The Manganos Bring Back Grassy Point on May 30

By Katie McFadden

A blast from the not-so-distant past is back, as the new Grassy Point is set to open this Saturday, May 30. From the McCambridges to the Manganos, the beloved Broad Channel bar and restaurant is in the hands of a family that wanted to ensure Grassy’s, with a revamped look that holds on to its classic charm, is “Always a good time.”

Grassy Point has been a mainstay of Broad Channel history. Originally operating as a bayside hotel since 1916, a fire brought Grassy Point to its current location at 1802 Cross Bay Blvd. in the late 1930s, where it’s served as a restaurant and bar, heavy on the bar in recent years, and doubling as an unofficial antiques museum under the ownership of lifelong Broad Channel resident John McCambridge, who owned it since 1971. A few years ago, McCambridge started coming to terms with it being time to pass the torch. But he held out for the next generation that would do right by the beloved mainstay.

That was the Mangano family. The young brother and sister duo, Jeremy and Gabrielle Mangano of Rockaway, knew the place well, and wanted to honor its historic roots while taking it to the next level. Jeremy brought with him restaurant experience, previously owning a pizzeria called Girolamo’s in Brooklyn, while Gabrielle brought her leadership skills to the table, directing and choreographing plays at the Rockaway Theatre Company and hospitality experience, having worked in food and beverage and doing in house programming at The Rockaway Hotel for four years. “We’ve always loved the spirit of Grassy’s and saw the potential to give it new life. Going into business together was something we had always talked about, and our goal was to make a spot comfortable for years to come,” Gabrielle Mangano said.

McCambridge knew it was a match. “Part of the reason he liked us so much is that we didn’t want to do this whole new thing. We wanted to revamp what was here and I think he loved that. Once he heard that, he was open to us buying it,” Jeremy Mangano said. The Manganos purchased Grassy’s in December 2024, telling the McCambridges that they even wanted to keep the name.

And the McCambridges were the first to see what the Manganos did once it was finished. “They loved it,” Gabrielle Mangano said. “They were blown away and really touched that we kept a lot of the original bones.”

Blown away is a shared reaction friends, family and neighbors who have been peeking through the windows have been experiencing over the last month, as they eagerly await the opening of Grassy Point.

When folks walk through the doors starting on Saturday, they’ll come across a Grassy’s that looks new but feels familiar. After all, the bones, booth placements and even the lamps are the same, but there are plenty of new floor to ceiling upgrades that hold on to that vintage feel.

“We did our best to preserve the original character of the space while thoughtfully updating it. The bar itself dates back to the 1939 World’s Fair, and while we refinished the bar top, redesigned the booths, and carefully restored every chandelier, we made sure to keep the soul of the original Grassy Point intact.  Guests will still notice much of the original woodwork, including the top of our main bar, which was handcrafted by our dear friend and former owner, John McCambridge. From the beginning, our goal was to honor the history of Grassy Point while giving it new life for the community,” Jeremy Mangano said.

As far as differences, customers will notice the more open feel, new green paint, new checkered floors, new seating, a cozy lounge area with two seats and a classic television showing vintage movies, and especially a brand-new bathroom area with a shared washroom space, three individual restrooms and a ‘70s style that will have folks stopping for Instagram-worthy selfies. “It’s a little retro, a little eclectic — inspired by that cozy ‘grandpa’s basement’ feeling, but reimagined in a way that still feels current and inviting. We wanted the space to feel almost like an extension of your home — warm, welcoming, and completely come-as-you-are,” Gabrielle Mangano, who will serve as general manager, said.

Another welcome aspect will be Grassy’s offering food service again as not only a bar, but a restaurant serving up modern American comfort food. The food service will roll out about a week after opening. The Manganos expect a big seller to be fish and chips, made in a vodka batter, giving it a light, flaky, crispy feel, and served with house dilly tartar sauce. Another popular choice might be a dry age burger. “It feels like an old school Big Mac,” Jeremy Mangano, the head chef who will be in the kitchen, said. Over the summer, they’ll even offer a variety of hot dogs including a classic New York City dog, a Detroit dog with chili and a Chicago dog, and in the winter, they’ll offer heavier comfort items like chicken pot pie. “We’ll have some staples and there will be items that rotate for the season,” Jeremy Mangano said.

As for drinks, they’ll have a full bar with draft, bottle and canned beers, wine and a fun cocktail menu that friends and family got a sneak peak of last weekend, with drinks like the Boogie with Stu, featuring Maker’s Mark whiskey, Bonne Maman’s Raspberry Preserves and lemonade, and a Brackish Margarita featuring jalapeno tequila, blood orange juice, cream of coconut and lime, plus regular nostalgic drinks like lemonade and cream soda. And among those serving up the beverages will be original Grassy’s bartenders Mark Kragel and Joe O’Hare, returning to service. “Once we met them, we knew we wanted to have them on board,” Gabrielle Mangano said. “They’re the perfect two. They love this place as much as we do,” Jeremy Mangano added.

After a spending a year and a half pouring their souls into the space, the Manganos are ready to welcome customers starting Saturday. “It feels great,” Gabrielle Mangano said. “We’re so excited to finally share it with the community. We’ve felt the excitement and support from everyone along the way, and we can’t wait to open our doors and welcome people back into Grassy’s.”

Like the original motto seen on vintage Grassy’s postcards, and on the new merch, the Manganos simply hope it’s “Always a good time.” Gabrielle Mangano said, “We want people to have a good time — always.”

Grassy Point opens Saturday, May 30 at 3 p.m., bar service only, with DJ Nick Russo spinning tunes into the night. On Sunday, May 31, they open at noon. Once the kitchen opens the following week, regular hours will be Wednesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. The bar will stay open later.

For more info, call 347-230-4451 and for updates, make sure to follow @grassypointny on Instagram and Grassy Point on Facebook.