The Manhattan Restaurant on East Avenue has a long history. The establishment with more than 80 years of history became known throughout the country and served more than 5,000 guests daily. One of the many advantages of Manhattan that attracted guests was the top-level round-the-clock staff service. Unfortunately, however, the colorful era of the restaurant came to an end on the eve of the big family holiday, the New Year. An 80-year era was left in history when the most famous restaurant in Rochester closed its doors forever. Read more on manhattan1.one.
Regular customers sang the traditional Scottish song Auld Lang Syne and then said goodbye to their favored restaurant. After that, a sign with a simple inscription appeared in the window, “Manhattan is closed”. Along with it, the longtime patrons of the sought-after restaurant felt that another link with the city center’s glorious days was over.
History of the opening, interior and the restaurant’s highlight
Alfred Ernest established the first Manhattan Restaurant on East Main Street in 1905. In 1916 he founded the Manhattan Restaurant at 25 East Avenue. This branch lasted longer and became better known. The Manhattan on East Avenue was housed in a huge building with a few rooms, which was open 24 hours a day and served more than 5,000 customers per day.
The interior of the Manhattan Restaurant can be seen in a photo taken the day before it closed (see photo below).
[Photo source: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/]
The establishment was not just a place for lunch and dinner but rather a club for its regular customers. Many of the residents became regular guests, visiting the place every evening for dinner, friendly conversation, or to receive service from the same waitress who had served there faithfully for many years. After dancing or intense basketball games, crowds of visitors would head to the Manhattan for pancakes. Festive events were also held here, making the restaurant a real center of fun and joy.
In a 1955 article in Rochester Commerce, a journalist said that Rochester had its fair share of great places to eat, but perhaps the one best recognized by more people than any other was Manhattan. The magazine article for the local Chamber of Commerce was dedicated to the restaurant’s golden anniversary.
The restaurant did not serve alcohol for a long period of time
The Manhattan dining hall was a unique space and included the Hunt Room, which had access from Euclid Street, the classy East Avenue Room, famed for its colonial design and the Mariner Room, which was decorated to resemble an ocean liner’s interior. For ages, the restaurant stuck to the so-called “dry law” because Ernest allegedly had personal principles and was not a fan of alcohol, as reported in the news in 1984. Before the establishment received a license to sell alcohol in 1961, it was impossible to enjoy a Manhattan at the Manhattan.
At the time, the establishment was managed by Ernest’s sons, George and John. They joined the business in the mid-1920s. Alfred died in 1948, as per an article in Commerce magazine. In 1955, the Manhattan employed 125 people and had a brilliant standing, the article pointed out.
The kitchen impressed with an abundance of modern appliances and stainless steel utensils used in the restaurant. All equipment was kept impeccably clean. There were giant cauldrons that cooked hundreds of servings of the signature fricassee. They also roasted loads of beef. All this was under the close supervision of experienced chefs and with one or both owners in close contact. Journalists of the Commerce magazine often mentioned this aspect of the iconic institution.
Over time, the business of the Manhattan restaurant began to expand, with the structure consisting of four buildings with different storeys. Some of these premises were leased to businesses engaged in other activities: clothing, footwear and accessory stores. At one point there was even a billiard room.
The news of the restaurant’s closure at the end of December 1984 shocked the local public. The announcement came as a shock, as it came just a few days before the New Year’s Eve celebrations. No one expected this. John and George’s sons, John Jr. and George Jr. were the managers of the establishment at the time. Based on news reports back then, they obviously wished to focus on other ventures.
Patrons took the news of the restaurant’s closure as a bereavement
The Manhattan is one of the rare restaurants that remained in Rochester before World War II. Jim Myers mentioned it in a 1984 article in the Democrat and Chronicle story.Â
[Photo source: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/]
Acclaimed resident reporter H. Clune recounted going to the Manhattan at noon every day for years and calling it the best restaurant in town. An editorial in the Times-Union newspaper praised the spot as “more class than flash.”
This restaurant is associated with an era when it was impossible to find a free hotel room in the city center (such as the Seneca), and theaters and shops were open late into the night. At that time people wore fancy attire to go to the city center and watch other nicely attired people.
In January 1988, demolition crews began to tear down the Manhattan Restaurant.
In early 1988, the Manhattan was demolished and turned into a parking lot. Activists advocated for the historic building’s preservation. However, the prestigious real estate in the heart of the city was eventually given away in favor of financial interests.
Yet a new version of the Manhattan came to life in November 1987 in Penfield. Nevertheless, it could not compare to the original. This was stated by the writer Kathy Lindsley of the Times-Union.
In her article from 1988, she wrote that the new location was convenient and inviting, but it lacked the charisma of the former East Avenue venue.