This historic Queens tavern just opened inside JFK Terminal 8

Photograph: Courtesy of Neir's Tavern

Missing your flight is never ideal. Missing your flight because you got distracted by a burger from one of New York City's oldest bars? Slightly more understandable.

Neir's Tavern, the nearly 200-year-old Queens institution that has survived everything from Prohibition to multiple near-closures, has officially opened a new outpost inside JFK Airport's Terminal 8. The expansion is the first new location in the tavern's history—a pretty remarkable milestone for a neighborhood bar that's been serving Woodhaven since before the Civil War.

The opening is part of Terminal 8's ongoing effort to make airport dining feel more like an actual taste of New York, as Neir's joins a growing lineup of locally rooted businesses added as part of the terminal’s major commercial redevelopment project. Now, travelers passing through Terminal 8 can order some of Neir's signature dishes, including the Goodfella's Burger, chicken wings, and grilled chicken sandwiches, along with beer, wine, cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks before takeoff.

For Neir's owner Loycent Gordon, the moment carries extra significance.

"For nearly two centuries, since 1829, Neir's Tavern has been a cornerstone of Queens," Gordon said in a statement. "Today is a profoundly historic milestone making it worthwhile: we are opening our first new location in nearly 200 years."

The expansion comes after years of uncertainty for the beloved tavern. Gordon famously helped save the bar from closure in 2009 and has since become one of its most passionate advocates. According to Gordon, revenue from the airport location will help support the original Woodhaven tavern and ensure its future as it approaches its bicentennial in 2029.

Airport officials say the goal is to give travelers a stronger sense of place before they even leave Queens.

"Bringing Neir's Tavern to Terminal 8 reflects the kind of authentic, locally rooted experience that today's travelers are seeking," said Ian Carter, vice president of operations at ASUR Airports, JFK. "Our partnership with Neir's not only expands the airport's dining options but also reinforces the culture and character of Queens in a meaningful way."

It's also a fitting homecoming of sorts. After all, if you're flying into New York, there are worse introductions to the borough than a burger from a tavern that's been around since Andrew Jackson was president.

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