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The question of whether the corner of President and 5th is just bad luck for restaurants arises on a Brooklynian thread about the shuttering of Playa and Cabana Bar, which opened a little over a year ago in that location. Prior to that, the space briefly hosted three other eateries: Night & Day, Lookout Hill, and Biscuit BBQ. The closing of Playa, though, seems sorta odd, as it did much steadier business than the three places that preceded it. A source close to the restaurant gives the following account of Playa’s shuttering: The guy who ran the three businesses before Playa was brought in as a partner on the new venture because he owned the space’s liquor license. However, he’s now in a legal dispute with the landlord and pulled out of his partnership in Playa, taking the liquor license with him. Playa couldn’t turn a profit without the booze license, hence the closing. There’s probably a lot different takes on why it closed, but that’s one of them. In any event, what would you like to see go into the space next? GMAP


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  1. Whatever happened, it must be a bad breakup – cause I walked by it last night and the location is being guarded by a security guard (poor guy was just standing in front of the place).

    I’d like to see it turned into a large Fruit/veg Store – (like the one on Court and Pacific- i think)

  2. The Indian food, before the opening of Balluci’s, was just awful in the Slope. Balluchi’s is OK, but there is still something to be desired.

    As for what should go in there? How about the next Tex-Mex restaurant in the Slope? There aren’t too many of those … 😉

  3. Tiptoe,

    Not only do they run Barrio, but also Calle Ocho on the Upper West Side, which is fantastic. So yes, it’s shocking that this place was so bad. But it was.

    I found the decor at Playa to be incredibly tacky also. A real turn off.

    Someone on the Brooklynian thread mentioned a good BBQ place a la Fette Sau.

  4. that sounds good arkady. but there are just too many food establishments around there. i heard the indian places in the area are pretty bad, is that true? i love indian food but have never tried any out in park slope.

    *rob*

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