How 2 make Tavern on Nostrand more successful:PLEASE RESPOND
If we get some earnest responses, I will print this and give it to the owner, David. He once asked me what kind of place I would open and I think he already has the space just not quite the right combination yet. He is truly interested in making the neighborhood better.
(This is continued from Asian Jazz post)
My thoughts:
SPACE:
It should be a huge U-shaped bar with small 2-seater tables along the outer edge and maybe a 6-seater table and 4-top in the back if there is room.
MENU:
Entree-sized salads: Cobb, Chicken Thai, Spinach, walnuts, blue cheese
Burgers - hamburger, turkey and veggie
Sandwiches on really good bread: Chicken with pesto, Turkey and swiss, Steak and cheese - option of fries or simple salad (mesculin mix with oil vinegar and herb dressing)
TV:
I hate TVs in bars but if there were one big-screen at one end but not all over the bar that might draw people in. If they showed European football (soccer) on the weekends, I know a few folks from the other side of the pond who would drop by no matter how early the match were aired.
WHAT WOULD EVERYONE ELSE LIKE TO SEE?
(This is continued from Asian Jazz post)
My thoughts:
SPACE:
It should be a huge U-shaped bar with small 2-seater tables along the outer edge and maybe a 6-seater table and 4-top in the back if there is room.
MENU:
Entree-sized salads: Cobb, Chicken Thai, Spinach, walnuts, blue cheese
Burgers - hamburger, turkey and veggie
Sandwiches on really good bread: Chicken with pesto, Turkey and swiss, Steak and cheese - option of fries or simple salad (mesculin mix with oil vinegar and herb dressing)
TV:
I hate TVs in bars but if there were one big-screen at one end but not all over the bar that might draw people in. If they showed European football (soccer) on the weekends, I know a few folks from the other side of the pond who would drop by no matter how early the match were aired.
WHAT WOULD EVERYONE ELSE LIKE TO SEE?
Comments
-
I think it depends on what kind of place he's trying to create. Is it a bar that serves food? A restaurant with a bar? Or something else entirely (lounge/after hours spot/etc)?
I think that Tavern as a restaurant would have been more sucessful with a menu that was a little bit broader (more finger food type stuff for folks who come in for a drink and end up sitting for hours) as well a something that caters to a broader cross section of the neighborhood. A larger salad selection that could be eaten as entrees would be a good start.
If they showed soccer matches you'd get plenty of Europeans to drop in, but no one from within a five block radius (unless they were showing Jamaica's matches). If he shows basketball and football he'll get more interest from locals, but not as much from the new white folks moving into the neighborhood.
One thing that no one talks about is the fact that plenty of people in the neighborhood eat out on a regular basis. But they have been conditioned over the years to go outside of their neighborhood for those types of amenities. Folks don't think about going to Nostrand Avenue for a sit-down dinner and therefore, David has to do more to get the word out about his establishment. I'm sure there are plenty of folks who live within a half-mile of the place that don't know it exists because they don't walk up Nostrand. -
I think he's trying to create whatever will fly in the neighborhood (I don't mean that flippantly at all) So I think we should suggest what we want the place to be, which will hopefully draw the audience here and more folks to it.
-
He should get 8-10 good beers on tap; get DirecTV and add Setanta Sports for football (soccer) - Bundesliga, Italian, Premier League (and European and international competitions ... all available on DirecTV.
-
I wish they would bring back the old menu. The food was a major draw for me, and didn't even get a chance to taste most of it.
The new menu is ok (nothing is bad)...it's just not as interesting or nice, in my opinion. -
I was in yesterday and one of the staff mentioned that he was trying the menu out. She thought that they might bring back some of the original menu items if enough people asked for him to change back.
One thing that might be good would be a seasonal memu. A few stock items like burgers and salads that get served year round and then heavier fare in the winter and lighter fare in the summer. -
- A real bar with Tap Beers
- Add sports NFL, MLB, football
- Menu that is good and cheap (burgers etc.)
- Happy hour (duh)
- Theme nights (trivia, sports, ladies, get creative, etc.)
- Get The Word Out - flyers or whatever.
I admit I'd probably prefer Tavern on Nostrand the way it is now with the addition of a real bar, but the above formula would probably be more successful. -
WShere is this place??/
-
Nostrand between Union and President, directly across the street from Asian Jazz
-
tap beer. my god-- would be there in a heartbeat.
broader range of $$$ for entrees. pretty much everything is around $16. -
Do people agree that the bar area should be the dominate feature versus sit-down tables as it is set up now?
-
no! i liked it as mostly a restaurant. There are other options for bars, like Secrets - I would rather go there to drink. There is also VIP. I think there are few sit-down restaurant options, so that should be the dominant part, I think.
-
VIP could not be any less welcoming with its mirrored windows and Secrets is DISGUSTING. Those places aren't even in the running in my opinion.
-
For David's sake he should make either Tavern or Asian Jazz a bar... I still don't understand why he wants to double up on a loosing venture.
I think this posting should be changed to suggestions for both Asian Jazz and Tavern on Nostrand. How do you make 2 complementary establishments?? -
dmiami wrote: For David's sake he should make either Tavern or Asian Jazz a bar...
Although, I really like the food at the Tavern, it seems like it would make more sense for him to extend the bar and focus on that. Maybe, he could clear out the back, and use it as full-fledged music venue.
Also...is there any thing he could do to attract the business of the hasidic community, especially those who live on President street? It seems like they could play a large role in making these restaurants sustainable. -
The Hassidic community does not frequent non-Hassidic/ establishments. They do not want to be part of any community other than their own. I mean this in the most serious way. I have read quite a bit about it and seen a great documentary and talked to two real estate investors who are Hassidic. According to what they told me, Hassidic Jews want to insulate themselves to protect their value system but only engage in the outside world because they are financially required to do so.
-
why do you say Secrets is disgusting?
-
concentrate on the bar part. get good beer and stay open late on the weekends so we don't have to leave the neighborhood to drink if we don't want to on a fri or sat night.
-
Regarding Secrets, I just think the decor and menu at Secrets is awful. It's so cheesy... Haven't been in for a few months, but they had plastic flowers on the table and the front portion looks like a cafeteria. As much bad press as David (owner of Tavern on Nostrand and Asian Jazz) is getting, at least the decor and ambiance is tasteful.
-
I really liked Secrets the one time I was there. I did find the front portion and back portion totally incongruous but ... whatcha gonna do?
I haven't been back when the patio is open - how is that? -
A good burger and soccer.
-
homeowner wrote:
Sheep Station (4th Ave Park Slope) has drawn a West Indian crowd with futball, rugby, and cricket -- it's a good biz idea esp in Crown Heights.
If they showed soccer matches you'd get plenty of Europeans to drop in, but no one from within a five block radius (unless they were showing Jamaica's matches).
I only read the top of this thread, sorry if this is a repeat idea -
how did it go what did he say?
-
first i want to say, i love tavern, it is a welcome restaurant in this neighborhood. if you haven't gotten the chance to visit david's other restaurant in brooklyn hieghts "oven" i definitely recomend it.
1. It is hard to have a restaurant that is narrow and long, it doesn't attract people in. that is the reality. i have worked in many reastaurants before. one change is to put tables near the windows, it always makes a place look more crowded when all the tables near the windows are full.
2. lose the TV, make it more of a restaurant than a bar.
3. expand the dinner menu. there are too many "lunch" options on it.
4. deliver food? there isn't much variety out there for delivery in our hood other than chinese and pizza... -
I haven't been to Tavern on Nostrand, but I did pick up a menu once.
My advice would be to get a professional graphic designer to design your to-go menu. It's worth the cost. I'm not talking about changing the dishes you serve or anything like that, just the "look" of the menu. Right now it looks like it was done in Microsoft Word by someone not trained in graphic design.
It might seem trivial, but I think take out menus represent the style of the restaurant just like a business card does for an individual. You never know where they will end up. If the take-out menu looks stylish, it will make people curious about visiting for a sit-down meal. That's how it works for me sometimes when exploring the neighborhood for places to eat.
Chavella's over on Classon has a very simple take-out menu, but they put some thought into the overall design and made the menu fit aesthetically with the overall theme of the restaurant. They have a small restaurant space to work with, but they found inexpensive ways to give the space a pleasant ambiance. You can tell they thought about the theme of the food, and how to create an overall visual experience - the menu, the interior decorating - that suited the food they serve. -
As for Secrets: I agree about weird front part. The menu when I went was suited for a fancy restaurant, especially given the prices - but the tables and decor are more for a diner.
But, the bar in the back is really nice! I wish the whole place was just the bar - no restaurant. Or maybe just only take-out food in a small part in front, and then mostly the bar. The bar has nice decor, friendly staff, lots of space. -
i believe they should
- find a cuisine
-make it look like a modern restaurant not a dinner
-condense the menu
-sell onl wines at the bar
as the owner he should travel in ch or fg or bs and see other restaurant and have an idea of how to improve his business
i wish them the best of success -
Looks like some great feedback. I am going to pass onto David. Thanks
-
David is a very nice man who seems like he has great knowledge regarding business. he has came a talked with us a couple of times while we were dining in the restaurant. I haven't been there since mother's day but I love the personal attention we get when we dine there.
-
Subject: tavern on nostrand
Anonymous wrote: Looks like some great feedback. I am going to pass onto David. Thanks
Unfortunately, I'm late reading this, but my suggestion to David would
be to reduce the amount of salt in his food. The food is good enough but too salty for my taste. Also, his service is often really slow (which is less of a concern when your not in a hurry). I'm not a big bar hugger so what's there
now is fine for me.
Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
- 40K All Categories
- 27.1K Neighborhoods
- 5.1K Crown Heights/Prospect Lefferts Gardens
- 7.1K Prospect Heights
- 2.3K Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy
- 8K Park Slope
- 549 Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick
- 442 Flatbush/Midwood/Ditmas Park
- 657 BoCoCa (Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens)
- 151 Red Hook
- 104 Gowanus
- 304 Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst
- 130 Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay
- 270 Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO and Downtown
- 598 Windsor Terrace / Kensington
- 673 Greenwood Heights and Sunset Park
- 749 Brooklyn and Beyond
- 6.3K Stuff
- 86 Brooklyn Back When
- 1.2K Brooklyn Pets
- 257 Brooklyn Kids
- 241 Brooklyn Eats
- 51 Brooklyn Booze
- 3.6K The Lounge / Random Stuff
- 611 Brooklyn Politics
- 122 Brooklyn Sports and Fitness
- 111 Brooklyn Photos
- 339 Site Issues
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- 6.2K Listings
- 1.1K APARTMENTS and REAL ESTATE
- 1.3K Sales Openings Events
- 2.3K The Classifieds