La Traviata in Brooklyn Heights – Kaput?

By on November 11, 2011 7:12 pm in Brooklyn Heights

BHB reader “Jeff” send us this observation:

Comments: Looks like La Traviata on Montague Street closed suddenly — lights are out, “Closed” sign in window, menu gone from street board, some fixtures (flat-screen TV) gone from front wall, phone disconnected.

Can you guys check it out?

Indeed, the phone is disconnected and they are no longer listed on Seamless for delivery.

Great loss for the neighborhood?

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  • Knight

    It’s not a horrible loss. We still have Armando’s and Cafe Buon Gusto on that block. But I will miss the Lobster Ravioli in shrimp & vodka sauce at La Traviata. I think that was the best thing on Montague!

  • x

    there is also oh my pasta across the street!

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/13189502@N02/ Eddyenergizer

    No great loss, the food was mediocre at its best.

  • Jorale-man

    Saying “I’m glad their gone” is rather harsh. People’s livelihoods surely depended on the restaurant and while their food wasn’t to everyone’s taste, I’m sure it had its regulars too.

    That said, I do hope the recent trend towards better dining in the Heights (Bevaco, Colonie) continues in whatever turns up here next.

  • C.

    I thought the food was great across the board. I loved La Traviata and their giant menu. Huge loss. Must be a lease thing right? Maybe they’ll open up somewhere else in the nabe?

  • AEB

    And speaking of “C”, C., I noticed today when passing Great Wall (it’s a neighborhood restaurant), that the yummy folks who inspected it for sanitary violations have awarded it a (drum roll,please) C. Restores my faith in the ultimate Righness of all things.

    By the way, here’s a link that will explain what the C means in lurid detail:

    http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/rii/restaurant-grading-faq.pdf

  • Sue

    I will miss them. The food was not the best, but the atmosphere was convivial and the cost was reasonable. We started going there when my son was a baby (he’s 17 now) and the wait staff always made a huge fuss over him; many of the employees stayed for years and remembered the personal preferences of customers. People sitting at adjoining tables would often join each other’s conversations. I met a few people that way who turned into neighborhood friends. Fine dining it was not, but a friendly, fun place that was unique in this neighborhood.

  • AL

    Sorry to see it gone. Reasonably good food at very reasonable prices.

  • http://j lori

    They informed their staff on Monday that they were closing Wednesday. Bummer for those people, especially before all the holidays. Their long term lease was up and they decided it was time to retire. Of course, lots of people are blaming the landlord for raising the rent, but they were ready to retire and just needed that extra push.
    Despite the fact that the restaurant wasn’t the greatest, there were many people who enjoyed eating there; lots of seniors, people from other neighborhoods and the luncheon crowd who want a little variety.

  • elemengee

    It’s always sad to see an oldtimer go. La Traviata used to be a pleasant, casual place to eat. The food was good (especially the luigine with shrimps bianca) and the price was right, but the last several years brought about a change both in atmosphere and quality of food. Four Italian restaurants on one block (now five with Oh My Pasta) is too much competition for any restaurant. Let’s see how long Oh My Pasta lasts (especially with a flight of stairs to climb).

  • gdn plc

    Jorale-man,
    Really? We are now considering Colonie better dining? Its overpriced and pretentious at best. I vote for more Vinegar Hill/Jack the Horse type places in the future. When is Rachel from Iris Cafe gonna open a restaurant? Now thats something I would consider better dining.

  • Bornhere

    Many of the La Traviata crew started at Lenny’s, and for its more than 30 years in the Heights, it was good for what it was (Sue — my son was eating their food before he was born :). Not everything, for me at least, has to always be “fine dining”– sometimes it’s just about eating out or ordering in something to eat, and I can’t recall ever having had a bad meal from them. I don’t have the historic attachment to them that I have to, for example, Armando’s, but I know we will miss them. Maybe something as good as or better than La Traviata will move in; and maybe not.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/13189502@N02/ Eddyenergizer

    Bornhere, La Traviata was the reinvention of Lenny’s Clam Bar. The same owner, staff and basically the same menu. They lost their lease at the Montague Muse location then moved up the block to where the Hebrew National was, sometime in the early eighties.

  • Marnia

    Sadly, I heard also (from the same source who told me on Monday night about La Traviata) that Grand Canyon may be closing in December. Not the best atmosphere, but decent diner-style food with quick delivery whenever the need arises.

  • C.

    http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/34/46/dtg_latrav_2011_11_18_bk.html

    Gives an inclination of how exorbitant the rents are on Montague street.

  • Daffy Duck

    I will miss them for take-out. And I am sorry to see people loose their jobs, especially this time of year.

  • philica

    Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! I liked that place… I had my favorites there. It was an oldie but goodie to me. :(

  • stuart

    sorry to see la traviata close, hopeful that its replacement will be as well loved and long-lived.

  • shamrock

    I too am sorry to see La Traviata close. Although it wasn’t one of my favorites, they certainly did offer generous portions without draining the wallet. It was a humble establishment, definitely not a place you’d hear anyone asking to “Please Pass the Grey Poupon” (if you know what I mean). I will miss them. Hopefully the employees will all find themselves gainfully employed soon.

  • Knight

    Lori, your remarks are the most disturbing so far. People don’t decide to retire on Monday and then do it on Wednesday. Did the owners care that little for their staff that they let them go right before the holidays with essentially no notice? I wonder how long they (the owners) knew the date. Like I said … disturbing.

  • Montague St. Neighbor

    No! Not Grand Canyon!!

  • X

    Hopefully a good restaurant will take it’s place

  • Sue

    Lori, that is really distressing. Some of the staff had been there for many years. I hope they will all find good jobs soon.

  • BH’er

    Does anyone know why there is a mound of Earth in front of the storefront? Did they dig up a treasure chest or something?

  • eg

    They had great eggplant parmagian. I will miss it.

  • Peter

    Definitely not high end, but good delivery/reasonable prices/generous portions… will miss for chicken parm and such…..

  • Nancy

    We were devoted fans of La Traviata as a reasonable priced restaurant in the face of all the pretentious new places. That all changed the last time we ate there last year, when a mouse was running around the dining room. the staff was totally nonchalant and jsut asked us if we wanted to move to the other side of the dining room. We’ve never gone back

  • zburch

    Noooo, Grand Canyon is my favorite diner in the nabe. That would really suck if they closed, its part of our weekly routine. I will sorely miss my BLT and clam chowder Fridays:(

    I am also bummed about La Traviata. We never ate at the restaurant, but ordered delivery a lot. It was fast and reliable. Sure I like fine dining, but sometimes you just want to stuff your face with rigatoni.

  • Alanna

    I never ate at La Traviata (and have lived on Montague for nearly 2 years…) but I am sad to see any establishment go on the block.

  • EHinBH

    They had great fried zuch and mozz sticks. NOW COME ON! BRING ON THE FRENCH BISTRO!!!!!!!!!!!!

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