In the 1990 New York City mob-inspired film “Goodfellas” by director Martin Scorsese, characters played by Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta planned their heist in the dim lights of a little bar in Queens. This wasn’t a set created for the film, but a real bar named Neir’s Tavern, which is just four years shy of its 200th birthday and one of the oldest NYC restaurants that you can still dine at today. The trio of actors became actual regulars at the bar while filming the movie, and it’s also said that this tiny tavern in Woodhaven is where singer Mae West began making a name for herself.
The tavern almost didn’t make it past 190, though, as an announcement went out in early 2020 where owner Loy Gordon confessed that he couldn’t afford to keep the bar afloat. Neir’s had experienced an unprecedented year of low sales, which, coupled with a hefty rent increase from property owners, meant that the full-time firefighter/part-time tavern owner didn’t have the means to keep the historic location operational. The story made headlines when Gordon sent an email to devoted fans announcing the closure, but community members quickly banded together to prevent it from happening. Then-Mayor Bill de Blasio awarded the property owner a $90,000 grant for renovations, who in turn agreed to a “handshake agreement” with Gordon on a five-year lease, allowing the iconic tavern to remain a staple of the community.
New Yorkers couldn’t bear to let Neir’s Tavern go
With historic restaurants shutting down left and right, such as the recent closure of this legendary Mexican restaurant in San Antonio, New Yorkers were in an uproar over the potential closure of Neir’s Tavern. According to an article from The Daily Mail, the property owners wanted to increase the bar’s rent from $1,100 per month to a whopping $5,400, which led owner Gordon into month-to-month lease deals that weren’t sustainable for the business. Gordon, who purchased the tavern in 2009, and a group of fellow enthusiasts attempted to get Neir’s Tavern certified as a landmark in 2015, but the application was denied because he only owned the tavern itself, not the entire building.
Neir’s Tavern has been a part of the Queens community since Andrew Jackson was in office, who apparently loved drinking whiskey as much as he loved horses. The tavern began life as the Old Blue Pump House, racking up an early, dark history as a hideout for the rougher crowd. It was owned by a politician from 1851-1891, purchased by Louis Neir in 1898, and sold again in 1967 to become the Union Course Tavern. When Gordon purchased the property in 2009, he named it after the tavern’s owner who helped put the small location on the map. The tavern is still welcoming guests today.
