Aug. 14, 2015 By Christian Murray
Bliss Street Station, an Irish bar/restaurant that has been part of the neighborhood since 1989, is closing.
Ambrose Gurhy, a co-owner of the 47-02 Greenpoint Ave. establishment, said the bar’s last day will be Sunday, August 23.
Gurhy, a man of few words, said, “I would like to thank my staff, customers and friends for all their support over the years.”
Karaoke
The bar has struggled in recent times as the neighborhood has become younger and more diverse. Furthermore, the bar is located on the corner of 47th Street and Greenpoint Avenue, a section of the neighborhood that is not brimming with activity.
The bar/restaurant had gained a strong reputation over the years for its Shepherd’s Pie, fish & chips, Irish style ham, lamb and curried chicken. Furthermore, there has never been a shortage of Guinness on tap.
Gurhy has been an active member of the community for years.
The bar has always participated in local events such as Taste of Sunnyside or Sunnyside’s Restaurant Week. Furthermore, the bar has been a strong member of Sunnyside’s Boulevard Bars, a group of local bars/restaurants that puts on events and raises funds for charity. The establishment is also a member of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce.
The bar has been a popular hangout for local singers. It has featured Karaoke on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights for years.
The establishment is expected to become a Central or South American restaurant.
Ambrose Gurhy with patron
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68 Comments
Does anyone know where Tom the Karaoke guy set up shop next?
How about a good kosher Delicatessen “sit down” restaurant, like Katz’ we used to have two on QB?
That’s not being racist it’s being logical this neighborhood was cleaner when it was Irish the Irish built America the Spanish wouldn’t have known how but now they’re trying to take it over
What has happened to Murphys? It looks closed!
“Al things come to an end”…what does the Holocaust have to do with a bar closing? 70 years later and you equate intolerance to the Holocaust? Get a life Moishe
BTW…I wish this Ambrose happiness …I heard he is moving to South Beach in Miami……..should have made the move three years ago when prices were cheaper…..
How about a nice Chinese sit down Restaurant. I was in Bliss once that was enough.
I say turn it into a high rise luxury condo so all of us local property owners can see our investment grow and create a better and safer environment. As long as rents and property sales prices keep going up, this area will be great and the ghetto-fabulous-ness will be driven out.
If your Irish then come to bliss Saturday the 22nd. If your anything else come on the 25th.
Sad to see you go ambrose , I along with many more will miss bliss! Onwards and upwards from here! Best wishes in Florida !
sad to see the bar go, but it sure is nice to see how it brings out the racists.
Reading through all the post above they went from immigration to trump to republicans to park slope etc . Sad to see the Bliss go , it will be missed on a saturday eve for dinner and the fact that their were genuine patrons in there who enjoyed the place . nowhere else around with a ribeye like it .
thanks to all and good luck in the future .
Pity we will lose one of the more attractive store fronts in that area. It will no doubt be replace with some garish, yellow awning.
47th & Greenpoint isn’t brimming with activity? Since when? You can see Bliss Street Station from the subway exit on 47th St. for Pete’s sake!
“Furthermore”—-the entire article is terribly written…
so why don’t you move if your landlord is a slumlord???
i would like to go out and dance in sunnyside….the place is big enough to have a few dj’s during the week…so who else besides sidetracks and Bucharest have cabaret licenses
@Patrick Wow you really are one gullible boy who enjoys the cool-aide. Trump is great!! A classic con man. More power to him. I love the way he is now the champion of the immigration crisis..He’s made or saved hundreds of millions of dollars off of illegal alien labor. Basically the illegal alien crisis is something he help create and something he is going to have you and to pay to resolve. Hahahaha Yeah he’s going to get Mexico to pay to erect the wall.He’s just too good. The American public can be conned into anything. Trump hates gov’t but made the bulk of his inherited fortune from his father Fred. Fred Trump’s business success not only provided Donald Trump with a posh youth of private schools and economic security but eventually blessed him with an inheritance worth an estimated $40 million to $200 million. It is critical to note, however, that his father’s success, which granted Donald Trump such a great advantage, was enabled and buffered by governmental financing programs. In 1934, while struggling during the Great Depression, financing from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) allowed Fred Trump to revive his business and begin building a multitude of homes in Brooklyn, selling at $6,000 apiece. Furthermore, throughout World War II, Fred Trump constructed FHA-backed housing for US naval personnel near major shipyards along the East Coast. If it wasn’t for the Gov’t there would be no Billionaire Trump. You’re being conned by a master con man. You’re right about one thing, Anonymous is a complete idiot.
I have done karaoke at this bar a long time. They will be missed dearly. This closing created a dilemma for me. As I have developed a crush on the new bartender James. He is gorgeous!!! My rendition of “Its my life” that I perform tonight is in your honor, James.
After my number, if you place a wet kiss on my lips, then I’ve known you read this post. I am yours forever!
GOOD LUCK!!
Well played.
I have done Karaoke at this bar for a long time and I am so sorry to hear they are closing. This creates some type of dilemma for me. I have developed a crush on the new bartender James and need to act quickly. I need to seduce him and time is running out. This guy is so hot. Tonight’s performance of “It’s my life” is dedicate to you James. Remember this as I belt it out.
I remember when Peppo’s closed and the Bliss opened. So many great memories. Thank you Ambrose, Pat, Liz,Mathew, the late Teddy and all the rest all the way up to the new handsome bar tender James. The Bliss will be missed.
The free market will determine if another latino restaurant sinks or swims. Lets not be NIMBY about legitimate business. Instead lets focus on the homeless and attendant substance abuse issues right in front of our kids every day at Noonan Park. Every day there seems to beeither EMT or NYPD responding to another problem caused by indigent drunks. When will Van Bramer and the 108 take care of this?
So why don’t you move if your landlord is so horrible
NYC has become a real sewer …Time to leave !!!!!
Good Luck Ambrose. Thanks for being a major reason that this neighborhood USED to be cool.
@Patrick You obviously don’t know much about Republican policy. They’re all about cheap labor. People from Western Europe aren’t much for “right to work for less” legislation. You get what you pay for. The quest for cheap labor will get you low class.
I’m going to lobby for a health food store. I
Delighted this place is closing, possibly the most boring bar in the neighborhood and staff that had as much personality that would fill a thimble. Won’t be missed.
A good gay bar would be perfect there instead of yet another south american restaurant. Love my south American food but we have enough in the hood thank you.
Im so sad about this news great people n staff food excellent so sorry Ambrose n Pat xx
I remember the bliss from the other location. Wonder why queens post has to be so PC? The fact is. Sunnyside is less and less Irish and more mexican and young white affleunt kids. Hardly the types that would like to go to a Irish bar. Who the hell would want ANOTHER mexican joint? What queens neeeds is a whole foods market or a trader joes. Ffs. Or some hi tech industry. No more crappy restaurants.
It clearly says Central or South American restaurant!!!! What’s all with the stereotyping Mexicans? Do you not know Mexico is in North America you moron!!! I’ve been living in Sunnyside for over 20 years and I hate that morons like you that just moved here or have leas than 10 years living in Sunnyside have huge demands for the neighborhood!!
So Sad, Great Bar, Ambrose was a great host.
There was 2 Blisses at one time. This was the older, mature bar while the other Bliss was big and next to Sally O’Briens. It was very popular with Malloy kids for a time, all underage!
Sad to see almost everything leave the area although this place never struck me as being too crowded.
Thank you so much Pat for all the wonderful memories, from when the Bliss was on 46th St. to the current location. Thank you for everything you did for my Dad.
Very sad
They should have covered the exterior with distressed wood a long time ago.
Thanks for all the good times, Ambrose. Bliss will be missed.
Ambrose,and Pat thanks for everything. Good luck and God bless with whatever comes next.
Never should have let Liz leave. It was all down hill after that. Mgmt didn’t respect her. No surprise her. ..I’ll miss all the memories of this wonderful pub.
My favorite bar. Farewell old friend and thank you for all the wonderful memories.
Very sad to see it go..If anybody thinks a Latin American restaurant is an improvement you should make an appointment with a neurologist!
This sucks. Sorry to see the place go. That side of the Blvd is already well supplied with hispanic food and drink. That’s hardly diverse.
They even filmed a scene for Blue Bloods in there.
“Furthermore, there has never been a shortage of Guinness on tap.”
This statement is categorically untrue. The so-called Christian author should check her facts before writing such lies.
I have been to Bliss Street on two occasions where they were out of Guinness.
I bet this post will be unpopular but definetly true. How about an Hispanic city councilman. Will never happen. The Irish controlled Queens Democratic Party won’t allow it. Hispanics stop voting Democratic Party. We deserve our own candidate. Not some smiling pasty faced councilman representing us. Bye, bye Jimmy and Patrick and all the rest.
Yeah el loco. What a loco statement indeed. We have plenty of mexican restaurants. I’ve never eaten in one to be honest. Only one fabcy Peruvian place on Roosevelt ave. It was quite nice and different. Privey but my rich bro paid the tab . it’s sad to see the neighborhood change and all these poor people come in. I live in woodside and the place is so run down. When can we get a whole foods market or trader joes? It’s pathetic. I was born in park slope. A much nice part of NYC. Pity woodside isn’t as rich as park slope.
So why are you not in Park Slope?
The Peruvian restaurant blows, their “Mixed Grill” is terrible. I’ll go to Jackson Heights for Argentinian food before ever going to the Peruvian place again. Even the “Flan” wasn’t good.
You want a Hispanic City Councilman? Put up a viable candidate and run for office. Let the people decide. It’s called the democracy. Nobody is holding the hispanic community back.
No, get real you can’t just put up a candidate the Queens Democratic Party chooses who runs. How do you think Crowley and Van Bramer got in. Come on you are so naive. This isn’t 5th grade civics class. The system is rigged!!!
There’s something called running as an Independent if your candidate isn’t considered viable by the two traditional political parties. Guess you missed fifth grade civics class that day.
Losers always blame the System.
We are going downhill
Actually Avoid the Noid you have called lies what was more likely a misstatement, as a lies requires a knowing misrepresentation of truth.
How much more central and south American can one block withstand?
As much as Skillman can Irish.
You obviously don’t go out much any more and instead live your life online
You do realize that was one of the biggest Irish ExPat neighborhoods in NYC before the stab at gentrification, don’t you?
You forgot the Dutch.
Do you know the difference between a Dutchman and a Canoe? The Canoe sometimes “Tips”:-)
Nothings says “diversity” better than more of the same thing.
Make it a good, authentic Cuban place!
If it has to change, what we really need is a book store or proper fried chicken restaurant.
Then by all means, open one up.
Central of South American restaurant? Aren’t there enough of those all over Roosevelt Ave. in Jackson Heights?
Awww you all got so offended!!!
What the neighborhood really needs is a “GOOD” Italian Restaurant, Like the old “American Glory Cafe” that used to be on Queens Boulevard where “Daisy’s” now is. I Think we already have enough Latin American Restaurants along Greenpoint Avenue. The area really hasn’t got anything like “La Primavera” in Forest Hills, or “La Trattoria L’incontro” in Astoria.