love to see Cafe Rue Dix open someday too!
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Oh My God, If that coconut beer is back - so am I!!!
It is tooooooo goood. -
I've been here a number of times. For me this is the only good beer place in all of Crown Heights. I know most people might not understand, but the owners of Catfish do. Good beer is a constantly rotating selection of new and interesting beers made by good brewers. We have so many small breweries in the U.S. now you cannot keep the same 6 beers on tap any longer. No one on Franklin can compete with this place on that.
Moreover, except for the bouncer just doing his job, I am treated very well by the staff. They are extra friendly and accommodating I think, trying to make up for their bad start with the neighbors.
You cannot get that coconut beer on Franklin Ave. The keg kicked before I got a second chance with it. Hope it rotates back in.
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Update: Catfish's license is presently up for renewal.
They state that food is 55% of their revenue, and alc the remaining 45%. (Note: this is not same as alcohol being 55% of the profits. Alcohol is far more profitable than food)
Members of the block association are opposed to the business, and it extending its hours to 2 AM, 7 days a week.
It presently closes at 12 Sun - Thur, and 1AM on Fri and Sat nights.
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I hope they get it!
Not because I need gumbo at 1am. But they're a great place and they deserve to turn a little profit -
The neighbors complained about noise, smoking, and staying open later than the approved hours.
The committee agreed to support only the present hours, and made it conditional on sound proofing and the mgmt regularly meeting with the neighbors.
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Had drank there a few times previously (mostly to hang out with a particular bartender, Brian, formerly of Bar Sepia years ago), but just this weekend was the first time I ate dinner there. Was quite good!Apropos of nothing related to renewal of their liquor license. Just wanted to share the good meal. Kind of crazy for me, formerly a long time resident of the neighborhood, to see how many really good food options there are now. Back when I first moved into Crown Heights/Prospect Heights area in 2002 or so, there was precious little like the wide variety of offerings now.
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The neighbors complained about noise, smoking, and staying open later than the approved hours.
Lame. The Catfish crowd is very well behaved, stays indoors, and does not cause any problems. It is a great place, run by professional, respectful people.
The committee agreed to support only the present hours, and made it conditional on sound proofing and the mgmt regularly meeting with the neighbors. -
Several neighbors disagreed, and successfully proved their side to the committee via 311 calls, and unsuccessful attempts to resolve the problems with management.
It Is reportedly the first bar the owners have run. -
Nimbys
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It Is reportedly the first bar the owners have run.
And they've done a phenomenal job at it; the place is cool, has great food, and is thus doing very well.Goldemi1 has it right: some NIMBYs will just oppose any bar/restaurant nearby. -
Perhaps its that people on a block that had few commercial properties, most of which closed up by 7pm aren't happy with conversations under their windows and folks coming and going. Putting a bar/restaurant in that space is a big change from the previous commercial tenants. It's just growing pains on both sides that need to be worked out. Frankly, with the exception of Friday and Saturday nights, there isn't a huge market most nights for the midnight to 2am crowd in a location like that anyway. Bedford isn't a main drag with a bunch of foot traffic where you'll get people wandering in at night. Catfish isn't taking a big hit by not being open until 2am on a Tuesday or a Sunday.
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NIMBYs can oppose bars and restaurants, but my sense is that the SLA committee would not have listened to them if they had not successfully convinced them Catfish's owners were not responsive.
The 1 AM - 2 AM hour on Friday and Sat nights is very profitable.
...as a result of their "learning curve", the owners will continue to not enjoy said profits. -
1-2am is profitable on weekends. If you are in the right location (off a subway stop, along a commercial strip with other foot traffic, near other businesses that operate late) that might extend to Thursday and Sunday. It's not an extremely profitable time on Monday-Wednesday unless you have a specific niche like live music causing people to come or stay.I could be completely wrong, but I just don't see the spontaneous drop in crowd as being a make-or-break for Catfish. I think that they'll be just fine without it.
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I was pleased to see that the neighbors who showed up appeared to understand that the committee is only going to recommend denying a renewal in the worst of circumstances, and that this was not the worst of circumstances.
The committee basically stated that "we are not going to support an extension of your hours because you aren't doing very well at getting along with your neighbors, and we believe the NYS SLA will back us".
In response, Catfish can:
A. Try to get the extra hours without the committees support (a strategy that seems unlikely to succeed)
OR
B. Get along with its neighbors for 2 years and then get those additional hours.
....I suppose they could do A and B. -
was NOT the worst of circumstances? From reading the above, sounds like they concluded this was the worst.
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I disagree. In the worst of circumstances, the committee would have recommended not renewing the permit.
Catfish would have to become something like this bar was, in Rochester: http://rochester.twcnews.com/content/news/752103/magic-city-nightclub-asked-to-shut-down--another-bar-s-liquor-license-is-suspended/
In such an instance, the committee would pursue suspension and/or not renewing the lic.
....Catfish bears almost no similarity to the worst case scenario. -
I wish i could opine more. I'm at catfish literally right now typing this and the patrons every time i've been here have been docile. With kids though, I dont see the nighttime crowd. Are they truly that loud and crazy or are the neighbors just uptight and not happy about "newcomers" (i.e. white kids)?
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I have been to Catfish late on weekend nights. It was noisy and fun, but not crazy.
The most vocal of the opponents to the bar was a white couple with a young child. They were joined by about 5 older (mean age 55?) black neighbors.
To answer your question, I walked away feeling the committee did a good job. -
I've gotta agree with @homeowner. Context is everything, and that stretch of Bedford is pretty residential/sleepy/unused to nightlife. Neighbors have been wary of late hours from the start, as evidenced by the early comments in this thread. I love Catfish, and hope they continue to do well. But I've only been in the daytime.
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...as a result of their "learning curve", the owners will continue to not enjoy said profits.
You very clearly don't know the owners and are just completely guessing here. Not uncommon for you unfortunately. -
Are they truly that loud and crazy or are the neighbors just uptight and not happy about "newcomers" (i.e. white kids)?
The latter is absolutely the case here. The place is not loud or crazy and is run by professional, smart people, whynot's slandering of them as ignorant about their environment notwithstanding.
I have seen two local business owners show up here to condemn his posts about their businesses. There may have been more I have missed. The Catfish guys would definitely be justified in doing the same.
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