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Profanity Hill — formerly Martin’s off Madison — makes unexpected last call

We didn’t expect it, at least. Less than a month after we reported that the 5-year-old Hill restaurant and lounge Martin’s off Madison was to be reinvented as Greg’s Profanity Hill Grill, the joint is shutting its doors. Thursday night’s last call will be it, Jose the bartender told us in a phone conversation tonight.

“There were many factors but we needed to close,” Jose said after letting us know that we should come in and enjoy a discounted drink tonight.

Here’s what a rep from Greg’s told us about the change back in June

After five years as Martin’s Off Madison, a Piano Bistro, Gregg’s Profanity Hill Grill is changing with the times.  With thanks to our loyal staff and valued customers,Greg is keeping  a lot of the old and adding a lot more of the new to better serve you!  Like all good things, the changes come gradually.  When complete,Gregg’s Profanity Hill Grill will be the place to play, eat, drink and be Mary!

They planned to roll out the changes following 2010 Pride. Instead, it seems, they were doing what they could to hold that long at 1413 14th Ave. We were tipped to rumors that there were troubles at the restaurant way back in March 2009. We’ll follow up to see what else we can find out.

We noted that July has been particularly busy for new food and drink openings. Profanity Hill’s demise is a reminder of the other side of the equation.

Thanks to Haha for the tip. And Martin’s, thanks.

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Hill Monster
Hill Monster
13 years ago

when Greg came in as Martin’s “investor” I knew it was more serious.

Frankly, who wants to visit an establishment where the ownership is either drunk or high all the time or the cook is the sketchiest street rat around?

Sad just the same. we need a piano bar.

hillster
hillster
13 years ago

well i always had a good time there.

Mike with curls
Mike with curls
13 years ago

ate there last week – prime rib was excellent – crowd sparse

too bad, I like choices.

jollyjaws
jollyjaws
13 years ago

that a place that offered some avenue for singing and performance chose to do what they did. Every time I went in I was dissed and my friends too. Then others who were extremely average whos snotty brown nosing behavior got them gigs there.
Nastiness should always lose even if it hurts the rest of us. The man needed help and as an adult stop crapping on people who coddled his behavior. Good he is getting AA treatment for his alcoholism. As a gay men some men need to learn to stop in their power trips and jealousies to get over it. Petty nasty high school girl behavior from an owner.. People with money and not courtesy toward customers and mistreatment deserve everything they dish out. It was like having George Bush or another idiot in charge. Totally offensive. It was great when the man didn’t show up… When you behave badly in the gay community the boys are gonna come back and bite you dear.
Karin the pianist was great very talented.

Michael Strangeways
Michael Strangeways
13 years ago

The Sea Woof!

Gay pirates need a place to hang out on the Hill…

lee
lee
13 years ago

Sorry to hear that things didn’t work out for Greg, he was really trying to make a go of it. Martin has had a long history of alcohol abuse and I hope he is getting help.

Sure hope some one steps in and keeps the establishment in the gay community.

brownman
brownman
13 years ago

My apartment overlooks Martin’s. I watched a guy change the locks on Friday. I’ve seen a lot of people walk up, peer through the windows, and walk away too.

This should definitely stay a gay bar.

idris
idris
13 years ago

The immediate and dreadful name change was a bad idea. When The Red Apple became Thriftway, I sure as hell wasn’t inclined to rush back.

Sad all the same as I had many fun nights at Martin’s back in the day. The recession aside, Martin’s suffered when so many great staff disappeared one after another (e.g., Paul, Alfred, Tristan and Christine). Other promising new staff lasted barely five minutes, and some of the most useless somehow kept their jobs (one had an uncanny knack of not noticing the only two people in the bar waving furiously for service, to the point it could only have been deliberate). Won’t comment about Martin’s drinking as too many people I know already have, but it seemed to me that Martin only needed his customers when he was desperately in NEED of them. During headier times, this regular was asked to move his not so fat ass during a busy show so that his seat could accommodate two skinnier non-regular (irregular?) asses. You reap what you sow, as has already been said.

Love the comment about the cook. Saw many of those come and go, and if they’d presented themselves as immaculately as their dishes, there would have far less leftovers.

Still, this is all very sad. Fond memories of nights good and bad, of singers astoundingly good and astoundingly bad, of sing-songs and ding-dongs, and of some really interesting characters, behind the bar and in front. The cast of Martin’s would have made for one very lucrative (sur)reality show.

Dave
Dave
13 years ago

My travel to my office on the Hill to get around the CHBP took me by Martins. I was bummed to see the For Lease sign in the window, and am sad to see it go. As stated before, hopefully another gay establishment will take its place.

I have not frequented the bar all that often, but every visit was a positive experience.

MARC
MARC
13 years ago

So right about Martin. Glad it wasn’t just me who thought that – When he wasn’t around it was better.