The new Comfort Diner at 399 Grand St. is in soft-open mode this week. Local residents have taken note of signs posted outside listing “preview hours” from 5-9 p.m. and a 20% discount “off the entire check.” Last night, owner Ira Freehof told us he wants to make sure all of the kinks are worked out in the kitchen before launching full-scale service. Right now, the restaurant is hosting a limited number of guests per hour. By next week, Freehof said, he’ll launch breakfast service, with a grand opening expected in two weeks. Next Tuesday, the State Liquor Authority will weigh in on the Comfort Diner’s liquor license. In September, Community Board 3 voted against the liquor permit after Freehof declined to accept restricted hours. An original branch of the restaurant has operated in Midtown for 18 years.
Was excited to have dinner there this evening. But unfortunately, those kinks will keep me from going back in the near future. From the long wait for food service to the food being overly seasoned…it’s hard to understand how he operated the original branch for 18 years…