Pilar Montero

Pilar Montero
Born	Template:Birth date Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Died	January 14, 2012(2012-01-14) (aged 90)
Occupation(s)	Proprietor of Montero’s Bar and Grill
Years active	1945–2012

Pilar Montero (born 2 December 1921, died 14 January 2012) was the proprietor of Montero’s Bar and Grill located in Brooklyn, where she continued her involvement well into her eighties.

Life

Hailing originally from Manhattan, Pilar relocated to Brooklyn during her early years. In 1945, she and her spouse Joseph established Montero’s Bar and Grill; Joseph died in 1999. Joseph’s sister Emma, along with her husband Buddy, bought a grocery store on State Street from Pilar and the father of her godson, each paying $800. The construction of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in 1951 resulted in the store becoming isolated, which eventually caused its shutdown. Subsequently, the premises were leased to artists, and in 2003 their granddaughter Marissa Alperin launched a jewelry shop there, offering products to Pilar. By 2006, Pilar and Emma were estranged due to disagreements linked to the grocery store's closure. Pilar’s obituary was featured in The Socialite who Killed a Nazi with Her Bare Hands: And 144 Other Fascinating People who Died this Year, a 2012 compilation of prominent New York Times obituaries.

Montero's Bar and Grill

Montero's Bar and Grill has been recognized as a significant venue for fashion photography, appeared in scenes of the 1989 movie Last Exit to Brooklyn, and hosted photo sessions with model Twiggy. In his memoir Teacher Man, Frank McCourt, who once resided in an apartment above the bar, reflected on how the neon sign influenced his living environment.

As of 2025, Montero's continues to operate.