New UES Restaurants: Greek, Mexican, Controversial Members' Club OK'd

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY ? New Greek, Mexican and Japanese restaurants are among the newest and next openings on the Upper East Side, according to this week's meeting of a community board committee ? which also finally signed off on a controversial, ultra-elite members' club after pleas from its high-society clientele.

The restaurants were presented to Community Board 8's Street Life Committee on Tuesday as owners sought approval for beer, wine and liquor licenses.

Here's what we learned about each new restaurant:

Mexican restaurant, not yet named (1825 Second Ave., between East 94th and 95th streets):

This Yorkville eatery will be the latest restaurant by Chef Julian Medina, known for other Mexican spots like Toloache on East 82nd Street, and Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen and Astoria.

Replacing the former Painted Lady Saloon, the not-yet-named restaurant will be open daily from noon to 12 p.m., a representative said.

Myconian House (25 East 83rd St., between Fifth and Madison avenues):

This Greek restaurant will replace the bygone Italian spot Giovanni.

Its owner, Alina Borys, is new to the restaurant industry, but has brought in Gregory Politis ? a former co-owner of Korali on Third Avenue and Yefsi on York Avenue ? to oversee day-to-day operations, a representative said.

Myconian House will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., seating 48 people across 19 tables, plus an eight-seat bar.

Jamie Reisch, who lives in the building above the restaurant, joined the meeting to express concerns, saying that the previous occupant, Giovanni, had been plagued by ventilation issues that caused "restaurant smells throughout the building."

The committee ultimately approved the application, adding a stipulation that the owners work with building residents to resolve any ventilation problems.

Ume Sushi Asian (1154 First Ave., between East 63rd and 64th streets):

This just-opened Japanese restaurant specializes in sushi and ramen, having replaced long-shuttered Ahana Sushi.

Ume is open daily from noon to 10 p.m., seating 30 people across 13 tables, a representative said.

Madison Avenue members' club (840 Madison Ave., between East 69th and 70th streets):

After facing stiff opposition at an August meeting from residents of the next-door co-op building at 10 East 70th St., representatives for this exclusive members' club planned by British "nightclub king" Robin Birley returned to the board this week ? with a long list of promises.

The multi-page document was generated through discussion with the co-op residents, who had raised fears about deliveries and trash pickups clogging side streets. Now, the members' club has drawn up a new plan in which delivery and trash trucks will stop only on Madison Avenue, attorney Max Bookman said.

Responding to noise concerns, the club had also added extra sound-dampening material to cover an "entire wall" between the club and a next-door building, Bookman said.

Still, representatives for 10 East 70th St. said they could not support the proposal, since they were still awaiting the results of an acoustics and engineering report. But the club says it can't wait any longer for its liquor license to be approved, having been trying since 2019 to open the Upper East Side business.

To bolster its bid, the club had supporters join the meeting and urge the board to approve the application ? including Stephen A. Schwarzman, the billionaire investor, Donald Trump ally, East Side resident and namesake of the New York Public Library Main Branch, who said he has known Birley since 1995.

"Madison Avenue needs a lift ? how many empty storefronts can you look at and still think it?s New York?" said Schwarzman, adding that Birley was "a person with enormous ethics."

"To let Robin's application fail ... would be an awful moment for New York," Schwarzman added.

The board heeded that advice, as committee chair Abraham Salcedo said he had "never come across a such detailed and collaborative and lengthy stipulation proposal" for a new business.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the club's application, including its lengthy stipulations to neighbors ? though CB8 plans to revisit the issue at its full board meeting later this month, by which point the acoustic and engineering studies may be available.

Birley, dubbed a "nightclub king" by the New York Post, is known for his London supper clubs including 5 Hertford Street ? a similarly ultra-elite venue rumored to be the place where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had their first date.

Birley is also known for his close relationships with the U.K.'s ruling Conservative Party, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson. (He is recognizeable for his distinctive facial scars, the result of being mauled by a tiger as a child.)

For his Madison Avenue club, Birley is looking to court members of New York's creative class as members, the Post has reported.

Related coverage:

• Ultra-Elite UES Members' Club Faces Opposition, Plus More Openings
• New UES Restaurants: Tacos, 2 Italian Spots, Movie Theater Beer