June 22nd, 2018 at 9:30 am 
by Ron Cervenka True dyed-in-the-wool Dodger fans are a rare breed. I’m not talking about your everyday part-time casual Dodger fan, I’m talking about Dodger fans who are so passionate about their beloved team and its rich history that they seek out (or have sought out) the very roots of their team which, of course, leads them to Brooklyn, New York.
There have been countless books written about the overwhelming and compelling love affair between Brooklyn Dodger fans and their beloved team; books such as The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn, Once a Bum, Always a Dodger by Hall of Famer Don Drysdale, The Brooklyn Dodgers by Frank Graham and The Dodgers Move West by Neil J. Sullivan. But unless you’ve actually been to Brooklyn, it is hard to feel the connection between the borough and their former team, even on the 60th anniversary of the team’s move to Los Angeles in 1958.
A huge apartment complex now occupies the sacred grounds where Ebbets Field once stood.
A small concrete marker is all that remains where Ebbets Field once stood at Sullivan Place and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn.
In 1950, which, of course, was towards the end of the Dodgers final decade in Brooklyn after a century-long relationship, a small restaurant opened it doors in the tight-knit borough and immediately became a favorite gathering spot for Dodger fans, Dodger players, celebrities and politicians. It was the first of what would eventually become three restaurants in New York – the original in Brooklyn and two in Times Square – along with another at the Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Their claim to fame is their world-famous cheesecake and their restaurants were then and still are today known simply as Junior’s.
Many Brooklyn Dodger greats frequented the original Junior’s at the corner of Flatbush and DeKalb in the heart of Brooklyn.
One of the first things you will notice when you walk in to the Junior’s in Brooklyn is that it is a virtual museum of Brooklyn Dodgers memorabilia and photographs. You will also immediately feel the connection between the place and the Brooklyn Dodgers, even though most of the employees and patrons weren’t even born when the former Dodger greats graced the establishment with their presence.
The walls of the original Junior’s in Brooklyn are covered with Dodger memorabilia – even 60 years after the team moved west. (Click on photo to enlarge)
Interestingly, and perhaps to the disliking of diehard Yankee fans, the two other New York Junior’s locations also have Brooklyn Dodgers memorabilia, although understandably nothing like that of the original Brooklyn Location. They are also missing the feel that you experience at the Brooklyn store. However, the food at all three New York Junior’s locations (and presumably also at the Connecticut location) is absolutely outstanding – especially if you like old-fashioned style pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, which are huge.
But Junior’s simply wouldn’t be Junior’s were it not for their absolutely wonderful World-famous cheesecakes, and here’s a little insider information from one Dodger fan to another. Of the three New York Junior’s locations, only the Brooklyn restaurant offers an apple crumb cheesecake that is to die for.
Junior’s apple crumb cheesecake is only available at their Brooklyn location.
Now this certainly isn’t to say that the other Junior’s locations aren’t just as great as the Brooklyn store, it’s simply to say that the Brooklyn restaurant offers something that the others do not, and is well worth any extra time involved to get there from wherever you may be in the City.
Even though the Junior’s locations in Times Square have some Brooklyn Dodgers memorabilia on their walls, they just doesn’t have the same feel as the original Brooklyn location.
And then it happened.
In February of 2014, a New York Daily News article reported that the Junior’s in Brooklyn was about to fall victim to changing times. The article headline read “Junior’s selling flagship location in Brooklyn.” The article reported that a high-rise condominium complex was going to be built on the famous landmark property
Needless to say, this was devastating news not only for the hundreds of locals who frequented the popular establishment – some daily – but also for diehard Dodger fans who enjoyed a stroll down memory lane (or younger Dodger fans who enjoyed tracing their favorite team’s roots), not to mention the thought of missing out on a slice of that apple crumb cheesecake (or any of Junior’s other great cheesecake selections, including an equally to-die-for strawberry cheesecake).
But while you might be able to take Junior’s out of the borough, you can’t take the borough out of third-generation Junior’s owner Alan Rosen who, in September of 2014, changed his mind and declined a $45 million offer to sell the extremely valuable land for a reason that only longtime Brooklyn residents might understand.
“You do a lot of soul-searching during a process like this,” Rosen told amny.com‘s Ivan Pereira and Jordan G. Teicher in a September 9, 2014 article. “When you love something you realize how much it’s not for sale.
“People have been telling me great stories when they came here for anniversaries or this and that,” Rosen added.
So for now, at least, Dodger fans – Brooklyn and LA alike – can still enjoy a great meal, an even greater dessert, and a look back into the Dodgers storied history at the original Junior’s at the corner of Flatbush and DeKalb in the heart of Brooklyn.
That being said, we have most certainly been warned that things can change in a heartbeat and a hidden treasure such as the original Junior’s in Brooklyn could be hidden for all time with the stroke of a pen.
As such, I would encourage ever Dodger fan (and cheesecake fan) who comes to New York for whatever reason, to treat yourself to this relatively unknown slice of Dodgers history over a slice of the best cheesecake you will ever enjoy.
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(Author’s note: This article has been updated from a previous article posted on February 21, 2014. Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
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Very sad they are closing down Junior’s. I had never been there and had I known, I definitely would have gone. That cheesecake looks divine.
If they ever close Bamonte’s, then that would be a tragedy beyond all tragedies, though I understand it is still gong strong. (Link to Tommy Lasorda’s piece on it:
http://tommy.mlblogs.com/2009/08/16/italian-dinner-2/ )
Being an ABCC guy I wouldn’t miss the cheesecake but it is always sad to see another piece of the Brooklyn Dodgers and America lost.
Hopefully the new Junior’s will be able to maintain some of the original Dodger atmosphere.
Trust me, they have many other incredible desserts besides just cheesecake, so being an ABCC guy is no excuse not to go to Junior’s if in NYC (or CT).
They have a seven-layer chocolate cake that is out of this world. As crazy as it may sound coming from a guy of my stature (if you know what I mean), it is impossible for one person to finish – even me.
As you might imagine, being a deli-type restaurant, they have outstanding corned beef and pastrami sandwiches and their onion rings are in a class of their own – not to mention their dill pickles, of course.
Seven layer chocolate cake – now you’re talking.
Forget the cheesecake!!! I will NEVER get cornbread again in my life like they have at Juniors. We even bought the official juniors cookbook just because we wanted that recipe! Sadly though, as hard as we tried and about a dozen attempts we could not replicate that cornbread no matter what!
I’ll never forget my one visit there in 2008. The Red Velvet cake caught my eye. I was so full from dinner, I bought a price of that cake to go. Later that night I went to go a dive into that Devine looking cake. As I despise Cream Cheese, you can probably imagine my utter disgust when I took my first bite! That was the first and last bite of Red Velvet Cake from Juniors! I had to let my family finish it.
It is such a shame that it is closing. Hopefully this deal works out and they can keep some semblense of the old site!
As you know I’m proud to be able to say that I rooted for dem Bums when they were still here in Brooklyn. The original Junior’s restaurant was here before the Dodgers left and from the start always showed it’s connection with the team and still does. About the best news here is that the restaurant will re-open on the ground floor after this skyscraper is built. I only hope that they continue to show all their memorabilia to the team when they were in Brooklyn.
I wonder when the construction is scheduled to start. I hope it is after this October and the Dodgers win the World Series this year so OBF and I can have a celebratory dinner at the Brooklyn Juniors. I think that would be a fitting way to celebrate a Dodger Championship here on the east coast.
It’s good to hear from you TBW. You know I often think about how we’d actually celebrate a Dodger World Championship or maybe just getting into a world series, which I think is worth celebrating. It’s a lot different now than it was when they won in previous years since they moved to LA.
I have a few ideas on what we can do. Even if we are the only two Dodger fans in NY we should do some public celebrating. Let’s hope this year is “Next Year”
I’ll do some pre-World Series celebrating with yooze guys in May when I come to visit my daughter again. By sheer coincidence, the Dodgers just so happen to be in town while I’m there. If we can’t do Junior’s in Brooklyn, we’ll have to do the one in Times Square again. 🙂
Another piece of Brooklyn Dodger history saying goodbye: http://t.co/oD9VFX3Qhy
It’s good to know, that as of today, June 23, 2018, that the original Junior’s in Brooklyn, is still in business.
does any one remember the dodger rest.on dekalb ave across the street from juniors??7/29/2019 I worked at mc crorys in 1966 .took my gf.josephine to lunch many times at the dodger. our waitress was a lady named charlotte.good times.
Grew up eating Junior’s Cheesecake. Nothing like it in the world but must say as a resident of Florida Publix cheesecake is pretty damn close. It’s more than close and it’s a long drive to Brooklyn.
I feel your pain. Santa Clarita, CA is a bit of a drive for apple crumb cheesecake, which is (or at least was) only available at the Junior’s Brooklyn store. Fortunately, I usually visit my daughter who lives in Brooklyn at least once a year, so I’ve got that going for me. That being said, there is nothing like the Dodger memorabelia at Junior’s Brooklyn, well… except for Cooperstown, of course.