Claudio's Sale Falls Through; 'Mixed Emotions' As Family Returns For 147th Season

GREENPORT, NY — Customers who've made Claudio's a beloved tradition for generations will have another summer to enjoy meals and memories with the Claudio family: Despite months of talks regarding the possible sale of the iconic eatery in Greenport, the deal is officially off the table — and the Claudio family will return for their 147th season in April, owner Bill Claudio told Patch.

When asked what happened in regard to the sale, Claudio said: "I don't know. They couldn't pull it together and when the contract ended, they couldn't get it done."

The beloved Greenport eatery will open for the season on April 6, he said, with a kickoff party on April 7, where beers will cost $1.47, in honor of the years Claudio's has been in business, a longtime tradition.

Claudios said there have always been "mixed emotions" regarding the sale. "The family's been at this 147 years," he said.

Moving forward, Claudio said the property, which includes Claudio's, Crabby Jerry's and Claudio's Clam Bar, is still on the market, and "in the hands of someone that we signed on to take care of this. We spent years, hanging out and thinking if someone wanted to buy, that's fine. This was the first formal foray into selling the place. These were the first customers we ever had in formally trying to sell the place. I'm sure there's more interest out there. We'll just have to wait and see what develops."

Claudio's will open in April, with Claudio's Clam Bar to follow at the end of April, and the Crabby Jerry's open for Memorial Day weekend. "We hope to have some really good bands this year," Claudio said.

The news that Claudio's has not been sold has made many longtime customers happy, Claudio said.

"I've already gotten a bunch of emails and messages on the phones saying, 'Yay, we're glad you're back," he said.

But Claudio is hoping that the next potential sale has a different outcome. "I'm 78, so I hope it comes sooner rather than later," he said.

Last season, the restaurant also opened for the season, when, despite talks of an impending sale of the iconic eatery for months, Claudio announced that the negotiations were not a done deal.

The same potential buyer, Michael Barrett, owner of the former China Club in New York City and other clubs and restaurants, was still "very interested," Claudio said at the time.

Claudio's is the oldest single-family run restaurant in the country.

The property has been on the market since 2015. “Whether you have heard the news around the North Fork or not, our property is in fact on the market,” a post on the Claudio’s Restaurant Facebook page read at the time it was first listed.

Attempts to reach Barrett were not immediately successful.

Patch file photo.