Seafood Carnival is opening at 710 Amsterdam Avenue near 95th Street, which appears to be the former home of Asia Kan. It’s not clear if Seafood Carnival is part of a chain or is a new concept. But as tipster Daniel wrote: “We are sorely lacking pure seafood places!”
Mexican restaurant Rancho Taquileria is planning to open at 200 West 95th Street, the former home of Acqua. The restaurant also appears to have a Hell’s Kitchen location that serves tacos, salads, enchiladas and many other Mexican specialties. See the menu here. The restaurant will go before the community board on February 13 for a liquor license hearing. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 250 West 87th Street. Thanks to Tim for the photo. (We’ve posted the full meeting agenda below.
Mediterranean restaurant Miznon is also on the community board liquor license application list. After initially applying for a spot on Columbus Avenue and 75th, it now appears confirmed that the restaurant will be opening on 72nd. We last wrote about it here.
Boka, a Korean fried chicken spot, finally appears to be close to opening at 410 Amsterdam Avenue (79th-80th Street). We first heard the restaurant was coming back in 2016, but it’s been a very slow process since then. An employee at the restaurant’s downtown location did not know when exactly the UWS spot would open, but the owners put up an image of the interior on Instagram a few weeks ago that showed pretty substantial progress, saying they were “Almost to the finish line!” noting that it’s been “the project from hell but I can clearly see light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Capital One bank branch at 94th and Broadway is closing in May, tipster Marc tells us. He says he received a notice from the bank.
Here’s the agenda for the community board meeting:
Business & Consumer Issues Committee, Linda Alexander and Christian Cordova, Co-Chairpersons
Wednesday, February 13th, 7:00pm
1.   MCB7’s District Needs Statement for Fiscal Year 2021.
New applications to the SLA for two-year liquor licenses:
2.   475 West 61st Street (Riverside Boulevard) GC Riverside LLC, d/b/a To be Determined.
3.   161 West 72nd Street (Amsterdam Avenue) Miznon UWS LLC, d/b/a Miznon.
4.   200 West 95th Street (a/k/a 718 Amsterdam Avenue) Cabrera Argudo Corp., d/b/a Rancho Taquileria.
5.   239 West 105th Street (Amsterdam Avenue) Miss Ye Food Service Inc, d/b/a Szechuan Garden.
6.   949 Columbus Avenue (West 106th Street) The Calaveras Group, d/b/a To be Determined.
Renewal of Unenclosed Sidewalk Cafés:
7.   2178 Broadway (West 77th Street.) Renewal application #1418144-DCA to the Department of Consumer Affairs by Serafina 77 West, LLC, d/b/a Serafina Upper West, for a four-year consent to operate an unenclosed sidewalk café with 38 tables and 76 seats.
8.   476 Amsterdam Avenue (West 83rd Street.) Renewal application #1218332-DCA to the Department of Consumer Affairs by Upper West Rest, Corp., d/b/a Fred’s, for a four-year consent to operate an unenclosed sidewalk café with 22 tables and 44 seats.
9.   509 Amsterdam Avenue (West 84th – 85th Streets.) Renewal application #1416762-DCA to the Department of Consumer Affairs by New York Beer Co, LLC, d/b/a Jacob’s Pickle, for a four-year consent to operate an unenclosed sidewalk café with 9 tables and 18 seats.
Renewal of Enclosed Sidewalk Café:
10.   2483 Broadway (West 92nd – 93rd Street.) Renewal application #0916146-DCA to the Department of Consumer Affairs by Hussien Environment, Inc., d/b/a Cleopatra’s Needle, for a four-year consent to operate an enclosed sidewalk café with 9 tables and 16 seats.
New Unenclosed Sidewalk Cafes:
11.   508 Columbus Avenue (West 84th – 85th Streets.) New application #107-2019-ASWC to the Department of Consumer Affairs by Flat Top, Inc., d/b/a Franky & Matt, for a four-year consent to operate an unenclosed sidewalk café with 8 tables and 16 seats.
12.   994 Columbus Avenue (West 109th Street.) New application #682-2019-ASWC to the Department of Consumer Affairs by UWS 994 Corp., d/b/a Isola on Columbus, for a four-year consent to operate an unenclosed sidewalk café with 9 tables and 22 seats.
I forgot all about Boka, that was reported in 2016! I’ll be there first in line when they open…
Good luck to Rancho Taquileria. But tacos priced at $16-$19, and a small bowl of guacamole for $11 is beyond absurd.
Prices are for four tacos
Its really a neighborhood tragedy that Acqua closed and is being replaced by a Mexican chain restaurant. What will happen to the beautiful brick pizza oven that is in the space now. The neighborhood will really miss Acqua. And we already have several decent Mexican Restaurants near by. What a shame – another chain…
There’s one other one, it’s not a chain.
We don’t need an overpriced restaurant on that corner. Acqua was comfortable and affordable!
Anyone else a little queasy at the thought of eating at a Seafood Carnival? Was Seafood Roulette not available?
😂🤣😂
What if you don’t want four tacos?
Capital One is closing its branch on 97th and Columbus May 19th.
What do you know about Fumo opening on Bdwy between 107/108?
For all the moaning about how “big banks” are gobbling up retail real estate, and pushing out small businesses this closing of Capital One branch puts that myth to rest.
For about two years now and likely to continue in future banks are actually closing branches.
https://commercialobserver.com/2018/05/retail-banks-less-cash/
As with everything else the internet is having an effect on retail banking. Less and less people using or needing cash for instance translates into lower need for persons and or even bank branches to process such transactions.
Even on the commercial/retail side as more and more businesses look to go “credit or debit card only”, again there goes another customer. A business that doesn’t take cash also doesn’t need to do daily bank drops and or withdrawals.
Oh no! When did Aqua close?
The food at Acqua wasn’t particularly good, although who needs another overpriced Mexican restaurant?
I think it is wonderful that Billy’s Bakery at West 80th Street and Columbus Avenue will be adding outside tables/chairs and umbrellas for the summer months.
It’s Rancho Tequileria, not Taquileria, according to the menu this piece links to. Which makes me wonder if the emphasis here is tequila rather than tacos.