Bay Ridge says goodbye to two longtime neighborhood staples this winter: Emphasis Restaurant, a beloved diner serving locals for over 20 years, and The Leif Irish Pub, known for live music and decades of community gatherings.
Google Maps/File photo
Bay Ridge residents are saying goodbye to two longtime neighborhood fixtures this winter, as both The Leif Irish Pub and Emphasis Restaurant announced they are permanently closing, marking a bittersweet moment for a community that prides itself on its local institutions.
The Leif, a beloved Irish pub on Fifth Avenue known for its live music, confirmed its closure in a heartfelt message shared on social media by co-owner and longtime bartender Mike Gallagher. In the statement, he reflected on years of memories built inside the bar’s walls and thanked the families, musicians, staff and customers who made the space more than just a business.
“As I close this chapter and bid farewell to the business that has been my passion, The Leif, I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude,” Gallagher wrote, calling the pub a “live musical sanctum” and a community created together with its patrons.
Kenny Graham and Mike Gallagher pictured at the Leif’s grand reopening party in 2014. Gallagher confirmed the watering hole’s closure over the weekend.File photo by Steven Schnibbe
“This era has been filled with countless memories and experiences that I will cherish forever,” the statement continued.
Originally opened in 1967, the Irish pub became a Bay Ridge mainstay for decades before shuttering in 2012. Its resurrection just two years later, led by former barkeeps Gallagher and Kenny Graham, was met with joy from longtime patrons who had missed the pub’s unique mix of live music, hearty Irish fare and neighborly camaraderie.
The reopening included a fresh interior, updated amenities, and a renewed focus on entertainment — all of which helped bridge the old and new generations of Bay Ridge residents.
“I feel good about it, because everybody loved the Leif, and they still do,” Julie Walsh, whose father founded the bar, told Brooklyn Paper at the time. “Everybody missed it.”
Since its opening, The Leif had become a go-to gathering spot for Bay Ridge locals and musicians alike, hosting numerous live performances and community events, and fostering a loyal base of regulars. Over the years, it earned a reputation as a place where neighbors became friends and live music thrived in a borough increasingly squeezed by rising costs and shifting nightlife patterns.
Gallagher noted that while the physical space is closing, the spirit of The Leif will continue through its website, Nycleif.com, which he plans to keep active, “so that everyone can enjoy the music, laughter, and friendships that are alive.”
The Piranha Brothers Brooklyn entertained a packed house with an eclectic mix of music during the pub’s reopening in 2014. The Leif offered live music nightly.
Just blocks away and days earlier, another neighborhood staple quietly shut its doors. Emphasis Restaurant, which had served Bay Ridge for more than two decades, closed for good on Jan. 9 after 21 years in business.
In a printed letter posted to the diner’s window and widely shared online, owners Gus and Dino announced the closure with “great sadness,” thanking customers for their loyalty over the past two decades.
“It has been our pleasure to serve our wonderful customers these last two decades,” the letter read. “You have turned this restaurant into a second home for us.”
Emphasis Restaurant, a Bay Ridge staple for two decades, also abruptly closed its doors earlier this month.Photo courtesy of Google Maps
Unlike many restaurant closures driven by rent hikes or sudden financial strain, the owners said the decision to close Emphasis was tied to retirement and the desire to begin a new chapter.
“To our amazing staff, past and present: your dedication and hard work made every success possible,” the letter continued.
The closures of The Leif and Emphasis Diner — one of the borough’s last remaining 24-hour diners — reflect a broader trend across Brooklyn, where long-running, independently owned establishments are increasingly disappearing.
With both establishments now on the market, community members have flooded social media with tributes and memories, mourning not only the loss of the businesses but also the sense of continuity and community they provided.
“Everyone is going to miss The Leif,” one Facebook user wrote on the pub’s Facebook page.
“Another one bites the dust,” wrote another.