DOH Walks Over Walker's

The NYC Department of Health, still on the warpath, has temporarily shuttered the age-old Tribeca bar Walker's, according to Eater.com.

The space where Walker's draws its drafts has been a bar since the 1980s. It's had many lives in the past 130 years. The apartments above the bar gave way to a single occupancy hotel during the Depression. The address was an Irish restaurant in the '40s, then a Spanish eatery in the '50s and a shot-and-beer joint in the '60s. Jerry Walker, who also owns the Ear Inn, brought the place bar to its original purpose in 1987. There it's been ever since, at the corner of Varick and North Moore. It still have the feel of an Olde New York tavern.

We wish it well and hope it reopens soon. The way things are going, I'm guessing that DOH won't slow down until they've hit every restaurant in town and hit them hard. Either that, or until they start getting some good press. And that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

Update (9 PM March 30): Eater.com reports that Walker's is back open. Quick work, guys!