By Madina Toure
After 22 years in business, Bayside’s CJ Sullivan’s American Grill continues to offer a venue where sports fans can watch games, as well as enjoy quality drinks and traditional American food.
The bar and restaurant, located at 213-10 41st Ave., has an outdoor patio with seating and a bar, an indoor bar and restaurant and 11 TVs, four of which are outdoors.
Mitchell Catanzano, the restaurant’s daytime bartender, called CJ Sullivan’s a “Bayside fixture” — one of the older bars in the neighborhood.
“People come here for the friendly atmosphere,” Catanzano said. “It’s a neighborhood establishment. Everybody knows everybody.”
The grill was founded by Chris McManus, Paul Sullivan and Jimmy Sullivan after the previous owners decided to retire, making the space available.
The restaurant is open every day from noon to 2 a.m. Happy hour, which also features live music, is held every Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and trivia night is held on Wednesdays. It is also open for brunch Sundays from noon to 3:30 p.m.
CJ Sullivan’s offers a variety of American-type food, including salads, sandwiches and burgers. One of the most popular items is the cowboy sandwich, which has Cajun chicken, bacon, jack cheese and guacamole on Texas toast. The wings and the burgers are also popular among customers.
Meals cost anywhere from $4.95 to $19.95. The restaurant charges $3 for domestic beers and for well drinks, while import beers cost $4. The drink specialties include the Washington Apple Crown, the Royal Regal Apple Whiskey and cranberry juice.
The restaurant attracts people of all ages, ranging from 25 to 70, Catanzano said.
It also gives back to the community, in the form of contributions to charitable events for local churches, the FDNY and the NYPD. It hosts retirement parties.
In addition, the FX TV series “The Americans” filmed at the restaurant three times, and HBO’s “Girls” also shot part of an episode there.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
