It’s been just over two years since Maxwell’s Tavern went out of business and now, a new restaurant is coming to the iconic space at 1039 Washington Street in Hoboken. Formerly home of the rock club Maxwell’s, where bands like Nirvana and Oasis performed, Maxwell’s Tavern is going to be transformed into Sirenetta Seafood + Raw Bar, and Lombardi Bistro LLC is behind this new venture {aka the company owned by Gabi Lombardi, of Sorellina — right across the street!}. Keep reading to learn about the new restaurant coming to 1039 Washington in the summer of 2020.
Sirenetta’s Backstory
There is little known about this upcoming restaurant other than, as the name would suggest, it will be a seafood + raw bar. Back in October of last year, Sorrellina issued a press back in October 2019, giving excited locals a teaser of what to expect from its upcoming venture.
The press release read:
“We plan to continue our mission to provide first-class hospitality while celebrating Italy’s vibrant culinary culture through food and wine, and to provide a lively space where guests can meet, share & enjoy genuine food, authentic wines, and great company.
We look forward to bringing another quality restaurant & bar to uptown Hoboken, and to making the corner of 11th and Washington Street a bustling dining destination.
As for the full details of our concept & plans for the space? You will just have to wait and sea…”
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Well, fast forward to May 2020 and we can confirm that it wasn’t a typo with the word “sea,” and the restaurant will, in fact, be selling seafood. We got the exclusive from the owner herself, Gabi Lombardi to find out more about this new locale.
“Sirenetta is a Seafood + Raw Bar concept that will be opening this summer 2020,” she shared with Hoboken Girl.
“The name Sirenetta, which means ‘little mermaid’ in Italian, is meant to be a playful, nautical spin on Sorellina {which as you know, means ‘little sister’}. The restaurant is currently undergoing a full renovation to create a lively, welcoming, and modern space. I am excited to take the next step in creating a restaurant group, and to making the corner of 11th and Washington a destination for quality dining and imbibing in uptown Hoboken!”
As for what to exactly expect inside, stay tuned. Construction started on this new spot back in January, but no official opening date has been announced. However, the restaurant’s representatives did present their plans to the Hoboken Historic Preservation Committee during a virtual meeting on May 4th.
Taking Over Maxwell’s
Of course, we’d be remiss to not give a quick shout out to Maxwell’s Tavern, the space that Sirenetta will be taking over. Maxwell’s has always been a main staple in the Mile Square, but it gained notoriety when Bruce Springsteen taped his “Glory Days” music video there back in 1985 {as well as hosting other rock legends and bands}. Then again in 2013, Maxwell’s played host to another iconic music video — “Take Back the Night” by Justin Timberlake. If that weren’t enough musical street cred, iconic bands like Nirvana, Oasis, R.E.M., and the Red Hot Chili Peppers have also played at the venue.
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But in 2013, shortly after Timberlake shot his video, the owners of Maxwell’s as it once was hung up the towel. According to the owners, the Mile Square had changed and the lack of parking spaces made it difficult to welcome customers. New owners dubbed it Maxwell’s Tavern as part of a rebranding effort but called it quits in 2018 after just a few years of managing the rebranded bar.
For now, stay tuned for more on what will be happening over at 1039 Washington; we’ll be sure to keep you posted.
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