A mammoth five-alarm fire engulfed O’Neill’s Restaurant Sunday night, destroying the beloved Maspeth hangout and two other small businesses on the corner of 65th Place and 53rd Drive. It raged until 3:20 a.m., when 200-plus firefighters finally managed to bring the blaze under control.
The fire was a blow to Maspeth residents. The restaurant, a neighborhood icon, opened after Prohibition ended in 1933 and established itself as one of the area’s most popular meeting places for birthday parties, fraternal organizations and other community events.
The restaurant’s owner, George O’Neill, said he plans to rebuild. Until then, people are going to have to go elsewhere for a burger and a beer.
In the coming weeks and months there’s sure to be plenty of talk of the restaurant’s glory days. Do you have fond memories of O’Neill’s? Share one with our readers by posting a comment.
