1.

Sad to see; I spent many years at the helm of the PC's kitchen and helped make the move to the new location.

2.

Hit post too soon: it should be made clear that the move was not based on a desire simply to expand based on popularity. The landlord at the old space had been trying to get rid of the Commune for years and turn it into retail space (no surprise there). They succeeded in 2004 and it was move to a new location or dissapear; price increases went hand in hand with a higher lease and the cost of turning the dilapidated former Nadine's space into a serviceable restaurant again.

3.

Not so true, #2. As a former employee I can attest to the fact that the owners were offered the option to renew, albeit at an increase but well below market. When negotiations fell through the building owner was happy to turn it into a non-food, retail space but the ultimate decision to move was that of the restaurant corporation. It most certainly WAS their intention and desire to relocate to a larger space for increased revenue as a 30 seat restaurant wasn't cutting it. It's worth mentioning that shortly before they relocated the owners sold the name of the business to new investors whose business model was a Pastis brand rip-off. The place is nothing but a money pit and employee checks are now bouncing which is indeed the precursor to demise. This vanity project was doomed for failure and the original Paris Commune holds many fond memories of the days before the Mall at Bleecker began. Just goes to show you that it's easier to buy a name than a soul.

4.

Is it just a coincidence that Gawker ran that silly post on Laurence Isaacson (the witty disaster who bought Paris Commune) yesterday and DEATHWATCH followed? Yikes, whoever said no press is good press was right.

5.

Well, if #3 is the case then it just adds to the bill of goods I was sold when they asked me to come back after a 2 year absence and help with the move. For the record, employee checks have been bouncing for a long time, it's not a recent thing.

6.

The space on ninety-nine Bank St. is newer. However, imposing as this writer may try to make it seem - it is very, very far from a clinical-like environment. Banquette seating offers diners added comfort.

7.

I was a "regular" at the Bleecker location which was a unique experience each and every time. Anyone who ever dined at the new place is shocked at how it has absolutely NO relationship with the former. The standard wait between courses was 45 minutes the last time I ate there and the prices do not meet the standards of the pseudo "French" cuisine. I won't even bother to comment on the unfortunate presence of the proprietors and their shady basement "wine" bar but suffice it to say, there are many of us in the hood who will not spill any tears over the doors slamming on this place.

8.

Banquette seating could not save this soulless space. This restaurant seemed doomed from the get-go and it's amazing it lasted this long. It always smelled of desperation, like it was being operated by people who had no clue about how to run a business. You can tell they pumped a small fortune renovating the place and the troll-like owner running around, wringing his hands, apologizing for every mis-step lended to the tragic air of the place. I never understood why they tried to capitalize on the old Commune. It's like moving a place like The White Horse in to one of the shiny Meiers buildings on Perry St. Maybe Marc Jacobs can open a housewares store there after they slam. Just saying....

9.

I went for dinner last night and I thought both the service and the food were great. I hope that the death watch is premature because I would certainly return.

10.

I have been there frequently and have found Paris Commune always bustling, food and service great...

11.

I like them both. The old location was quaint, charming and cozy, but very cramped,noisy as all get out and in the days before the smoking ban could be really un-appealing. The new location is sleeker, not cozy or quaint, but just as appealing.
Menu dependable and good (love the mussels steamed in the tomato thingy) good wine selection( reasonably priced) and good wait staff. Have always had a very nice time there. I to hope the deathwatch is pre-mature.

12.

I used to love eating at the old PC. I tried the new one just two weeks ago for brunch. The food distinctly reminded me of my fraternity's cook -- a trip down memory lane but not a welcome one...

13.

The chef they hired to open the place walked after his paycheck bounced on several occasions. The new investors did buy out the original owners. They're notorious for not paying vendors and they can't keep a professional employee for more than a week. The food is mediocre at best and their "famous" brunch fare is inedible. But they do offer a basement rumpus room where anything goes. Deathwatch not premature in the least.

14.

Ouch. You can bet they'll make sure their publicist is paid in full after this. Just saw the item placed on Page Six about the "sighting' of 80's relics Jay MacInerney and Nicole Miller hosting bruch there. Nice try.

15.

Having lived in the neighborhood for well over a decade, we frequented the old location and were excited that it would remain in the neighborhood. We waited 3 months after re-opening, as we usually do for any new or reopened place to iron out the wrinkles, we decided to try it out. We walked in and the "owner" greeted us with a huge hug and chatted us up like we knew him or he knew us. It was really surreal because we had never (to our knowledge) seen this person before. The decor was a little over the top but nice for an upscale place, but definitely trying to grab the same clientele as Pastis, et. al., to which I say "Ewww!". But, we thought, okay, hopefully the soul is still there.



Well, after receiving our salads some 15-20 minutes after ordering, our entrees arrived some 35-40 minutes after that. Only there was a problem. There was only one entree. Mine was nowhere to be seen, and neither was the waiter. It took us getting up and actually stopping someone physically mid-stride to get them to help us. They said they would get me my entree right away. I waited ANOTHER 40 minutes. By that point I was seriously cranky as you can imagine. It had been almost an hour and half since I finished my salad. It was seriously strange.




I'm pretty easy going and I could have actually lived with all that and chalked it up to some lapse of organization, temporary I would hope. But they didn't even comp the entree! They offered us dessert, which I would have gladly received and thrown it right back at the "owner" if I had an ounce of civility left, but I didn't. We paid and left.



Obviously we haven't been back.



I'm hoping that if they go under that it will be the death knell to the spreading caustic juices of the new, glamorous, well-done (stick a fork in it!) Meat Packing Mall.

16.

It was one of the hardest kitchens I've ever seen to work in. It was understaffed (a 3 man line, chef included, putting out some 150-200 meals on a busy nite), there was never a thought given to spacing out reservations and seatings, no restrictions on large parties (one night in particular there were 4 parties of 10+ seated within 30 minutes of each other)an undersized kitchen and on and on. They would hammer it every nite (all the worse after the wine room opened downstairs and they would book it for parties); the worst nite I remember was was when they seated the entire dining in room in one shot (75-80 people) and a party of 30 downstairs. In the span of 10 minutes orders came in for a total of 90 covers, apps and entrees. It was a disaster; there was no way that the last table that ordered was waiting any less than 30-40 minutes for their apps. No telling when they would get their entrees as wasn't even the room to begin cooking that much food. Ugh, enough of that; I could fill pages.
In regard to post 14, there was also a copywriter paid a ridiculous amount of money to add "color" to the menus.

17.

#16: You indicated that you worked for these idiots for more than one tour. You had to know what you were signing up for. It's unfortunate not only for you but for those working for you that you didn't have the cojones to assert yourself with the owners and management as soon as this dynamic became apparent. The first time you experienced their blatant disregard you should have assembled your possie and walked. By the way, I have seen this kitchen and it's one of the worse designs I have ever witnessed. It's smaller than the original restaurant's and is supposed to accommodate more than double the seating capacity of the former. There's even a support beam in the middle of the line! Ditto the bar design. The architect should be ashamed. I see a shoe store in the next incarnation...........

18.

I am not surprised. I ate there recently to celebrate a friend's birthday. We asked for a desert with a candle and we were brought a dinner roll. No jokeing. Then while serving coffee, a pot of decaf came to the table for 2 members of our party. I asked for regular and heard the waiter tell the server, "just give him decaf, he'll never know the difference." We were all appalled at each behavior. We asked to see the manager who was didn't understand what the big deal was. Well, the big deal was we never went back and gave the place bad press every time we heard it mentioned. Au revior !!!

19.

are these the owners who are partners and are very active givers in gay causes? or new owners. because those two seem like good guys, very generous.

20.

Uh, yeah, they're very generous "givers to gay causes". maybe after their bistro slams they'll have even more time to "give" to the gays.......

21.

Dear Valued Customers and Eater.com,

We at the Paris Commune would like to take this opportunity to apologize to those customers and employees that we have offended. We also would like to thank the customers who have stood by us through the good and the bad. We realize that we have not been perfect and could only hope that our efforts to serve you better would be noticed. Please give us another chance to prove to you that we are not trying to replace our old location but build on its strong foundations to become better.

Your Humble,

Paris Commune

22.

It never ceases to amaze me that so many people with so little real experience in the restaurant business are so quick to judge those trying to make a living and make a business work in New York City. Disgruntled former employees or needy, bitchy one-time diners -- those whose limited experience apparently makes them experts -- may post agitated comments on irrlevant, ambitious blogs like eater.com, but that doesn't mean the place in question is bad or even failing. I am certain there is another side to the real story. I'm not sure what eater's agenda is, but this alleged "deathwatch" is clearly charged with aggression and emotion; the red flags of tabloid-style journalism. Every time I've dined at this lovely spot they are packed with happy campers. Unfortunately, this blog seems to be filled with those who not only wish for the old Paris Commune but for a Greenwich Village that does not exist anymore. Greenwich Village is changing and has changed -- welcome eater.com as they jump on the whiney where-did-the-seventies-go band wagon.



The problem with self-appointed critics such as eater.com and those of you with so much venom for Paris Commune is that you present yourselves as seasoned restaurant authorities. You mention that you know inside information and problems with brand, ownership, DOH, etc., and that is your proverbial "smoking gun". Actually, it's hear say and opinion, not evidence.

Trashing other people's hard work is pathetic and it's not real journalism. Try owning and operating a restaurant in this town for twenty years and then we'll talk; and I'm not referring to Paris Commune's current ownership. The restaurant business is one that is tumultuous and tricky to navigate. Many small businesses have payroll and service issues and this does not imply negligence on the part of the owners; I'm sure the are diligent in correcting their payroll mistakes otherwise they would have no employees. They must be doing something right because they haven't closed their doors yet. If this past Friday night was any indication, they must be doing incredibly well because I had to wait 45 minutes for a table, they were so packed.



I am a regular at Paris Commune and I have enjoyed their transformation. I know others who feel the same and who dine there regularly. If you are pining for the "old days" of what this business used to be, you should probably get over it and get over yourself. Things change. That's life.


If you think it's "over" for the Commune and you don't want to patronize this great place, then don't. And don't worry, those of us who love what's happening at Paris Commune won't miss you at all!

23.

I too believe this deathwatch is extremely premature. While the new (it's three years old - does that qualify as new?) space is more stylish and elegant than the original location, but it has lost none of the original charm. Careful observers will notice several archival photos of the old space among the backlit photos. While never claiming to be a french restaurant (like Pastis), but rather, a mix of french and continental fare, it had always strived to have top quality, artisinal ingredients.

Yes, service has been spotty over the years, but I daresay that can be said about almost all restaurants south of 14th Street, where it is difficult to find people interested in being professional waitstaff, rather than looking for way of paying the bills between auditions and go-sees.

I agree with an earlier poster - if you don't like it, fine stay away. There are plenty of other options for you. But for the rest of us that enjoy the walnut-crusted brie, tasty steak frites, and a warm wedge of gingerbread washed down with a delicious wine, I say "cheers!"