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New Kid on the Block: Bar 135
The king is dead. Long live the king.
That’s what I think of every time I go into Bar 135, at 135 Reade. Every generation of Tribecans has their 135 Reade: for many of us it was Reade Street Pub (but we’re not dead yet!), whose 24-year run ended in 2021; for the crowd before it was McGovern’s, named for the brothers who managed the space the quarter of a decade before that. Sometime in the late ’60s it was Morgan’s Grill, which evolved from the tavern that opened a few years after Prohibition ended, around 1945. The first saloon in that space opened in 1878.
So it is fitting that a neighborhood regular — Jude Sheehan has lived in Tribeca for 23 years — has taken the lease and, as all the OG bars have had to do recently, gutted the place. But it’s mostly been a restoration. When it became clear that the inherited Formica bar was not salvageable, Jude got in touch with a friend who’s retired from the 1st Precinct. He and his wife had a bar — Lily Logan’s — in Wappinger’s Falls and when they closed it, they took the 32-foot mahogany bar with them. It’s now installed on Reade Street. (The carpenter’s progress reports are below.)
Jude was the chef at Walker’s until 2005, then he ran the food services at Grace Church School. But when the school built the high school recently, they outsourced the food service and the operation became too corporate for Jude’s style. So he had to reinvent himself. He was the caterer for a production studio in Jersey City and started trolling for a bar of his own. The new owners of 135 Reade decided to lease the space in 2021 and he swooped in.
It took a year to renovate (his business partner, Vincenzo Bulajic, has had Shade Bar on Sullivan for 24 years, so they know what they are doing).
Everything on the menu is familiar, reliable and homemade — and there’s every kind of burger. Don’t skip the fries, and I would go for the lamb burger with tzatziki if you do that sort of thing; otherwise we loved the veggie burger. We didn’t get the slider plate, but it went by the table and looked like a great share.
“We wanted to keep it as a neighborhood bar with good food, locally sourced when possible.” Jude said. “We don’t have any freezers, everything is made from scratch, nothing is processed.”
Jude grew up in the Village and in the ’70s, his father put the kids on the list for IPN. A couple decades later when their name came up, Jude was then at Walker’s so he and his wife settled here to raise their son. He only does one late night at the bar — otherwise heads home between 7 and 9. “I like the lifestyle.” He is also the chef at home: “I can cook anything so I make whatever my wife asks me to cook. Right now she’s on a mushroom kick so I made a mushroom pasta.”
They are now open for lunch at noon seven days a week, and brunch on weekends. The happy hour crowd is starting to gel, and he hopes to develop a dinner crowd for the families in the neighborhood. “For December we were booked most every night with a party,” Jude said. “Now that it’s back to normal we can start thinking about that.”
Bar 135
135 Reade | Hudson & Greenwich
tribecabar135@gmail.com
927-639-3150
14 Comments
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Jude is a great guy and part of the fabric of Tribeca for sure. As stated in the article, the food is everything you’d hope for on a tavern menu and perfectly executed great versions of each dish. Nothing fussy, just good food. Bartenders and staff are great as well.
I wish Jude all the success in the world. The place is still building a following and growing. I’m already sad for the coming months when I’ll be unable to rock up and easily grab a couple seats at the bar.
We love 135 Reade Pub!! Jude is a friend and neighbor!! The food is delicious!!!
We went today for brunch and really like it. The burger is one of the better ones in the neighborhood. Glad to have a new, less expensive option in the neighborhood.
I remember Morgan’s Grille in the 1970’s, but across the street where Marc Forgione later ended up. The Morgan brothers ran Morgan’s deli, with Kevin being the butcher … best meat around in those days.
This place is GREAT! Jude and his team are so warm and welcoming, the food is delicious and the vibe is terrific. Perfect, easy place to watch a game over a drink or just come to relax. Such a great addition to Tribeca!!
I love this place! Tribeca needs more of these, and Jude and the rest of the staff are always warm and great. Great place to watch any sporting event
It has become a nice wind down for afterwork for me. Their burgers/sliders are to die for. Very reasonable prices. Not overcrowded and you can actually have a conversation without yelling. Happy to have another bar/tavern. I have become a loyal patron.
welcome to the neighborhood! can’t wait to stop in
We heard from long-term Tribeca friends that they were sorry about Reade Street Pub closing, about losing a neighborhood oldie, and for a while there seemed to be a bit of uncertainty as to what was to happen in the space. In the meantime, we took a small apartment nearby (newbies) and have loved stopping in at 135. Great beer and fries, and everyone who works there is friendly and attentive. It seems busier with each visit. Thank you for writing this up and for pointing out that, in the hands of people who know what they are doing, efforts were made to keep Bar 135 in character. It is a wonderful neighborhood.
It’s the place to be! Love the atmosphere! Food is soooo good-not your typical bar food. My favorite is the veggie burger-delicious! Great selection of beer too! Owner Jude, truly appreciates his customers as does his staff.
Sounds great…Can’t wait to try!…
I went to the new Bar 135 and loved it!
The homemade whipped ricotta over Crostinis were amazing and I have to say the smash burger is one of the best Ive ever had. Agree dont miss the fries too! Id steer away from the sliders as they were average and way too many other delicious options on the Menu. Jude has built a special place and not to be missed IMO.
Went to Bar 135 recently with a group of 12..lovely atmosphere, great staff & great food..would def go back !!
Have been here several times since they opened. Love everything about it…..great food and service. A restaurant/bar that makes you feel great for the minute you walk in whether you’re alone or with crowd. Welcoming …..fun fun place. Great place .