Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint is closing for renovations and reopening as a tavern

One of Brooklyn’s most beloved pizza institutions is about to look very different.

Paulie Gee’s, the original wood-fired pizzeria at 60 Greenpoint Avenue, will close in early January for renovations and reopen later this spring as a neighborhood tavern under a new name. The news was first reported by the New York Post and, unsurprisingly, it has already sent longtime fans into a mild-to-moderate spiral.

The Greenpoint outpost, which opened in 2010 and helped usher in New York’s era of hipster-friendly pizza, will shutter on January 4, 2026. When it reopens in March, the space will no longer operate as a traditional pizzeria, though the owners say the same Paulie Gee’s wood-fired pies will remain on the menu.

The transformation is the final step in a transition that began in 2024, when the restaurant was taken over by the team behind Brooklyn bar staples like Skinny Dennis, Rocka Rolla and Turtles All the Way Down. According to the owners, the revamped space will lean fully into tavern mode, with a 50-foot bar, booth seating, a jukebox and a pool table, essentially shifting the center of gravity from “pizza destination” to “local hang.”

The name “Paulie Gee’s” won’t appear on the new signage, though founder Paul Giannone isn’t disappearing entirely. He still runs the Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop around the corner on Franklin Avenue (which will remain open during renovations) and is expected to stay involved behind the scenes to ensure the pizza stays true to form.

The reaction online has been anything but calm. Instagram commenters were quick to question the move, lamenting the loss of what many saw as a timeless neighborhood institution and asking why yet another Greenpoint bar was necessary. Others, however, see the shift as a practical evolution: less waiting for tables, more flexibility and a setup that reflects how people actually use the space late at night.

The ovens are still hot for now and the pies are still coming out blistered and charred as always, but there’s a narrow window left to visit Paulie Gee’s as you’ve always known it. Come spring, Greenpoint will get something new: familiar pizza, different vibe and a tavern where a pizzeria once stood.