Chinatown stalwart 69 Bayard to close this week

This one hits hard for the late-night crowd: Chinatown's dollar-bill–papered standy 69 Bayard will serve its last plates of gravy noodles and salt-and-pepper squid this Saturday. News of the upcoming closure spread on Wednesday via a Facebook post by diner Mark Kwan, who confirmed the shuttering with an employee. The cheap eats stalwart, which had been open since the 1970s, was one of the few remaining restaurants in the neighborhood that stayed open until 4am. 

Fans have been packing the restaurant to get their fill, taking the dollar bills as keepsakes and leaving tributes on Instagram during their final visits: 

 

A photo posted by JustRy (@justrynyc) on Feb 24, 2016 at 8:10pm PST

 

It's confirmed. Our neighbors at 69 Bayard restaurant are closing on Sunday 😥😢

A photo posted by Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (@chinatownicecreamfactory) on Feb 24, 2016 at 4:58pm PST

 

The end of a Chinatown institution. I have to admit this is my first time here because when I was younger, my dad forbade me from coming in here because I guess he thought triads hung out here #69Bayard #Chinatown #EEEEEATS #eater #nyc

A photo posted by Daniel Liong (@daniel_liong) on Feb 24, 2016 at 4:54pm PST

 

A photo posted by jaypee 🍴🍕🍔🍟🍗🍣🍜🍳🍦🍪🍩 (@what_did_jp_eat) on Feb 24, 2016 at 8:14pm PST