The former home of PD O’Hurley’s, a dive bar at 174 West 72nd Street that closed in 2013, is expected to become a Donohue’s Steakhouse, according to an article in the New York Post.
The space had been a bar for decades, but has been empty since PD O’Hurley’s closed. Donohue’s owner Maureen Donohue-Peters says her family owns the building, so rent presumably won’t be a problem.
The original Donohue’s is located at 845 Lexington Avenue (65th) and has a devoted New York following.
Donohue’s, opened in 1950, is a time capsule of Eisenhower-era Manhattan with wood-paneled walls, a checkerboard tile floor and red tablecloths. US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and former top cop Bill Bratton and his wife, Rikki Kleiman, have been spotted in black-leather booths. All walks of life mingle easily at a moodily lit bar at the front of the house.
Two years ago, The Post reported that longtime lunch customer Robert Ellsworth, a wealthy art collector, left $50,000 each to Donohue-Peters and to Maureen Barrie — one of Donohue-Peters’ five nieces, who “all work different nights” as waitresses, she said.
Eater says the Donohue’s burger is a pleasing throwback to the mid-20th century. “To eat this burger is to feel the seeming limitlessness of America’s ascension during the postwar boom years, when beef became cheap and burgers, once the product of austerity, evolved into symbols of prosperity in their size and construction. How modern it must have all felt, and how decadent!”
I doubt that the steakhouse part of the menu will do all that well, but if they have burgers and some more casual food – a typical bar and grill menu – then it might thrive. Lincoln Square Steak, barely a block away, seems to be struggling so I am not sure there is much of a need for a second steakhouse within a 100 yard radius. I believe there are one or two other steakhouses nearby.
However, the major problem with that location is the nastiness of the surrounding 20 yards. It’s nothing short of nauseating to walk by there – not sure anyone would want to stop and eat.
Re: “the nastiness of the surrounding 20 yards. It’s nothing short of nauseating to walk by there – ”
Hmmm…this “local” has walked by there many, many times and has NEVER felt nauseated.
It’s the sort of typical NYC shopping street filled with various “Mom-‘n’-Pop” small businesses that all the professional-kvetchers and lost-New York-kvetchers seem to romanticize.
Exactly. It’s one of the few stretches in what was once the Neighborhood that bears no resemblance to the sterile shopping-mall-and-airport environment idolized by the self-indulged newbies taking over.
Put in a[nother] couple of banks, a sells-everything drug store, and maybe a Panda Express or Shake Shack and they won’t be “nauseated” any more.
Well, if those are my only two choices I think I’m gonna have to go with the banks and the Shake Shack. I don’t really see filth and homelessness and run down buildings as ‘character’ or anything to romanticize, IMHO.
Plenty of places to live if that’s what you like…and a LOT cheaper too.:)
Perhaps further east on 72nd that is indeed the case, but right at the corner of of 72nd and Amsterdam things are pretty nasty. The building housing Gray’s Papaya , Sleepy’s and Vitamin Shoppe is completely dilapidated, as is the building that will house Donohue’s Steakhouse. The corner is constantly filled homeless folks sleeping on the sidewalk. The phone booth is constantly being used as a urinal. The garbage is always overflowing with trash from Gray’s. Not sure what there is to romanticize here.
Completely dilapidated? You might want to grab a dictionary, sir – that’s mad. They’re fully functioning businesses that are authentically charming. You’re obviously not from here or you’re just a snooty priveledged brag. The corner and specifically the stores you mentioned are all local hallmarks and authentically uws – not a soulless modern metal atrocity. We don’t need another juice shop partner.
Agree David. The upper west side doesn’t really need another high priced steakhouse. People are looking for healthy eating at a fair price. But if done correctly, I don’t think the location will be much of a detriment.
This is fantastic news for our neighborhood in so many ways, especially this corner! I’ve been to the existing Donohue’s multiple times and have never been disappointed. Maureen is a wonderful and welcoming host. Now let’s see what the naysayers and chronic complainers manage to bring to the table…
I wish them good luck and hope they succeed. Hopefully they will clean up the exterior of the building. If I recall, the adjacent Grandaisy bakery recently closed – will that now become part of the restaurant?
Donohue’s was my hangout during my Hunter College days in the early/mid ’70’s. I think it’s more of a pub than a steakhouse. Lots of pub dishes. I was there last year and it was as terrific. I’ve missed O’Hurely’s. Happy this is finally opening.
The neighborhood needs a new restaurant like this!
What is the significance of Justice Kennedy having eaten there? Is he a noted gourmet? Or are New Yorkers so insecure that they want to be confirmed in their taste by irrelevant celebrity?
I know this is the Upper Left Side, but since when is a Justice of the United States an “Irrelevant celebrity”?
i love your “Upper Left Side”. i’ll steal it. my other favorite is “Upper West Bank”. lol.
Well said
News flash…that space WAS a Donahue’s when I first moved to the hood in 1973.
Used to go there for the prime rib dinner which was all of $8 or $9 for a salad, big slap of meat au jus, 2 sides, coffee and desert.
In the 80’s, my teammates and I would go for pitchers after volleyball in the park.
They had a banquet room upstairs and, of course, a Fred Astaire dance studio! Anyone else remember those days?
I have lived in the west 70s and west 60s since the late 1960s. Since your above article mentions the Donohue’s own the building, I recalled the place was called Donohue’s a long time ago. I am right. Check out this article you ran several years ago
https://www.westsiderag.com/2013/01/04/pd-ohurleys-forced-to-move-after-rent-raised
It is one of many empty places on the UWS. Maybe they could not find anybody to take the place at the money they wanted.
I like the Donohue’s on the East Side.
I’ve been in Lincoln Square Steak and also in the previous eateries in that space. It seems to a bad luck place; the others closed quite soon after opening. Meanwhile nearby Cafe Lux still keeps on rolling along after many years. Good luck to the new Donohue’s.
This dive bar was known as Donohue’s when I first moved into the ‘hood in 1973. Before O’Hurley’s. Have fabulous burgers, cooked to perfection. It was a great neighborhood place.
Hooray! It is about time the UWS gets a really good steakhouse. Yes there are others, but we need a place that is special and can become a destination.
Welcome to the ‘hood.
However, if you want a burger that has not changed, ever, stop by at Malachy on 72nd just short of Columbus ave.
Best burger for a price half as what it will be at the new place.
And talking great burgers – a stop at Emerald Inn, 72nd just off West End is a treat as well, and the fries are great.
Seems like a lot is happening in the hood.
I was just thinking about this place this morning, and wondered what was happening. My husband loved to order a pork chop. We enjoyed many meals here, along with my friend Karel. My favorite was Paul’s large glasses of Merlot when it was P.D. O’Hurleys. Paul was an excellent host, and the place was lovely. I was sorry to see it go, and will be glad to return to what the new place is.
Does anyone know what’s going in the Second Time Around spot, or the empty nail spa, on 72nd between Broadway and WEA (south side of the street)?
I walked by today (6/22) and they have a “Going Out of Buisness” sign in the window.
I would never describe P.D. O’Hurley’s as a Dive Bar! It was a lovely redecorated restaurant with white tablecloths, as I recall, with Tiffany-style sconces on the walls…lovely, hardly a dive!
Thats good news Donohue’s will be coming back to that location. I remember when it used to operate under that name. The East Side location has a lot of charm. The concept will probably be a moderate priced Pub / Irish Bar / Steakhouse which will be a welcome addition to the street.
The Donohue’s space has a pretty interesting history being at one time in the early part of the century the Piccadilly Tea Room and then in the 1930’s a two story restaurant called Benny Leonards. Benny was a former Boxing Champ.
The buildings original name was the Roe Mansion which was built in 1880’s as a private residence.
This is good news. The East Side Donohue’s is a nicer version of O’Hurley’s. It’s not like Lincoln Square at all, it’s an old-school steakhouse. Totally not fancy, but serious steaks, chops, broiled fish. Agree that it’s more of a pub than a restaurant, but it’s filled to the gills every night with diners.
Lincoln Square is way pricier. I enjoyed it the time I was there, but it’s a special-occasion place, while Donohue’s is a more every-night kind of place. They’re not above serving you a can of sardines as an appetizer.
Agree that the stretch of 72nd is disgusting, but one reason for that is that there’s nobody keeping it clean and shoveling the snow in the winter. Also, if you look beyond that, it’s right on top of the subway entrance. Geography is destiny!
Hooray. Maureen and her nieces run a fabulous restaurant and make the diners feel happy and comfortable.
Cannot wait for October.
Maureen is in the meat market for the best meat at 4:30 in the the morning.
She uses sirloin for the hamburgers. The menu will be the same as on Lex, but there will be bar food including sliders.
The Lincoln Square Steak location is huge for a restaurant. It will always be difficult for such an establish to survive long-term.
It won’t be easy if you open a restaurant that only has customers during 3-4 meals per week!
No breakfast, no brunch, no lunch and barely any dinner Sunday through Wednesday.
Not easy to do well if 75-90% of your business needs to be generated from Thursday, Friday and Saturday dinners.
Having perishable produce does not help either. Pasta has huge margins and a long shelf life. Meat, not so much.
There are plenty of restaurants in large spaces that are doing well – The Smith over by Lincoln Center comes to mind. I think it would do well if it opened in the Lincoln Steak place. Blue Ribbon on West 72nd seems to be doing ok. They have a equally large space. Atlantic Grill does well and their space is a block wide.
Blue Ribbon’s food is quite good, but the restaurant is also expensive. Hopefully, Donohue’s West will be at a somewhat lower price point.
Sadly, the neighborhood is filthy. As many mentioned, that corner smells bad and is home to sprawled out homeless and garbage overflowing. Across the street, the McDonald’s block is garbage strewn and totally unappetizing as well. Something is wrong with our neighborhood….does anyone care?
Homelessness is a significant issue throughout the U.S., not just NYC. There are homeless people in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and many other places.
The overflowing trash cans and street garbage is very concerning. But this is not due to homeless people – it is folks (from residents to tourists to street vendors) in the neighborhood who just keep piling up their garbage even though the trash cans are full. Take a look – many affluent folks leaving their Starbucks cups in already overflowing garbage. It is sad.
Well you cannot blame persons, tourists or whatever for putting trash were it belongs. If the containers are full that is a matter for DSNY and or the BID.
On the UES along the avenues large numbers of those new trash containers have been installed. Maybe time to ask local elected officials about that; well unless they are too busy picketing against this or that new construction.
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160603/upper-east-side/city-adds-36-new-garbage-cans-across-upper-east-side
I totally agree with you and wonder what we can do to change that. I don’t even use that Citibank anymore because it feels so isolated. Are Papaya King and Sleepy’s responsible at all for keeping the sidewalks clean in front of their businesses? The bakery is gone now…is anything going in that spot, or will that be part of the new steak house? If it’s not opening until the fall then will that corner get even worse between now and then? As for the McD’s mall area that seems like a lost cause, too congested and dirty and those businesses obviously aren’t keeping their spaces clean inside or out. Who would we call about this?
People see that as character!
The more filth there is blowing around, the more homeless people there are sleeping, the stronger the stench is, the more dilapidated the buildings are, the more rats there are running around, the better!