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Things have been looking up for owners of the The Tap Room in Patchogue.
So much so that they’re moving upward, and expanding their West Main Street bar and restaurant into the building’s second floor.
Co-owner James Bonanno said the warmer months have been manageable in the somewhat space-challenged Tap Room thanks to its patio, but things can get a little crowded in the winter.
“It gets busy,” he said. “Too busy.”
So in September, The Tap Room — a fan favorite among late-night/early morning eaters and craft beer lovers — will begin construction in the second story of 114 West Main Street.
Once completed, the work will more than double the size of the bar and restaurant space. The owners are targeting mid-November to complete the job.
“Over the years we’ve had to turn away a lot of people,” Bonanno said. “If 10 guys want to watch the game together, we don’t really have the place to accommodate that. By having the upstairs we’ll be able to fit more people on more nights of the week, whether it’s Thursday night wing night, or Sunday football.”
The expansion news comes two months after Bonanno, originally of Blue Point, and David Johnson, a Patchogue-Medford High School graduate, purchased the building they’ve leased since 2011.
As of now there are two apartments upstairs; one is vacant and the other tenant is moving out on Sept. 1.
The entire floor is slated to be gutted and rebuilt for restaurant seating, with a new bar that’s about the size of the existing bar on the first floor. The front of the building will also have a balcony-like aspect to it, with views of Main Street.
The expansion comes at about the same time the partners are beginning work on a second Tap Room location in Massapequa Park.
The concept in Nassau County will be the same as in Patchogue, Bonanno said.
“The idea always was to have a casual atmosphere with good, fresh, affordable food with a kitchen that was open late,” he said. “And to really have one of the best beer selections on all of Long Island. We rotate a lot of our beers, all the time. So you can walk in any day of the week and you can find something new, every single day.”
Soon you’ll be able to find that new beer upstairs.
Photo: Tap Room co-owner James Bonanno outside the restaurant Wednesday. (Credit: Michael White)
