NYC's TBar expands to Roslyn
Crispy sushi including spicy tuna, tuna, hamachi jalapeno and salmon at TBar in Roslyn. Credit: Stephanie Foley
It was 1995 when the Lenox Room — which would become TBar in 2007 — debuted on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with chef Charlie Palmer in the kitchen, and Tony Fortuna, a legendary restaurant guy with a knack for hospitality, his partner. Almost 30 years later, a new TBar outpost is open in Roslyn.
Fortuna, who died Jan. 5 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, handed down the restaurant’s legacy to co-owner Derek Axelrod, the designer and partner of TBar’s Southampton location, which opened in 2019.
“I grew up in Old Westbury, I’m a Long Island guy,” Axelrod said. “I love the quaint and villagey feel.”
The new restaurant boasts the same menu that has kept the city location in business for decades: high-level steaks including a 40-ounce porterhouse ($175) and an 8-ounce filet ($58), fish like seared Chilean sea bass ($56), herb grilled branzino ($42) and soy-wasabi crusted tuna ($48), pasta (don’t miss the black ink linguine with spicy lobster, $38), and crispy sushi ($39 for 8 pieces). Long Island additions include pizza ($24) coming from the space’s brick oven. And although you might be full after dinner, don’t skip out on dessert. The massive strawberry sundae layered with shortcake and meringue ($25) is sublime and the warm apple crisp ($22) with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream is a classic.
TBar’s dark, moody bar is a good place to start with a jalapeño cucumber margarita ($20) or the "Gold Rush" made with honey, lemon and Angel’s Envy bourbon ($22). Cocktails are juiced by hand and the ice is meticulously curated. The elegant dining room offsets the bar with a rich, creamy palette dotted with leather banquettes, and the pleated walls are accented with oversized mirrors and works by local artists. The dark, velvet-paneled upstairs lounge — a gem for swank private parties — evokes TBar NYC’s sexy, yet soothing texture.
The dark, velvet-clad upstairs dining area at TBar in Roslyn. Credit: Stephanie Foley
Come spring, a 40-seat roof deck will join the 125-seat interior dining room, brunch will be available on weekends, and the bar will serve a late-night menu of tamarind wings ($24), focaccia and pizzas.
“People will always go into the city,” Axelrod said. “But we hope to give Long Islanders an alternative. A place — in their town — with vibe, ambience, terrific cocktails and great food.”
TBar Roslyn, 1363 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn, 516-277-2466, tbar.li; Open Tuesday and Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Brunch begins at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.
