Vinegar Hill House to Expand

70 Hudson Ave

In other restaurant news, The Brooklyn Paper reported last week that Vinegar Hill House is expanding their operation with a cafe next door (70 Hudson Avenue). The plans are for a 20 seat, seasonal food menu for lunch and coffee. Per Brooklyn Paper:

“Community Board 2 has recommended a beer and wine license for the new establishment, and the State Liquor Authority is expected to grant the permit within eight weeks. Minor construction has begun at the corner of Hudson Avenue and Water Street for a café that will serve coffee in the morning, and beer, wine and light noshes throughout the day.”

The secret has been out on Vinegar Hill House for a while. But how do local Vinegar Hill residents feel about another restaurant on Hudson Ave?

22 Comment

  • The only allure of VHH is it’s “exotic” location for people from park slope. Otherwise, it’s overpriced, mediocre “rustic” (read – I could make it at home myself) fare with bad service.  No resys to a place a block away from Farragut public houses?  Only twats from elsewhere (blissfully ignorant transplants) would fawn over this drivel.

  • The only allure of VHH is it’s “exotic” location for people from park slope. Otherwise, it’s overpriced, mediocre “rustic” (read – I could make it at home myself) fare with bad service.  No resys to a place a block away from Farragut public houses?  Only twats from elsewhere (blissfully ignorant transplants) would fawn over this drivel.

  • VHH is so great. The food is always good. The room is charming and the prices are reasonable. I’m so glad they’re expanding! I live in VH and I’m so glad they’re in our neighborhood.

  • VHH is so great. The food is always good. The room is charming and the prices are reasonable. I’m so glad they’re expanding! I live in VH and I’m so glad they’re in our neighborhood.

  • I actually found the famed pork to be too undercooked and actually unappealing!

  • I actually found the famed pork to be too undercooked and actually unappealing!

  • I have taken clients and out-of-town guests several times since it opened — each time tolerating the TERRIBLE ACOUSTICS for the very good food and unusual neighborhood setting — though last night was my last. Something has definately changed in the vibe – their is an air of anger in the joint. The hostess couldn’t crack a smile and she told us she could seat us in 10 minutes once our table — which she pointed out — was cleared. We stood at the crowded bar, unable to get the bartender’s attention, while watching our table sit empty and set with clean service for the full ten minutes while the waitress kept passing us as if we weren’t there – with the same look of “You need me more than I need you”. Already feeling appologetic for dragging my well heeled Tribeca friends to this cute, though not that cute(!) confusingly rude restaurant, just two blocks from a public housing project (that provides a constant flow of robberies to DUMBO commercial tennants – us being hit more than once!), I was not prepared for how much worse the experience would get. Like I said earlier, the accoustics are terrible here, making conversations barely audible (think nightclub). Only this time, the open kitchen sounded more like a dishwasher’s station, with what sounde like the constant crashing and clanging of flying pots, pans, and the dumping of loads of silverware into a metal sink. The bald man who appeared to be commander there had a “don’t fuck with me” look, so asking a young male employee — who indeed looked terrifuied — to ask the kitchen if it were possible to perhaps alter their style of conveying the metal objects, was not easy. The clammour stopped for about ten minutes, only to start up again with a vengence. We bipassed coffee and desert and hi-tailed it out of there. How was the food? The pork had to be sent back to be cooked more, and I guess the bass was okay – quite honestly, we couldn’t enjoy our meal. No longer worth the treck.

    • Exactly my experience there.  Don’t know why everyone thinks this little crappy resturant is so great.

      Forced wait at the bar, when there are clearly open tables.
      Undercooked pork.
      Asshole servers.
      I can understand this going on is some fancy pants tribeca joint, but as you mentioned… its Vinegar Hill by the projects for godsakes.

  • I have taken clients and out-of-town guests several times since it opened — each time tolerating the TERRIBLE ACOUSTICS for the very good food and unusual neighborhood setting — though last night was my last. Something has definately changed in the vibe – their is an air of anger in the joint. The hostess couldn’t crack a smile and she told us she could seat us in 10 minutes once our table — which she pointed out — was cleared. We stood at the crowded bar, unable to get the bartender’s attention, while watching our table sit empty and set with clean service for the full ten minutes while the waitress kept passing us as if we weren’t there – with the same look of “You need me more than I need you”. Already feeling appologetic for dragging my well heeled Tribeca friends to this cute, though not that cute(!) confusingly rude restaurant, just two blocks from a public housing project (that provides a constant flow of robberies to DUMBO commercial tennants – us being hit more than once!), I was not prepared for how much worse the experience would get. Like I said earlier, the accoustics are terrible here, making conversations barely audible (think nightclub). Only this time, the open kitchen sounded more like a dishwasher’s station, with what sounde like the constant crashing and clanging of flying pots, pans, and the dumping of loads of silverware into a metal sink. The bald man who appeared to be commander there had a “don’t fuck with me” look, so asking a young male employee — who indeed looked terrifuied — to ask the kitchen if it were possible to perhaps alter their style of conveying the metal objects, was not easy. The clammour stopped for about ten minutes, only to start up again with a vengence. We bipassed coffee and desert and hi-tailed it out of there. How was the food? The pork had to be sent back to be cooked more, and I guess the bass was okay – quite honestly, we couldn’t enjoy our meal. No longer worth the treck.

    • Exactly my experience there.  Don’t know why everyone thinks this little crappy resturant is so great.

      Forced wait at the bar, when there are clearly open tables.
      Undercooked pork.
      Asshole servers.
      I can understand this going on is some fancy pants tribeca joint, but as you mentioned… its Vinegar Hill by the projects for godsakes.