Odessa Restaurant, a longtime Ukranian eatery and favorite last stop for late night East Village party people, is closing next Sunday, July 19th, a worker at the diner confirmed. The employee declined to offer any further details, only noting that it was a decision made by "the boss."
Opened in 1994 on Avenue A across from Tompkins Square Park, Odessa was a 24/7 spin-off of the Odessa Bar next door. The bar dated back to the early '80s, and finally closed in 2013 after a 33 year run. We marked the sad news at the time by advising readers to "Say goodbye to your youth. The East Village is dead. RIP old New York. The rent is too damn high. ETC." (An upscale bar with a rock & roll aesthetic called the Black Rose subsequently reopened in the space.)
The reasons for Odessa's closure were not immediately clear, but we'll update when we find out more. The diner is currently open for one last week, for delivery and pickup only. (212-253-1482)
Thank God at least Lucy's is still open... for now.
[h/t Michael Hirsch]
