Weekend in Northeast PA

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:24:38 GMT

dobrosky98

I remember going to the Bird when I was much younger. My mom lived in Pittston on Spring street, above the pet store. I remember my cousin calling me one night to tell me Costello's had burned down. I love your posts, but you make me home sick!! One of my best memories is going to Irene's out at Lake Silkworth with my poppy and then he would drag us over to Jiggers for what seemed like forever. We always left with a t-shirt. What I would give for one of them now!!

dobrosky98, Nice to have another Pittstonite here. Spring Street that ends at the fire department?

I remember the first time I went to Jigger's, what a shack! We ordered beer and Jigger went out the open back door. He came back in with some of the coldest beer I ever had in my life.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (dobrosky98)

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:26:40 GMT

I remember going to the Bird when I was much younger. My mom lived in Pittston on Spring street, above the pet store. I remember my cousin calling me one night to tell me Costello's had burned down. I love your posts, but you make me home sick!! One of my best memories is going to Irene's out at Lake Silkworth with my poppy and then he would drag us over to Jiggers for what seemed like forever. We always left with a t-shirt. What I would give for one of them now!!

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:57:02 GMT

AHHHHH!!!!! Dio Bello!

Italian Eggs Benedict from Tony's. You can never get tired of eating or looking at this!

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (ken8038)

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:04:25 GMT

Wow, for once I actually got to a place BEFORE it closed. Sorry to hear this.

It's in the running for my Bar of the Year award (Awarded annually to the best bar/restaurant that's new to me each year). Usually there are about 50 to 100 candidates per year, been doing this for over 30 years.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:04:06 GMT

To soon to joke, I'm still in mourning. I still have a tear in my eye over this closing.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (stanpnepa)

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:51:02 GMT

BB -
Great picture. How much are you willing to spend??

The neighborhood newspaper FINALLY got Tiny to reveal the story behind the name "Ooh Ooo Bird Inn". It was coined at a Penn State Bowl Game about forty years ago as someone accidentally sat on a tacky gift they purchased to take home - one of those stretched glass birds. "Ooh Ooh Bird...In(n)"!!! Almost sounds like a joke you'd hear at a Dean Martin Roast!

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (buffetbuster)

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:46:17 GMT

Stan-
Thanks for the info. I think this would be a cool item to have.

Too bad this place is closing.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (Tony Bad)

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:13:08 GMT

stanpnepa

Roadfood Souvenir Alert - from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre craigslist. This could be a fun sale.

Indoor yard sale Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm at the former Ooh Ooh Bird Cafe, 724 Tunkhannock Ave., Exeter, PA.

Bar and restaurant things: coolers, tv's, beer glasses, ashtrays, dishes, etc.

See you WOW!

Call Tiny at (570) 407-xxxx for more information.

Rumor has it that old Joe Rogo ate too many chili cheeseburgers that last weekend and has been stuck on a bar stool since the closing. Wonder if he is part of the sale?

I had really wanted to try this place. Sad to see it is another one I missed.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (stanpnepa)

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:06:23 GMT

Roadfood Souvenir Alert - from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre craigslist. This could be a fun sale.

Indoor yard sale Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm at the former Ooh Ooh Bird Cafe, 724 Tunkhannock Ave., Exeter, PA.

Bar and restaurant things: coolers, tv's, beer glasses, ashtrays, dishes, etc.

See you WOW!

Call Tiny at (570) 407-xxxx for more information.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (MiamiDon)

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:24:51 GMT

Tony Bad

joerogo

Since I have been known to be a glutton for punishment at times, here is last nights chili cheeseburger with raw onions from the Ooh Ooh Bird.

Now I just hope Greymo doesn't see it.

I fixed the photo so there should be no complaints...

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:56:02 GMT

Tony Bad

joerogo

Since I have been known to be a glutton for punishment at times, here is last nights chili cheeseburger with raw onions from the Ooh Ooh Bird.

Now I just hope Greymo doesn't see it.

I fixed the photo so there should be no complaints...

Thanks........Pal

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:49:25 GMT

buffetbuster

Joe-
Among my things to do in the next couple of months is to head out your way for a Baby Penguins hockey game. Any chance we could get the group together again for some Fat Bastard omelets and/or Old Forge pizza?

Hey Cliff, Just give me a date and I'll start working on it.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (Tony Bad)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:43:45 GMT

joerogo

Since I have been known to be a glutton for punishment at times, here is last nights chili cheeseburger with raw onions from the Ooh Ooh Bird.

Now I just hope Greymo doesn't see it.

I fixed the photo so there should be no complaints...

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (buffetbuster)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:06:56 GMT

Joe-
Among my things to do in the next couple of months is to head out your way for a Baby Penguins hockey game. Any chance we could get the group together again for some Fat Bastard omelets and/or Old Forge pizza?

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:33 GMT

Since I have been known to be a glutton for punishment at times, here is last nights chili cheeseburger with raw onions from the Ooh Ooh Bird.

Now I just hope Greymo doesn't see it.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:24:44 GMT

Tony Bad

buffetbuster

joerogo

I took a picture, but won't dare post it

I don't know, Joe. That is a fine photo of their excellent wings!

I don't know...the color seems a bit off.

Sorry to read that another place I really wanted to try is off the map. Maybe the story in the paper will inspire someone to take over and keep it going.

Everybody is a critic these days

You have until Saturday to make the trip. I'll save you a seat.

In fact, my wife just agreed to go again tonight.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (Tony Bad)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:45:00 GMT

buffetbuster

joerogo

I took a picture, but won't dare post it

I don't know, Joe. That is a fine photo of their excellent wings!

I don't know...the color seems a bit off.

Sorry to read that another place I really wanted to try is off the map. Maybe the story in the paper will inspire someone to take over and keep it going.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (buffetbuster)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:46:07 GMT

joerogo

I took a picture, but won't dare post it

I don't know, Joe. That is a fine photo of their excellent wings!

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:20:39 GMT

Nancypalooza

That is sad, man. Now I will never get to try that chili cheeseburger.

Oh Nancy, I had one last night. There was a tear in my eye as I took the last bite.

I took a picture, but won't dare post it

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (Nancypalooza)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:46:30 GMT

That is sad, man. Now I will never get to try that chili cheeseburger.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:39:00 GMT

One last trip to The Ooh Ooh bird. The wing were as good as ever.

I am really going to miss this place.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (buffetbuster)

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:18:34 GMT

Joe, what a shame to read about this place closing. Johnny and I really enjoyed our visit to the Ooh Ooh Bird.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:10:52 GMT

It's a sad, sad day in Northeast Pa.

http://www.timesleader.com/pittstondispatch/news/Bye-Bye_Birdie__landmark_Exeter_bar_closing_11-08-2009.html

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (myterry2)

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:57:08 GMT

I think I died and went to heaven with this report....it was an excellent report with lots of quality pics. THANX.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (ken8038)

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:32:05 GMT

HPlatz

Hey Ken, you are quite correct regarding the operating hours of a lot of these places. Pretty sketchy at best. I can tell you that Tony's does in fact open at 8:30 PM or thereabouts and stays open till sometimes 2:30 AM or later, but nothing is set in stone. They used to be completely closed on Mondays, but I don't know anymore, that was years ago. The Hibernian House is also known as Wayne's, Joe Wayne proprietor. He kinda opens and closes when he feels like it, but forget about going in there in the daytime, for sure. Your best bet would probably be Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights, but not too late. If it's a slow night, he's likely to just put everyone out and close the shop. I can tell you without any fear of contradiction that there is no restaurant in Girardville called Texas Lunch. Maybe you're thinking of a different town. I never heard of anything like that in the area at all.

Waynes is cool. Strong Irish theme, he has pennants of all the counties in Ireland hung around the place. Old time wooden bar. Has a jail cell door in there from his great-grandfather's cell before he was executed back in the 1800's after the civil war. Look up Jack Kehoe, sort of a labor leader of the era when the mines were booming and the companies were screwing the miners blue. That's the short story, there's way more to it.
Here is the URL of a vid that features Joe in the environs of his gin mill if you'd care to look. He's in this twice, the first appearance at 1:40. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRoVTu2izx0

Hey thanks for that information on Girardville, I just noticed it now, sorry for not responding sooner. Interesting video too, thanks! ---Ken

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:18:19 GMT

I had dinner at Ghig's the other night, and for the first time I checked out some of the newspaper articles that were hanging on the walls. This one details the history of Ghig's and the start of Old Forge Pizza in the early 1900's. (Just an FYI, I don't think it's ledgeible)

But they also had an article written by The Stern's, paying tribute to Pepe's White Clam Pizza.

Hey Guys, how did we miss this stuff on our visit?

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (quijote)

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:44:55 GMT

Awesome report! So much of that food looks great, but I'm particularly intrigued by the Village Farmer place. But then again, I love lots of pies. Reminds me of a certain place in Pewaukee recently....

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (HPlatz)

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:16:05 GMT

One other thought on these Girardville places...Gville has recently in the last 5 or 6 years developed a well-attended and pretty big deal St. Patrick's Day Parade of its own, sponsored by the Hibernian House's affilitaed AOH Division, the Jack Kehoe division. Two years ago, before Hillary Clinton got out of the Presidential race, President Bill Clinton was the Grand Marshal of the parade and throngs, I mean tens of thousands showed up to meet the President. Mr. Clinton paid a visit to the Preisdent of Girardville Boro Council where he was treated to the trinity of Girardville cuisine: Centiole's and Marrone's pizza, and some Tony's screamers. Youtube has quite a number of vids of the President's visit for the parade you can check out. For those who have been to this little town, you should know that this was a big, big deal, no matter what you may or may not have thought of Mr. Clinton.

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (joerogo)

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:11:06 GMT

Baah Ben

Meat balls in the Fat Bastard omlet?

OY VEY! Don't you start

Re:Weekend in Northeast PA (Baah Ben)

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:04:33 GMT

Meat balls in the Fat Bastard omlet?