Restaurants & Bars
Now-Closed T-Bone Diner Owed $815K In Back-Rent, Judge Says
The son-in-law of the property owner told Patch that the Queens Boulevard storefront is looking for a new rental tenant.
FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — In February, the health department shuttered T-Bone Diner after finding flies and rats in the decades-old restaurant, but the diner was facing even bigger issues in court, records show.
Months before, on December 6, the diner's landlord filed a petition claiming that the restaurant owed about $744,370 in missed fees — including rent payments, real estate taxes and water and sewage fees — dating back to 2016.
Representatives from T-Bone Diner did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment, but the eatery's attorney denied the charges in a January response to the petition.
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"[T-Bone Diner] generally denies the allegations set forth in Petitioner's Notice of Petition," the response states.
A months-long legal battle ensued, culminating in a judgement that T-Bone Diner had to either pay $815,528.99 by the end of March (cumulative missed fees up until that point) or face eviction, record show.
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Richard Jagusiak, the son-in-law of the property owner, told Patch that the restaurant permanently closed and moved out.
"He let the restaurant go to hell," Jagusiak said of the T-Bone Diner owner. "After he moved out a lot of people were complaining about the place."
In March and early April neighbors complained about the restaurant, saying they saw rats and smelled odors coming from the boarded-up Queens Boulevard storefront, Patch reported.
At the end of April, though, a for lease sign was placed in the window, neighbors said.
Jagusiak confirmed that the owners are looking to rent the building, ideally to another restaurant.
"[The owners] want to get it rented as quickly as possible, but for something that's going to work in the neighborhood," he said. "One guy called about a smoke shop, but [the owners] said absolutely not. "
The high-trafficked storefront, which is located steps away from the 71-Avenue subway, shouldn't be empty too much longer, Jagusiak said.
Added Jagusiak,"I'm going to show it on Saturday, and someone's coming back with a construction crew to take a second look."
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