Irish Bar Opens On UWS With Creole American Dining Options

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — "New York is my Lourdes, where I go for spiritual refreshment... a place where you're least likely to be bitten by a wild goat," reads a quote from the Irish poet Brendan Behan plastered on the wall of a new Upper West Side bar that opened last week.

The Avenue: Bar & Grill welcomed customers for the first time on May 17 at 480 Amsterdam Ave., on the corner of West 83rd Street.

The Irish bar has a variety of unique characteristics, including quotes from Behan and Seamus Heaney on the walls, and a menu that includes American Creole-inspired food options.

The kitchen serves up Louisiana-style jambalaya with tomato risotto, sausage, shrimp and chicken.

Other dining options include baby back ribs, wings, Creole dip, lasagna, shrimp scampi, shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, mac and cheese and other more classic bar food grub.

The Avenue: Bar & Grill is taking over an Upper West Side storefront that has seen four different restaurants in the last 15 years.

The Irish bar is replacing Taco Tavern, which was called Barnacho before it rebranded in 2022. The Mexican spot had replaced JG Melon at the location, which had previously replaced Joe's, and before that, a bar and tavern called Soldier McGee.

You can find out more about The Avenue: Bar & Kitchen on its website.