BY JESSICA MILITELLO
@BENEATHTHEGAZE After setbacks in renovation and construction
20
stemming from dealing
with an older building, the wait is
over: Rivercrest held its long-anticipated
opening at the beginning
of October. It’s an all-in-one bar
where locals can see sports games
or enjoy movie nights while indulging in
cocktails, beer and tasty dishes made with
the eclectic Astoria neighborhood in mind.
The space has a vintage vibe and plenty of
fun artwork, and it even includes a speakeasystyle
bar to encompass all of Astoria’s interesting
and quirky history. The four owners, Mark
Whelan, Martin Whelan, Shane Chrystal and
Ciara O’Sullivan, sought to create a fun atmosphere
for patrons to gather for sports games
or get-togethers — or just to escape for a bit
and unwind.
Rivercrest’s owners are certainly experts in
giving customers what they want; brothers
Martin and Mark Whelan are the owners of
11 bars, mostly located in Manhattan, such as
Maggie’s Place, Stout and One Mile House.
That’s where the Whelans met O’Sullivan and
Chrystal, who worked at these spots in roles
ranging from bartender to manager over the
course of about 15 years. Over time, the four
of them became good friends, so when the
Whelans had an idea to open a new location
FOOD + DRINK
WORTH THE WAIT
NOVEMBER 2019