Tribeca’s New Diner Sensation Au Cheval Is Now Taking Reservations

Forget the multi-hour Au Cheval wait

Au Cheval’s burger has blown into Tribeca, and long lines have come along with it — three-hour-long lines at one point. But now the Chicago diner import is taking reservations, making entry much easier for some. There are a slew of daytime openings, as well as some for weekend brunch, but available dinner spots are more toward the dreaded 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. times.

Cornelia Street Cafe spotted in Brooklyn

Iconic West Village hangout Cornelia Street Cafe may have closed in January, but now owner Robin Hirsch and various performers have banded together for a pop-up in Brooklyn. Called Cornelia Street in Exile, the pop-up will feature three nights of performances including poetry readings and music from David Amram and Co. and Arturo O’Farrill. It takes place April 5 through April 7 at Brooklyn Commons at 388 Atlantic Ave.

Openings, closings, and coming attractions

After 15 years in the East Village, Stillwater Bar & Grill has closed because of a reported “landlord dispute.” Brigitte on the Lower East Side has flipped into R&D by Convivium, a bar and tasting kitchen from catering company Convivium at 37 Canal St. Up on the Upper West Side, a new wine bar and rotisserie kitchen called Le Petit Rooster will open at 491 Columbus Ave. in about two weeks, while Midtown Italian restaurant Galo Nero is slated to open in Tribeca at 134 West Broadway.

A minimum wage battle

More data is out on the effect of the minimum wage hike on NYC’s restaurant industry. A survey published by the New York City Hospitality Alliance — a restaurant lobbying group — shows that in 2018, “full-service restaurants recorded a 1.6 percent job loss, which is the first recorded annual loss in two decades.” Plus, more than 75 percent of full-service respondents reduced employee hours, and 36 percent cut jobs last year. It’s not clear how many restaurants were surveyed, but this data is in addition to a report last week that the restaurant industry in NYC saw a loss of 6,000 jobs last year, the first decline in over a decade.