By COLlive reporter
A group of Jewish residents of Crown Heights is planning to attend the upcoming Community Board 9 meeting to speak out against the Liquor License Application by the kosher Izzy’s BBQ Smokehouse.
The popular meat restaurant at 397 Troy Avenue, also known as Izzy’s BBQ Addiction, serves appetizers, sandwiches, ribs, and delicatessens such as smoked brisket and sides.
Its request to start serving liquor has some neighbors riled up, with them asking New York officials to deny the application “for multiple reasons,” including planning to start playing music and the later than advertised closing hours.
“I live right around the corner on Crown Street, between Troy and Schenectady,” resident Yossi Newfield told COLlive.com.
“This restaurant caters primarily to non-Crown Heights residents. As it is, this restaurant is not in the spirit of the Chabad community. Having a liquor license and loud music will only further reinforce the problematic atmosphere this restaurant already has.”
Only 4 of the signatures supporting the application live within a 2-block radius of Izzy’s restaurant, Newfield said. “The rest of the signatures either are from other neighborhoods or lack a street address completely.”
In a letter to the Community Board, Newfield noted that Izzy’s is located within approximately 200 feet from the Oholei Torah Mesivta at 417 Troy Avenue which serves as a shul on Shabbos and a Yeshiva school for approximately 300 teenage boys from 7:30 AM-9:30 PM.
The letter also claims that citywide noise complaints on the NYC 311 website confirm a 300% increase in noise complaints from bars and restaurants in the past 5 years at a time when the number of liquor licenses has also tripled.
Izzy’s owner Sruly Eidelman has not replied to a request for comment.
Update: The license was not put on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. A source said it will be discussed at next month’s meeting of the Community Board.
You say ” when you walk by Izzy’s there are often people standing outside smoking. It is disgusting and extremely uncomfortable.” Have you tried walking by LY on crown street when there’s a l’chaim? or other venues when there’s a l’chaim.
GUESS WHAT! It’s the same deal! Izzy’s is no more to blame than ULY is.
just so they don’t get loud.
Doesn’t Basil have a liquor license? I haven’t heard of any issues there. But blocking the alleyway isn’t right. Apart from the inconvenience and selfishness, it’s hazardous – what happens if first responders need to access the back of the houses?
Residents should let the air out of the tires AND call the police.
If I can’t get into my alley I am furious. I hope they get their license and are reading theee comments and make sure the alley isn’t block going forward.
I live close by and happen to pass Izzys quite often. There was never once overly loud noise – the same as any other restaurant. This all stems from jealousy and not being happy for another Jews success (typical of CH) . If anything, it boosts this side of crown heights in every aspect. People become manipulative animals and will make up anything they can come up with. #75 ” Across the border for the modern/lite/whatever folk who nebach never learned the beauty of living the frum life.” – The main beauty is definitely having sinas chinum…. and by the… Read more »
I was buying dinner for 6 family members . I wanted beer with my bbq. At the table, bubbe and zaidy, who don’t drink. Three under age, and myself. I was the only one capable of going to the corner store for beer. If Izzy had a license, moments of family time wouldn’t be wasted, leaving a lovely restaurant, to a dirty bodega. Go Izzy !!
Not a lawyer, but websites say that “bring your own bottle ”
is illegal in NY state under any circumstances. Also, there now exists non-kosher beer.
After reading many complaints in regards to patrons blocking alleys, there seems to be an obvious solution. Why doesn’t the police department write parking tickets to those blocking alleys and driveways? I understand they may be understaffed, but as an out of towner, this seems like an obvious solution.
Yes, please start selling beer. I go to Izzy’s every so often and if we want beer we have to go down the block to the corner store to buy beer. It would be much more convenient if we could buy it in the restaurant. Smokehouses need beer, it’s an essential ingredient.
bodega sells beer for a buck or two, and Izzy’s will sell for $7-10 for the same bottle. trust me, OT kids will not be buying their beer at Izzy’s.
I’m not sure what you’re walking about? I have never had an issue waiting for a car to be ticketed and towed blocking our driveway. I’ve had the cops come within half an hour, look up the plates to see if it is someone local that they can just knock on the door and get them to move. If not, they ticket it. Call any towing company and they will be there faster than they say. I’ve had a tow truck within 5 minutes of calling after the cops left. This is their parnosso. They know that if they shlep… Read more »
You obviously don’t have a driveway in Crown Heights. 1) A car won’t be towed by any towing company until it has an NYPD ticket on it. So step one is not “Have them towed.” It is “Have them ticketed.” 2) It takes the NYPD up to 8 hours to respond to a blocked driveway because, understandably, robberies, assaults, etc. must take precedence. 3) By the time they can come for a lower-priority situation like a blocked alley or driveway, the car is often long gone. 4) Even in the rare instance when you get “lucky” and the NYPD can… Read more »
It is true that Izzy’s chooses to not use any meat or poultry that bears a Lubavitch hechsher (and there is not only ONE Chabad hechsher for fleishigs). I can understand that they may not always be able to get every prime cut of beef or veal, consistently, under a Chabad hechsher, so I “get” their decision to have the OK hechsher for the restaurant. But chicken is ALWAYS available with the MK Chabad or the CHK hechshers. This “thumb in the eye” disrespect of Chabad, alone, is a reason to not grant them permission to have a liquor or… Read more »
This can actually solve the neighbors parking problem. If people know that they can drink at Izzy’s they might start taking Ubers instead of driving themselves, because they can’t drive if they have alcohol. So if Izzy’s starts serving alcohol it is possible that fewer customers will take parking spaces from the neighbors.
For all you neighbors who have problems with cars blocking your alley, have them towed. It won’t be long before Izzy’s will start a valet parking service.
Izzy’s is under the OK, which is actually stricter than CHK.
Half of those signatures are forgeries. The were written by the same person, if you look closely. Virtually every restaurant has a liquor license, regardless of the neighborhood of location. This “petition” just seems like a vendetta against Izzy Edelman. As for excessive drinking…. maybe Yossi Newfield should think about that, overtime there is a Farbregen. I seem to recall every male in 770 being drunk, on Shmini Atzeres and Simchas Torah. That even includes underage boys. Restaurants are not allowed to serve alcohol, to anyone under 21 years of age. Those bochurim are not going to be able to… Read more »
Be real.. the issue here is the Traffic and Sirens after 8pm! Lets ban 911 calls after 8 pm so we can all sleep better.
So much passion Crown heights… maybe a good place to start is to ban alcohol in mesivtas where bochurim are all under 21.
Would the Rebbe approve shutting down an honest mans business like this? I think not. Get over yourselves..
Most comments here are about the general drinking issue and about general IZZYs restaurant. as written before. the alcohol issue is not something new to our community and will not become worse by allowing IZZYs to obtain such license since this place is certainly not a BAR. its not meant to come and get drunk its simply like all other restaurants who also serve some wine for additional taste for the ppl who request it….. it seems to me like the ppl generally speaking have a issue with IZZYs place. now. by trying to block him to get this license… Read more »
Take your williamsburg attitude right back to willy. You call youself one of the Rebbe’s “real” chassidim? Because you learned the beauty of living the frum life. Yet you have no concern for your fellow’s wellbeing poshut b’gashmius.
Why is farbrengan drinking better than “social drinking”? I go out for drinks occasionally and I also would have a beer in a restaurant. My drinking is never out of hand and is never the way I’ve seen “top chassidim” drink for “chasidisher” reasons.
Everyone knows lubavitch has a drinking problem, it isn’t the fault of the liquor license or the people who like to occasional grab a pint. It’s the holy drinking that has to end!
If you disagree I would love to hear what you think… perhaps over a drink?
same old .
out of towner laughing at the stupidity of this !
you live in a metropolitan city expect to have noise cars blocking and all types of ppl coming and going and he’s drinking and music .
move if u don’t like all the above . I did and I am loving the peace and quiet 😁
Don’t act like a jerk to your neighbor and they won’t try to get you shut down.
You dont ev3n have a clue what a real chossid is. Ahavas yisroel is the only real chassidishkeit, If not, than throw everything else away
Izzy’s can move to a bigger space to accommodate more patrons. Just a jew block away – maybe Utica.
Past 10 years CH has plummeted from what we were before. And places that cater to people from outside CH should move out of the community to where their patrons live!!!
One CH for the Rebbi’s (real) chassidim, and across the border for the modern/lite/whatever folk who nebach never learned the beauty of living the frum life.
I walk past there every night on my way home from work and it is always bursting at the seams (including the second store-front that they use for additional seating). It’s not like they need this for business. Let’s be real. And the amount of inconsideration I see on that block (cars constantly stopped out front, loud patrons, and more) is definitely problematic. Would I go after them myself? Nope. But do I feel bad for them that someone is? Also nope.
Living around the corner and it feels so much better to walk the block In the evenings with all the cars of Jews going to Izzy’s
If you chose to live in crown heights for “peace and quiet” you have come to the wrong place my friends. There are countless other “loud” uncesssry events and parties. Not to mention the underage drinking that goes on… but anyways, this is ridiculous. Pick your battles. This is a pathetic attempt to take down a well established, amazing kosher resturaunt, for absolutely no reason. Mamesh like the liberals. This is disgusting.
A’ Gute Nacht chevre, time to grow up.
It hurt my brain to try to understand what you were saying, but now that I understand it, I have to totally agree.
People need to grow up. So many other issues to fight about
First of all the letter that they sent is full of nonsense
120 bucherim 2 blocks away from Crown
In the building till 830 not 930 =lies
Secondly what’s their business if a store a block away has beer at night
Big deal It’s not a club is blasting music
59, ‘There is no evidence that Izzy’s has ever made problems for its neighbors”.
Really? i am one of those who’s garage keeps getting blocked by their customers, they DO NOT CARE about the people living in the area.
Tzoros machers? Look at what ch has come to look at how rapidly the change of people trying to avoid a מושב לצים and בית שיכורים less than a half a block away from a בית ה׳ and בני תורה turn into tzoros machers i don’t understand why this is better than placing a casino bar or sports arena next door to a yeshivah where the bochurim shteig in the eibershters Torah why the destraction of people not waring yarmulkes smoking weed and becoming shiker off of alcohol this is bittul Torah at its best (worst) tell MR issy to… Read more »
A) Just curious how the Sarsour family feel about this.
B) it’s a problematic location. Why not move the restaurant to a bigger facility and then apply? Then neighbors win abd Izzy’s wins.
To go to the town to complain and hurt parnassa from other Jew is not a chassidishe spirit
someone get a license so they could serve beer while we read the comments
although it sounds like a problem, if they are just planning on serving a glass with an order as if its any other drink, it shouldnt be a problem. The only problem is the amount of zealous young guys who would love to come to izzys to knock themselves out
A simple google map search will show you that its more then 200 ft from OT..
Is not all Chassidshe. Sorry. No way around that. Has anyone seen the pamphlet “MASHKE”. Look for it.
Only 160 bochurim NOT 300!
STOP MAKING PROBELMS IF YOU HAVE A ISSUE KEEP IT IN YOURSELF THERE IS NO PROBELM AND WHAT ABOUT BASIL TO ALSO A ISSUE DONT WALK ON THE STREET CAUSE YOU MIGHT HEAR NOISE I THINK TISHRIE SHOULD STOP CAUSE THERE NOISE NO SO GROW UP AND LET IZZY LIVE
This is such a non issue
Let the guy make some money, why are people making him problems?
There is no evidence that Izzy’s has ever made problems for its neighbors, why are people trying to hurt his livelihood, for what purpose?
Throughout history yidden owned kretchmes and sold hard liquor.
We really shouldn’t have alcohol in Shules either. Serving it in a restaurant actually guarantees that it will be consumed responsibly, unlike what goes on in Shules on a regular basis. If anything we should be complaining about the rampant alcohol abuse in the name of Judaism and Chassidishkeit.
Who cares if they get a liquor license? This is a sit down establishment, not a bar. Having a glass of wine with your steak isn’t the real issue here…
The real issue with this establishment vis a vis their neighbors is the lack of common sense by their patrons who apparently think that blocking alleys, driveways and bus stops is somehow okay…
I’m literally laughing at how ridiculous people are. 1) The ones saying that it’s about the alcohol, maybe look at all the alcoholics drinking next to you at your next farbrengen/kiddush. Unless that’s you, of course. 2) The ones complaining about the restaurant in general should have complained when it opened up and probably complain about life in general. Don’t complain now that you have a forum with people listening to (laughing at) you. 3) To the people complaining about the hechsher, just because your makpid on a certain hechsher (political opinion) doesn’t mean that everyone around you has to… Read more »
The real alcohol problem is yungelite making Kiddush on mashke every Shabbos… Bochrim in mesivta and Yeshiva drinking hard liquor… It’s time to change the status quo, and demand that there should be absolutely no mashke EVER in Yeshivas to bichurim under 21… If they farbreng, let it be in 4 keletchkes of wine…
Serving beer in a restaurant whose main attraction is it’s quite meat is not the problem…
You are 100% right.
It is Izzy’s responsibility to make sure the alleyway is not blocked. Bunch-o-bagel put up a sign and Izzy should do the same courtesy.
. Be happy for young people who work hard and have great ideas instead of trying to hurt their business.
What b’s of a claim,,, as number 9 stated more liquor flo2s on shabbos and Yom tov in shuls and yishevos then in restaurants,,,,
How short-lived our memories are. It wasn’t too long ago that Troy and Montgomery was a dangerous place. A very dangerous place. I remember attending Oholei Torah Zall on Troy Avenue and walking from Kingston Avenue in utter fear. Many longtime residents may have a vivid memories of the young student being brutally stabbed on the corner of Montgomery and Troy. This was R”L One of the most horrific tragedies in our community’s history. Thankfully today, because of the communities expansion and because of young entrepreneurs Who have made great sacrifices to support the neighborhood but they living and build… Read more »
Signed- Nancy Pelosi and all the Democrats.
It assumes that because you “can” drink at Izzy’s you will do so “excessively” Your pilpul is not relevant at all!. Drinking alcohol not excessively is a normal thing to do mentioned in every Misecta of Gemara and is a “Mitzva” at times. Oichet mir a lamden.
It’s sad to see how Jews would go out of theyre way just to make problems for others oy ribbono shel olam
Go izzys
To #37-
We’re not talking about opening a bar!
This opposition is certainly being driven by sinas chinam.
Funny that some commenters mentioned that other restaurants in the neighborhood have liquor licenses. They forget to mention that those restaurants, like Izzy’s, do not cater to the local residents, they actively work to bring in a non chassidsh/frum element to the neighborhood. Some of them even discourage locals from frequenting their establishments. What do we need them for?
is amazing. period.
Both the restaurant between Crown and Montgomery and between Montgomery and Empire are blatant prikas ol. They both have the chutzpa not be under CHK.
How totally uncool can someone be to go after Izzy’s? Basil, bouef and bun and even calabria pizza serve alcohol. Every other block there is a farby that hands out drinks to anyone. But here is a place that makes people so good and happy while being kosher and some people want to ruin it…this is exactly the kind of attitude that led to people naming their place Treif in williamsburg.
Nobody gets drunk in those restaurant. It’s not a BAR. Leave him alone. Let him get his license……
The Williamsburg story was with a BAR not a restaurant. Stop the nonsense
I’m sure the noise they will make is less than the noise my
upstairs neighbors make. Instead of worrying too much about spirits in a restaurant, you should all teach your kids to behave and stop staring at people.
This is really just about the guy’s parnosso. Those who complain that it is a problem are making drama for nothing. I live mamesh around the corner and the only problem Izzy’s ever made was the garbage, but they have since gotten better. Sometimes it’s annoying with the parking, but that’s life. Getting a liquor license will not really change anything because people are anyways allowed to bring in their own beer and alcohol currently. This means that if until now it hasn’t been a problem, it most likely won’t be. The only difference between before and after the license… Read more »
In the Soto & Diaz grocery store, literally two doors away from Izzy’s, they already sell beer. It is even closer to the yeshiva than Izzy’s and, as far as I’m concerned, there hasn’t been a problem.
@ Montgomery resident.Either you don’t live there or you don’t have a parking spot behind your house that gets blocked every night. The owners of Izzy’s could be decent about it and put a sign asking their customers not to block the alleyway, and when it does happen they could make an announcement asking whomever parked there to move, but they wont. They don’t care about a guy like me, struggling to pay my mortgage and wanting to park in the spot i pay for, why should i care about their parnasa? I will be attending the meeting not only… Read more »
our sages warned us many times of the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption. King Solomon writes in the book of Proverbs4: “Who has wounds without cause? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who sit late over wine, those who come to search for mixed wine. Do not look at wine when it is red; when he puts his eye on the cup, it goes smoothly. Ultimately, it will bite like a serpent, and sting like a viper. Your eyes will see strange women, and your heart will speak confusedly.” Our sages tell us in the Midrash that drinking wine in excess… Read more »
Of course we want to do the best in our ability for our young beloved ones to help them grow up stable and healthy ברוחניות,
BTW IZZY’S has absolutely delicious food.
I’ve lived on Crown Street for a long time and have enjoyed having stores open on Troy Ave that I can get to conveniently, but Izzy’s is a different story, their own workers constantly block the alley and they do not respond quickly when asked to move.
Ahavas Yisroel is a two way street, if you won’t respect the members of the community how can they support you?!
On havemeyer St in Williamsburg was a non Jewish restaurant they wanted to obtain a liquor license and the heimisha ppl protested against it. Nobody needs a hangout in the center of where Heimisha ppl live. It’s not healthy for the young generation to watch all this on a daily basis. It’s not about who owns IZZY’S. Happenes to be the their foodd is delicious!
Well said
Bichlal restaurants are not b’shitas Chabad, this isn’t a hefker velt, they should close down all of the restaurants, this is such a pritzus and a narishkeit.
Also, they should shut down Eber’s. They sell all kinds of tzudreite mashkes. They should only be allowed to sell wine for kiddush and maybe smirnoff, but only the chasidishe yidden. Also, wine by the case in a shtus gomur.
There are so many things we need to shut down in this place, this is a very good start.
This is so sad that some people would go to such lengths to try and destroy someone’s parnasah. We work so hard as it is to build up a business that we don’t need other Jews to try and tear us down. This opposition is not in the spirit of Crown Heights.
This community never seizes to amaze me! I literally live right there and never hear any noise. Nothing! And using yeshiva as an excuse is so low. Maybe the corner store should not be allowed to sell cigarettes & beer as well. Stupid Stupid! Only “complaint” I have is the smell of fresh brisket in the morning and not being able to buy some.
Is this really about “The spirit of Chabad” . It almost looks cynical.
and they will also put an end to simchas bais hashoevah
Come on people! If you read the application, it is only for serving beer. It is not turning the place into a bar. It seems that they just want to offer beer with their food. Generally, people do not go to such establishments and have multiple rounds of beer. I seriously doubt that neighbors will have to worry about drunk people staggering out of the place. It is not an issue. There are bigger issues that are going on in our community with alchohol abuse. This is not one of them
may be the deciding factor
I have lived a block away from this store for many decades. Its sad to see the neighborhood take a turn for the worse recently as far as being chassidish. Having a bar that will attract men and women to drink late at night is not a good thing. Would never have been around when the rebbe was here.
Sounds like Yossi Newfield has a personal agenda against Izzy’s and just wants to cause problems. He says Izzy’s is not in the spirit of the Crown Heights community. This is simply not true!!!!! They are no different than any other restaurant in CH that serves beer. WE ALL LOVE IZZYS AND WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO HAVE BEER IN THE STORE!!!!
I ate at Izzys more than once without asking about the Shechita.
Its NOT chabad shechita.
Probably the same people that opposed ezagui to build housing on the lot on troy and carroll without any legitimate concerns. The noise complaint reason is a smokescreen for their personal agenda. There is no pritzus or any inappropriate behavior that will come from this. A yungerman wants to enhance his parnassah shouldn’t have to contend with issues of nisht farginen.
I can’t make it to the meeting, but I agree with the sentiment.
When I walk by Izzy’ s there are often people standing outside smoking. It is really disgusting and extremely uncomfortable. The other crown heights restaurants aren’t like this. I can only imagine it getting worse if they get a liquor license…
So sad to see! Here we have an amazing top rated restaurant that is raved about all over and people coming into the Shechuna to eat and we are complaining?? Beoff and Bun and others have licenses… no one gets drunk in these establishments and it is not a bar!
Mr Newfield will tell us that he is worried living arround the corner???
Shame on these people who have nothing better to do than to be jealous and hurt another Yids Parnasa!
where is ahavas yisroel fahr noch a yid? this is parnasa for a yid! let him have whatever it takes for this business to thrive!
feh someone wants to stop his license…how could this be!
hepach ahavs yisroel! this is chabad?
Live a few feet away. Never hear any noise.
Id love to have beer with the delishious bbq beef
We really don’t need this around the corner from my house, either.
And Newfield is correct: most of those signatures appear false or not local. Most of them definitely look made up.
Please do not do this here. We don’t need this kind of business on Troy Avenue, where the Oholei Torah buchrim walk past many times a day
These are frum Jews and won’t blast music outside or get dangerous. All they want is a glass of wine with their steak.
Having a liquor store with social drinking and partying is the last thing we need near the oholei torah mesivta. We have enough of a problem in the community with underage bochrim drinking at farbrengens, they don’t need to be exposed to social drinking on their way to yeshivas erev!
Yossi N is right, I also live on that block, every other evening the ally is blocked by patrons of izzy’s. We can’t get in to park. When I go into the restaurant to ask them to make an announcement, the owners are very unhelpful. They don’t care about the residents who have lived for 20 years before they showed up.
3 hours before the proposed meeting this evening. I don’t know how people who live nearby and will be negatively impacted by this action would even become aware of this let alone have time to arrange to go. Unjustifiable planning.
The owner should back down and understand that extra Parnassa comes from Hashem not from adding a liquor license and if he does the right thing he will get rewarded.
There is no reason in such a small place liquor needs to be served.
More booze flowing through Shuls in shabbos than will
Ever be served in this 600 square foot place
Sad how some people go out of their way to hurt another human. I’ll be at the meeting in support of Izzy’s.
Crown Heights. That’s really all this is. Typical crown heights. I live right around the corner from Izzys, and I see absolutely no issue with them getting a liquor license. Getting a liquor license does not mean it will turn into a loud wild bar. No one is looking to go to Izzys in order to get hammered.
Get over yourselfs crown heights residents! This is ridiculous
While I support this protest (and this is what Crown Heighters need to do, as they do in Borough Park – it’s just too bad in this case it’s against our own) I don’t think you can claim to the city that most of the people coming are from outside Crown Heights and aren’t in the spirit of the Crown Heights community. I don’t think that excuse will work with the city. I also think we should be vocal about protesting the labor day parade and put an end to it before we have to have another one this coming… Read more »
Will Yossi Newfield support a ban against barbershops that shave people’s beard in Crown Heights because it is “not in the spirit of the Chabad community”?
Where do we draw the line?
Absurd, for such a petition is absolutely a stumbling block for any future successful business’s and abstrocting the person’s Parnassa! #Go Izzy
The opposition wants Izzy’s gone
We live at the corner of Montgomery and Troy. We don’t hear anything.
There are many kosher restaurants that serve alcohol and I have never seen a drunk in any such establishment.