Ha’s Chinese in Astoria Suddenly Shutters After Less Than 2 Months

Ha’s Chinese Bar & Eatery in Astoria has suddenly closed. According to its website and Instagram bio, the restaurant has been closed since February 12th, but a reason for the closure has not been announced.

The restaurant was just opened in December 2017 by the team behind The Queens Kickshaw, Ben Sandler and Jennifer Lim. They were also behind NYC’s first cider bar Wassail, which closed last month. Despite the cider-focused vegetarian restaurant’s good reviews, it was in a persistently tenuous state since late 2016. Last August, they also closed their popular neighborhood grilled cheese spot Queens Kickshaw to revamp the space into Ha’s Chinese, but it seems the ill-fated duo have lost another ambitious restaurant. Eater NY has reached out for more information.

Ha’s Chinese featured a Sichuan-focused vegetarian menu from chef Eric Simpson — previously of The Elm and Corton — with some American-Chinese influence. The menu offered small plates and mains, featuring rice and noodle dishes and a whole lot of tofu, as well as a brunch menu featuring dishes like a jianbing breakfast crepe, a sesame waffle, and mushroom congee. The restaurant also had an extensive cocktail program, with customizable mules and spiced sangria specials for happy hour.

The restaurant had a buzzy debut thanks to the popularity of Queens Kickshaw. But barely two months after opening, the restaurant has closed its doors, reportedly turning away reservations earlier in the week.