Saturday, May 3, 2014

Famous Bowery Restaurant Man “Mike Lyons” Is Dead At 78 – Dec 14 1921 Obit


Traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage Platter



(digitalized by Google)

The following item we clipped from the Times Star of December 14 1921:

FAMOUS BOWERY RESTAURANT MAN IS DEAD AT 78.

“Mike” Lyons Place Noted for Generous Portions.

New York - Michael F Lyons 78 died in his Brooklyn home. Those who knew lower Manhattan between 1872 and 1903 will become reminiscent over the announcement.

“Mike” Lyons made it a matter of principle never to serve a customer a potato smaller than Mike's fist and Lyons was equipped with a hand that the ordinary platter couldn’t hide He used to provide his clients with breaded veal cutlets and one of those Goliathic potatoes for 20 cents and he grew passing rich doing it.

His restaurant was at 259 Bowery. It was back in 1885 that it saw its greatest popularity and it was in that era that it boasted its most famous patronage. Henry Ward Beecher was there so often that he was missed if two or three days lapsed between his visits. Chester A. Arthur not only was one of Mike's steady customers but was wont to take with him his political train to talk over coming campaigns surrounded by Mike Lyons wondrous corned beef and cabbage. Richard Croker and Jacob Patterson were as familiar to the place as Mike Lyons himself.

Theodore Tilton helped make it famous with his verse and Tom Nast, Homer Davenport and equally renowned cartoonists drew for Mike's restaurant better cartoons than any of their newspaper employers ever bought. Theodore Roosevelt when police commissioner became a regular.

Lyons restaurant languished in its latter years but in its heyday it was celebrated as the Delmonico's of the Bowery. It was a great establishment a quarter of a pie for a nickel and for 25 cents you got as much corned beef and cabbage as anyone could eat.



NEW YEAR'S DAY DINNER [held by] M.F.LYONS DINING ROOM [at] "259 BOWERY, NEW YORK" (REST;) (1906)




259 Bowery NYC
(Google Maps)

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