As soon as you walk into Neir’s Tavern, you will be greeted warmly by the friendly staff and frequent visitors, who can tell you a lot about the bar’s lengthy history. It is a popular spot for meeting friends, fundraising and having breakfast, particularly among youths. Customers’ favorites include cold beer, the Wise Guy specialty cocktail and a hearty Goodfella Burger. Find out more about the legendary establishment at queens1.one.
Modest beginnings
Neir’s Tavern is one of the rare historic drinking establishments that has been in business for over 190 years and has operated in the same location since its inception. The bar is located in Queens’ Woodhaven neighborhood, which is notable for having one of the greatest tree populations in Queens and being close to the Forest Park hiking trails. Woodhaven is a blend of urban and suburban land use, featuring low-density residential and commercial spaces. The area has an atmosphere of a small town from a past era. It is home to a variety of ethnic groups.
Neir’s Tavern is known as a tavern, which has long been the term for an urban or roadside inn with dining rooms on the first floor and sleeping rooms on the second. The American singer, playwright and film actress Mae West used to dance here as a young girl. She demonstrated her talent in a ballroom with a wooden balcony. The room was reminiscent of Wild West dance halls, which have been featured in numerous films.
The establishment was officially opened in October 1829 by racecourse manager Cadwallader R. Colden. Then it was known as the Blue Pump Room. Colden descended from a noble family. Cadwallader Colden, his great-grandfather, was a historian, scholar and philosopher, in addition to serving as vice governor and acting governor of New York. His cousin, Cadwallader D. Colden, was the mayor of New York and a member of the United States Congress. In 1835, the tavern was given a new name: the Old Abbey. During those years, the institution developed a bad reputation because its rooms were rented by crowds of “blackfeet, thieves, robbers and fighters” who gathered for horse races at the Union Course.
Jockey hub
In 1851, the Old Abbey was acquired by politician and banker Nathan F. Graves, who made considerable improvements to the building. In 1898, when the nearby racetrack closed, the tavern was bought by Louis Neir. He extended it by adding a dance hall, the first bowling alley in Queens County and lodgings. The owner renamed the structure Neir’s Social Hall. The bar was the first space in Queens County to feature silent flickers.
The tavern peaked in popularity between 1900 and 1910 (under Neir’s leadership). Across the street, there were stables with horses from the former racecourse. Neir’s Social Hall served as the headquarters for professional horse riders, caretakers and trainers. Even Louis had several trotters. Neir’s nephew, Joseph, worked as a stable cleaner.
Threats of closure
After Louis died in 1929, the tavern was taken over by members of the Neir family. The family sold the property in 1980 after the building had been damaged due to an arson. The new owner renamed the establishment the Union Course Tavern, and the ballroom was transformed into a recording studio. In 2009, firefighter Loycent Gordon saved the dining establishment from closure. He purchased the building and closed it for eight months for renovation. In particular, mahogany and new lamps were used to embellish the room. After the work was finished, the establishment was opened under its current name.
In 2019, the Neir’s 190 Committee was formed with the goal of fighting for the tavern’s preservation. At the start of 2020, there was another threat of closing the bar due to excessively high rents. Shi, the landlord, hiked the monthly cost from $2,000 to $3,000 and stated that it would be increased to more than $5,000. To influence the situation, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Queens Chamber of Commerce reached an agreement with the landlord that allowed Neir’s Tavern to remain open. In addition, the city provided the bar with a grant of $90,000. By the way, the Neir’s Tavern brand is used to raise funds for charitable organizations on a regular basis. The first such fundraising event was held to save the bar itself.
Popular filming site
Neir’s Tavern served as the site for filming scenes in two famous pictures, including:
- Martin Scorsese’s 1990 gangster drama “Goodfellas“. This cinematic classic has earned a place among the best gangster films of all time. The film delves deeply into the mafia’s inner workings and the implications of a criminal lifestyle. Neir’s Tavern appears in scenes where heroes meet in a bar in the days following the Lufthansa airline robbery. The memorable scene in which Frankie Carbone shows off his companion’s new fur coat was also shot here. The restaurant’s walls are decorated with “Goodfellas” memorabilia. Interestingly, according to local legends, real gangsters actually gathered at Neir’s Tavern.
- 2011 comedy thriller “Tower Heist” directed by Brett Ratner. The film is about a manager who is continually stressed out due to his daily job responsibilities. The loss of all retirement funds owing to a rich trader is a “reward” for all his hard work. A desperate hero resolves to carry out a heist with his companions to make up for the overworked hours.