On this occasion (September 26, 2014) invited Festival-goers trekked or rode up the pathway at Central Park West and 67th Street to the recently re-opened restaurant, and by midnight the place was crowded with guests, many talking about the opening night film they had just seen, “Gone Girl.” (See Special Reports and Film sections for review.)

So what does the new Tavern look like? Old timers who hadn’t been there since the re-opening prowled around to note changes and compare the old with the revamped. One thing was obvious: The outdoor space was newly attractive, opened up to embrace the main portion of the restaurant. The weather was friendly, so that outdoor gathering worked very well. Food tables manned by servers and the bar areas were busy. There were also indoor areas reserved for special guests. Most of the overheard comments agreed that the new set-up was attractive and pleasing, but some inevitably preferred the original.

I recall some parties at the Tavern of old where some overheard comments were hostile to opening night films of a sort destined to divide audience reactions. But in so far as I could determine, the word on “Gone Girl” was mainly favorable.