Nick Murphy (Photo: QueensPost)
Aug. 17, 2014 By Christian Murray
When Bar 43 & Grill opened in May 2008 many thought it would fail.
It moved into a location where many bars had come and gone—off the beaten track of Queens Boulevard and Skillman Avenue.
But six years later, the bar—located at 43-06 43rd Street—is expanding. It is taking over the 500 square foot space next door to it that was previously occupied by the Sunnyside Meat Market, a European butcher shop, which moved to 43-10 43rd Avenue earlier this year.
The gut-renovation of the old butcher shop began last week and the addition should be completed by November.
The bar, which is about 1,000sqf today, currently has about 55-60 seats indoors, with an additional 20 outside. However, with the average customer staying at the pub for 2 ½ hours the place often gets packed.
The bar, however, wasn’t an overnight success when it opened and the owners Nick Murphy and Mickey McCreesh continued to change the formula in order to get it right.
When the bar opened, the establishment was more of a party hangout, where the focus was on drinking and music. However, that dynamic changed when the kitchen opened about six months later and people came to eat and drink.
“We opened the kitchen since many party places can be the ‘it’ bar for a while and then go out of favor,” Murphy said. “Our goal was to be a casual hangout where we could appeal to everyone.”
When the kitchen opened, the bar initially focused on offering higher-end traditional Irish food. However, they decided to move toward offering American bistro—placing a lot of attention on burgers, sandwiches, chicken wings, salads and nachos—which sports fans and casual diners enjoy. About two years ago, the owners then struck a deal to sell Atomic Wings.
“While people come here to watch sports, we have made an effort to appeal to everyone,” Murphy said. “We have outdoor dining, weekend brunch and events such as Trivia Nights.”
“It’s a place where you will often see parents bringing their children,” he said.
However, for the hard core beer drinker, Murphy created a beer club and also doubled the number of beers on tap—to 32—bringing on a slew of craft beers.
“The craft beer world has exploded,” Murphy said, who said the bar initially offered the standard beers on tap such as Guinness, Bass, Stella, Bud and Coors when it first opened.
The addition is likely to add a significant amount of seating—since a large portion of the bar’s existing space is used for stairs, a bathroom, doorway and the bar area.
“The space for our customers right now is about 450 square feet…so we are essentially doubling that,” Murphy said.
Murphy estimates that the bar will have about 95-100 seats after the addition, with about 30 seats outside.
The number of TVs is likely to double, too—from 10 to 20.
The bar will only need to close for a week during construction, since the old butcher shop will be completely revamped before the wall separating the two spaces is smashed down to connect them.
Murphy said the bar will essentially be the same just bigger when the job is done.
“The look and feel will not change,” he said.
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25 Comments
I like the place, but agree the food could be way better. I ordered toasties wanting to try something new. Inedible, and I could not believe what they charged for a scrap of filling between the two dryest, hardest pieces of toast I’ve seen in my life. (That’s what a toastie is, apparently.) I’ll go there, but no food for me.
I also wish they weren’t quite so blanketed with TVs. Maybe turn half of them off if there isn’t a game or event on? If you’re just going to talk with friends, it’s distracting. It could also be fun if they had viewing parties for popular TV series — other bars getting in on that action are making $$$. Maybe the new space will allow them to do that.
How dare you run a successful business? Wah! Wah! Wah! I live on a block that is zoned for mixed use but demand silence. As a matter of fact shut down the 7 train after 10:00PM. ( never mind the city already does that;)
I guess the joke is on us 🙂 And Bar 43 laughs all the way to the bank.
What a pity…
Hey Bill:
Huh, huh, huh!
Being the Taj Mahal in Sunnyside NO PROBLEM.
Just if you decide to do it on a residential block
be prepared to be a GOOD NEIGHBOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bar 43 is a nice establishment however they fail to take responsibility
for the inconveniences that are a direct effect of their establishment
eg noise pollution, waste pollution – cheating residents of the right of PEACE.
If they re-built the Taj Mahal in Sunnyside all the losers on this blog would complain. Because of course everyone here has run a successful restaurant and can criticize.
I’ve just moved to this area and found out that this area has quite a few bars but this oneseems to be where everyone hangs out. I can’t say that I like their food much, I have noticed drug paraphernalia scattered around the tree and as a few people has pointed out smokers and people who don’t leave.
A friend pointed out one of the owners to me; which he seems nice. I have noticed that some nights the bar can get nosey but people have to realize that drunk people can’t control themselves and cellphone people aren’t aware there in public. This place is bringing lots of business to the area. I’ve seen tour buses parked in front of the bar they must be making serious cash, oh and those big rigs delivery trucks that nearly block traffic spells progress for the area. I wonder what will be the bar’s electric bill be like with all those tv sets and air conditioning to cool off those tv sets. I bet all the people who complained about the noise will really have something to say–I’m just saying.
But this is a nice neighborhood fairly quiet and seems to be up and coming.
Place is an a-hole magnet
Just a shame that it’s always full of Coc$bags, the bar itself is nice.
Bar is ok… It’s plain, fun and loud. Food is disgusting and the servers have a looking way to go…like learning the menu or distinguishing between chicken fingers and a burger(that seriously happened:()
Really nothing special as an addition to the neighborhood but it is nice to have a younger vibe and place. Just tidy up
Just what Sunnyside needs. Another dump bar, with lousy food, too many TV’s, and no respect for the residents of the block.
I have been there quite a few times and love the wings and Blue moon, beer, their other food on the other-hand needs a lot of work, The burgers no matter how many times you say medium rare always come to table way overdone, salads once had mushy cucumbers. NOT Good, It needs better quality control in the kitchen.
as far as being able to eat outside with your dog that is asome, remember it is outdoors. Dogs should be able to sit and get a nibble to
Your not allowed to have anyone smoke in an outdoor cafe it’s an extension of the restaurant therefore the city prohibits it. Tell the guys running this Gin Mill to get their construction permits ASAP and to do their homework on the cafe license rules and regulations. No dogs allowed either same as an indoor space.
Good bar and food. And eating outside is great, except when people smoke in the front or in the dining outdoor area. Nothing worse than eating a burger in inhaling someone else’s nicotine fix. I would like it if the bar had an outdoor smoking area, further away from the non-smokers and eating area.
Bar 43 has been great for the neighborhood. That part of sunnyside has improved since they moved in. Thanks guys
They started before they had permits and have worked up until 9 pm at night. THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL BLOCK»»NOT EVERYONE GOES TO SLEEP AT MIDNIGHT.
RESPECT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE!!!!!!
LOUD NOISE FROM THIS DUMP AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK. PD SUCKS TO MAKE A NOISE COMPLAINT AT EIGHT IDIOTS CLOSE CASE AT FOUR AM.
RESPECT THE BLOCK
RESPECT THE PEOPLE
@Richie – Bar43 is in Sunnyside not Woodside.
@M
I don’t go. But unfortunately, I have to fill up my gas tank occasionally.
How about restaurants that have TV’s? Are they sports restaurants?
Bar 43 was a much needed bar in Woodside. Great atmo sphere. I
Totally enjoy the relaxed vibe. The owners go.out of their way to please you.
It’s a sports bar! Don’t like all the tvs? Then don’t go.
I’m so sick of televisions everywhere. Can’t even put gas in your car without a tv screen.
Great bar, food. I enjoy my time there, but they have work to do- by keeping people quieter outside and encouraging them to move along after they leave. Also, picking up all the trash in front, cig butts everywhere, nasty shit.
Twenty tvs. Should put a name on the expansion saying PC richard. How appealing to go get a drink and see this many tvs at a bar. How stupid.
Bar 43 is good for the neighborhood. But they have to make a much better attempt at keeping the front of their bar cleaner. They often make excuses that they are doing the best that they can.
Bar 43 has been a mixed blessing to 43 street. The bar add a nice hung out and they sponored many causes which inturn helped people. However, it has also been a nuisance to the block! Over the years I have heard countless stories of vandalism along the block to cars (things like breaking off mirrors and urinating on cars), I have also heard from a neighbor that the business next door Super Doggy wonder kitty has occured many fines from debrie from the bar. My main complaint as a resident from the block is the noise from their patrons, Tuesday trivia host, music from time to time and the numberous double parked cars with their music blasting.