The Odessa Diner, located at 119 Avenue A
The Odessa Diner, located at 119 Avenue A in the (often associated with the broader Lower East Side area) of Manhattan, was part of a longstanding Eastern European-inspired establishment on Avenue A across from Tompkins Square Park.
The original Odessa Cafe and Bar opened in 1965 at 117 (or sometimes referenced as 115) Avenue A. It served as a divey neighborhood spot frequented by locals, including artists, musicians, punks, and the Ukrainian community, with a dark, edgy atmosphere popular in the 1970s and 1980s.In 1994 (or April 1995 per some accounts), the owners expanded by opening the brighter, 24-hour Odessa Restaurant next door at 119 Avenue A as a spin-off, focusing on diner fare alongside Ukrainian and Eastern European dishes such as pierogies, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa, blintzes, potato pancakes, and combination platters.
It became a late-night haven for revelers, clubgoers, shift workers, and residents, known for its Formica tables, vinyl booths, gruff service, affordable portions, and role as one of the neighborhood’s few remaining 24-hour spots.
The Odessa Diner was primarily a neighborhood spot known for attracting locals, Ukrainian immigrants, artists, musicians, punks, counter-culture figures, late-night revelers, service workers, and art-world hangers-on. It had a gritty, unpretentious vibe that appealed to bohemian and working-class crowds, especially in the 1970s-1990s.
One notable regular was Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz, who described it as his “unofficial headquarters” in the 1980s and 1990s, a place of acceptance and anonymity where he ate frequently amid artists, musicians, burnouts, and locals. Village Voice columnist Arthur Bell was said to have frequently eaten there during his lifetime.
The original Odessa Cafe and Bar closed in August 2013 after nearly 48-50 years, due to a rent increase.
The Odessa Restaurant continued operating, serving a mix of classic diner items (like tuna melts and omelets) and Eastern European specialties, maintaining a time-capsule feel amid the changing East Village.
In July 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant announced its permanent closure, with its last day on July 19, 2020, citing significant loss of business from restricted capacity and lack of viable outdoor seating or full operations. The co-owner was also the building landlord, so rent was not a factor. There was brief confusion when a co-owner mentioned renovations and a potential reopening, but it did not reopen.
After closure, the fully equipped space was listed for sale (notably on Craigslist for $400,000 in 2021). In 2021, vegetarian restaurant Superiority Burger signed a lease to relocate there, eventually opening in the space in 2023.
Citations
https://ny.eater.com/2020/7/13/21322511/odessa-restaurant-closes-26-years-covid-19
https://www.grubstreet.com/article/odessa-nyc-closed-2020.html
https://ny.eater.com/2020/7/14/21322961/odessa-closure-east-village-robert-sietsema-lookback
https://evgrieve.com/2022/09/classic-odessa-restaurant-signage-gone.html
http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2013/09/odessa.html
https://www.grubstreet.com/article/jerry-saltz-on-odessa.html
https://evgrieve.com/2020/02/a-visit-to-odessa-restaurant.html
