MANHATTAN – Thursday marks a new beginning for a popular Upper East Side bar space that served as the neighborhood watering hole for generations of New Yorkers, until the closure of Rathbones Pub after nearly fifty years in business. Now, Meller’s Sports Hub & Grill is set to take its place, both literally and in the hearts and minds of neighbors.
The outside of the former Rathbones, located on Second Avenue near the corner of East 88th Street, you’ll notice Meller’s Sports Hub kept the classic green color for its awning and signage as it works to continue the tradition of being the place to go to watch your favorite teams.
A whopping twenty TV’s line the walls of Meller’s Sports Hub and on the menu you’ll all the find all your favorite bar food staples and more— thick half-pound burgers, billionaire’s bacon, jumbo pretzels, deep fried mozzarella balls and of course, their ‘kickass wings,’ as Meller’s describes them.
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Vegetarians and vegans will be happy to see salads, meatless flatbread sandwiches and the Beyond Burger on the menu as well.
Meller’s Sports Hub has big shoes to fill. Before closing in February 2021, Rathbones Pub served Upper East Siders for forty-nine years, ever since it first opened its doors on Second Avenue in 1973.
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While new to the neighborhood, Meller’s Sports Hub & Grill’s owners Robert and Anna Meller aren’t— Robert says the Upper East Side has been his home for nearly thirty years.
A soft opening for Meller’s Sports Hub is planned for Thursday, May 5th, starting at 5:00 pm, so be sure to stop by and have a bite, drink or just to say hello.
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