Popular Steakhouse To Temporarily Shutter For Renovations

KEW GARDENS, QUEENS — A popular steakhouse on Austin Street is temporarily shuttering for renovations next week, a manager confirmed with Patch.

Austin's Ale House, located at 82-70 Austin Street in Kew Gardens, will be closed from Feb. 15 through March 16 to undergo its first renovations in nearly two decades, longtime manager Colleen LaRusso said.

LaRusso, who's worked at Austin's Ale House for the past 20 years, said in an email that these renovations mark the first upgrades that the eatery's seen since the very early aughts.

"It will be like working in a new place," she said of what the steakhouse will look like after renovations.

When news of the temporary closure first circulated online, some neighbors were skeptical, assuming that "renovations" was code for a permanent closure (either because of the pandemic or the health department).

LaRusso, however, confirmed that is not at all the situation.

"Just giving the place a new look," she said.

Austin's Ale House has been on the corner of Austin Street and Lefferts Boulevard since 1991 and is beloved among neighbors for its pub-style, steakhouse menu and atmosphere.

Its closure is (as) timely (as possible): Austin's Ale House will close after the Super Bowl and reopen in time for St. Patrick's Day.