London Lennie's Seafood Restaurant Is Here To Stay, Owner Says

REGO PARK, QUEENS — The owner of London Lennie's Seafood Restaurant, which was listed for sale in May, says the beloved Rego Park eatery isn't going anywhere.

"For the past 60 years, my family and I have been serving the community with the finest and freshest seafood," owner Les Barnes wrote in a letter posted on the restaurant's Facebook page earlier this month. "We will carry on the tradition for the next 60 years."

News of the $6.5 million listing dismayed the restaurant's loyal customers, who braced themselves for the loss of what they called the best seafood spot in the neighborhood.

Barnes told the Forest Hills Times that he and his family were just "exploring the value of the property," according to an article published Wednesday, but the listing was enough to convince the restaurant's fans of its impending demise.

(Keep up with news in Forest Hills by subscribing to Forest Hills Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

"It got blown out of proportion," Barnes told the outlet. "We had to put an end to the rumors."

Barnes' father, Leonard "Lennie" Barnes, founded the restaurant in 1959 after a stint in the Merchant marine, the restaurant's website says.

The Woodhaven Boulevard spot now serves an estimated 140,000 meals a year, according to the Forest Hills Times.