BHB Exclusive: Armando’s May Return to Montague Street
Breaking news! Armando’s — the legendary Montague Street restaurant — might reopen in the next few months in the spot most recently occupied by the shuttered Spicy Pickle.
The restaurant, which was perhaps best known for its neon lobster sign, closed last March and was replaced in August with the Spicy Pickle sandwich chain (and its own neon pickle sign). Then, last Friday, the eatery turned sour and closed up shop at 143 Montague Street.
But good things come to those Brooklynites who wait — and who lobby hard enough for the return of neon signs — and now, the building’s landlord and Armando’s owner Peter Byros tells the Brooklyn Heights Blog that “there is a strong possibility that Armando’s is going to come back.”
Enough Brooklynites said they missed his classic Italian restaurant and bar, he said, that he changed his mind about retiring from the restaurant business.
“Everybody tells me that [if Armando's comes back, they would be happy] — that’s one reason that I want to reopen it,” Byros said.
And what of the lobster sign?
“Yes, I’m trying to get that sign back, yes,” he said.
Byros said he had originally made plans to retire and leased the space to the Spicy Pickle restaurateurs, but the deal didn’t work out and they quickly closed last week.
Asked when Armando’s might open, Byros was quiet. “It takes time,” he said. “It’s going to take a couple of months.”
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Posted : February 23rd, 2009 at 8:47 pm by Sarah Portlock under Brooklyn Heights.
Tags:armando's, montague street
Comments: 25
Comments
Comment from bornhere
Time: February 23, 2009, 9:29 pm
C’mon, Peter! And maybe just in time for the start of soft shell crab season.
I know eyes are rolling, but, really — Armando’s bar was always fine, the food was reliably good, if not cutting-edge creative, and Peter and his wife always made you feel welcome. (And the Heights Players crowd needs an after-theater venue back on Montague.)
Comment from ABC
Time: February 23, 2009, 10:52 pm
I went to Armando’s twice ever and both times I think I was the only one in there. You know, if a restaurant is “best known” for its sign, it’s not really a great sign.
Comment from Jake’sMom
Time: February 23, 2009, 10:58 pm
bornhere, ITA about the crabs. I moved out of BH after nearly 20 yrs last summer, but if Armando’s opened, I’d be there for the soft shells …. I knew I couldn’t stay after Armando’s left :)
Comment from Gersh Kuntzman
Time: February 23, 2009, 11:21 pm
Sarah Portlock does it again! Homer, where the f— would you be without this Gersh Kuntzman-trained professional?
GERSH KUNTZMAN
Comment from Ricardo
Time: February 23, 2009, 11:53 pm
I hate to be a downer, but the one time I ate at Armando’s, the food was kind of bad. Does it really need to come back?
Comment from Eddie The Eagle
Time: February 24, 2009, 12:45 am
He’d probably be appearing nude on a video podcast.
Comment from E G
Time: February 24, 2009, 5:01 am
Armando’s was mediocre at it’s best but would be a welcome return if the alternatives are chain restaurants. Even worse it could have been a bank ATM outlet. Still, I’m thinking the reopening is not going to happen.
Comment from E G
Time: February 24, 2009, 5:03 am
its
Really, there must be an edit function!
Comment from Andrew
Time: February 24, 2009, 10:36 am
Armando’s was not a good restaurant. But the one meal I ate there was much better than the one I ate at Spicy Pickle. So, between Armando’s and Spicy Pickle, neither of which I’d ever eat at again, at least Armando had a snazzy sign.
Comment from Marianne
Time: February 24, 2009, 11:36 am
It would be great to see Armando’s back in business again. They had delicious food and the waiters were so friendly. Another ‘good’ restaurant is much needed in the Heights; enough of these fast food joints!
Comment from Topham Beauclerk
Time: February 24, 2009, 11:53 am
Undistinguished sign; undistinguished food; a thoroughgoing mediocrity.
Comment from melanie hope greenberg
Time: February 24, 2009, 12:16 pm
I hardly ever eat out anymore but would love to see another mom and pop store on Montague St. Many of my books celebrate these types of businesses that are disappearing.
Comment from babs
Time: February 24, 2009, 12:27 pm
Oh, yes, please, please, please! I will be there on (re)opening day!!!!
Comment from yo
Time: February 24, 2009, 1:52 pm
BAR!!!
Comment from LD
Time: February 24, 2009, 2:06 pm
Here’s another “reincarnation” of an old Brooklyn Heights staple.
BACKUP PITCHER / VENDOR HAS LATE DAD’S A-PEEL
http://www.nypost.com/seven/02242009/news/regionalnews/backup_pitcher_156675.htm
Comment from henry & state
Time: February 24, 2009, 2:45 pm
Would welcome Armando’s to come back. It was around for over 30+ years and while it wasn’t 5 stars it was a good affordable meal every time I ate there. It was a welcoming place and a good place to eat out with family. Come on back Peter.
Comment from LC
Time: February 24, 2009, 3:28 pm
Armondo’s was as boring and mediocre as everything else people like to complain about on Montague St. History was the only thing it had going for it and that’s now all gone thanks to the full renovation. Rather see something different then a return to three rather bland italian joints in a row. I’m with Yo, lets get a freaking Bar!
Comment from nabeguy
Time: February 24, 2009, 3:43 pm
Well, the drunks are spoken for! Armando’s charm was never really in its food (at least not for a good long time) but for the way it hearkened back to an earlier time when a good, reasonably priced meal was simply that and not something to be pored over and dissected like a stock portfolio. Nothing fancy and no pretensions to ever being anything other than a welcoming comfort zone for those who appreciated that kind of thing (as well as one of the last places to get a genuine and delicious potato croquette). I wish Peter well in whatever future plans he has, but it would nice to have a little bit of that spirit back in place on Montague Street.
Comment from charles almon
Time: February 24, 2009, 8:50 pm
Dear Peter, this is really not a good time to be opening a decent restaurant, as opposed to a fast food joint. We ate at Armando’s frequently and I would hate to see you lose money. The food at Spicy Pickle was generic, tasteless and all together awful, if they wondered about a lack of customers. Now a decent neighborhood bar is another story. Unlike Centro, which closed, despite waht seemed like decent business, YOU control the rent.
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Time: February 25, 2009, 12:31 am
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Comment from C.
Time: February 25, 2009, 8:47 pm
Armando’s was terrible. Please no. Let’s get something new that might actually attract patrons.
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Time: March 1, 2009, 4:51 pm
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Comment from Patricia Cox
Time: March 3, 2009, 10:44 pm
Saturday evenings have not been the same for myself and
my “gentleman friend”, Edward since Armando’s closed its’ doors. We loved the owners, the staff, the patrons and the food; we HAVE NOT - WILL NOT find a replacement. Come on Peter, open those doors once again.
Pingback from Brooklyn Heights Blog » Armando’s Lobster Needs Landmarks OK
Time: April 7, 2009, 1:25 pm
[...] As reported on BHB, Armando’s owner Peter Byros is getting ready to reopen his legendary Montague Street eatery soon. On tap to return is the lobster sign which was part of the streetscape for 7 decades but taken down when Byros leased the space to the ill-fated Spicy Pickle. There’s one catch reports the Brooklyn Paper: Brooklyn Paper: Is it lights…: But when Byros removed it to make way for the now-closed Spicy Pickle sandwich chain, the sign lost its protected status. Now, he’s applied for permission to affix it anew above his bistro, which was 72 years old when it closed. [...]
Comment from CJP
Time: February 23, 2009, 8:53 pm
Good luck Peter! I’m hoping this isn’t a hoax. Lobster sign or not would love to see you back in business. In all the years I ate at Armando’s I never had a bad meal there!