Archive for July 2008

We Americans can claim talent and often superiority in a variety of pursuits these days, but when it comes to drinking, Ireland still put us to shame. At least we still have better breakfast. But you don’t need an airline ticket to visit this magical land of drinking – just a liver of steel and a high tolerance for slurred singalongs. Thanks to their customers’ natural talent for holding the hooch, as well as a rich history in NYC, the Irish bar has become near-synonymous with tying one on in the Big Apple. So whether you’re as Irish as a whiskey-soaked potato, or whether you don’t know your soda bread from shortbread, these three East Village bars will give you a taste of the Emerald Isle without having to leave the Isle of Manhattan.

Bull McCabe's

Irish eyes are smiling at this St. Mark’s Place institution, where the standard 1-2 punch of cheap beer and Jäger shots will leave you with a hangover and a lot of fun (but fuzzy) memories. The spacious garden, complete with a crumbling airplane, is one of the sweetest spots in the neighborhood for a drunken summer evening. The crowd is a crazy mix of employees from the local shops and restaurants, wee NYU kids with low tolerances, and hard-drinking Irish nationals looking for a taste of home. Add to that that the ever-friendly bartenders know the value of the occasional free shot to good customers, and you’ve got the makings of some excellent Gaelic gallivanting. Oh, and did I mention they have a beer bong?

Finnerty's Irish Pub

Even though its old location in a cavern-like basement on 3rd Avenue was far superior and a lot less generic-looking, the beloved Finnerty’s Irish Pub has managed to preserve much of its dive bar charm in the move to its new 2nd Avenue digs. This isn’t a bar for discerning cocktail-sippers; the standard order is a Tall Boy of PBR and a shot of whiskey (for $6, not a bad deal). If you come with friends who don’t mind Budweiser and plastic cups, the pitchers are the way to go (plus, you can usually count on a buyback every three or four rounds). Besides the cheap beer and some seriously enormous well drinks, Finnerty’s is pretty basic; diversions include a pool table, foosball, decent digital jukebox, and of course, Erotic Photo Hunt. But the super-nice staff and funny sodden regulars, as well as one hell of a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, make this place a neighborhood treasure.

Ryan's Irish Pub

Ryan’s Irish Pub (which is owned by the same people as neighbor The Thirsty Scholar and the aforementioned Bull McCabe’s) is, like most Irish bars in New York, a tad overpriced and a little too sports-bar-ish for my usual taste. However, when you come in the afternoon, before the frat crowd settles in, there are few better places to sit and hash out your day with the bartender over a pint or three. The bartenders are often Irish and always fun to talk to, and they’re usually happy to take requests for the iPod sound system. Or you can always come with friends and stake out a table on the outdoor patio, which fills up fast during the warmer months. If you stay for dinner, stick with the authentic Irish and British food, like Bangers and Mash (my favorite) and Shepherd’s Pie – nothing soaks up Guinness quite like gravy-soaked meat and potatoes.

Dinner, movies, bars…what do all these things have in common? Answer: they’re unoriginal date ideas. To show your loved one you recognize how special and unique they are, you have to take them somewhere better than the Red Lobster now and then (not that cheddar biscuits aren’t a delicious delicacy). Bowling is a surefire date classic for a reason. Cold brews, cool shoes, and a bit of playful combativeness….who could ask for more? The following five bowling alleys are spread out across New York City, so that no matter what part of town you call home, you can take your special someone out for a date that’s a perfect strike every time.

300 New York

Upscale alley cats can bowl in style at 300 New York, where this pastime of the working class gets a metropolitan makeover. From the trippily atmospheric permanent lightshow playing over the lanes to the shiny blue bar and ultra-modern furniture, there’s no shortage of pretty things to look at. Too bad the supposedly fancy food and drinks are no better than your standard pub grub. The upstairs VIP lounge (with a private 8-lane bowling area and, more importantly, a bar of its own) would be perfect for a party, but bowlers on a budget will have just as good a time downstairs among the plebians.

Leisure Time Bowl

Most people are surprised enough to learn that a bowling alley actually exists in Port Authority, much less that it’s real classy-like. With a recent renovation and a fantastic new menu, Leisure Time has secured its position as the nicest corner of Port Authority, bar none. Positives include the delicious food (I still crave their steak-on-toast appetizer) and the central location, as well as the easygoing and unassuming attitude. However, the bill can add up fast, and the staff members are often slow and apathetic. The energetic city crowd can be a mixed blessing – a lively atmosphere is one thing, but the younger bowlers can get a little obnoxious late at night – so come early if you want to be able to hear your date talk.

Bowlmor Lanes

Sure it’s overpriced and tries too hard to be like a cool nightclub when it should be sticking to the basics – bowling, beer, and bar food. But Greenwich Village’s Bowlmor Lanes still attracts the crowds, partly because it’s conveniently located within close proximity of about a dozen NYU dorms, and partly because of its appearance in Sex and the City (in a particularly memorable Carrie-Big date scene). The crowd here consists mostly of googly-eyed couples and groups of tipsy college kids blowing their parents’ money, so if you don’t enjoy overhearing deafening discussions about the cute TA in Psych 101, you may want to steer clear.

Harlem Lanes

Harlem’s newest bowling alley speaks of the elegance and cool style of Harlem past, while its slick modern elements reflect the rapidly modernizing Harlem of today. Unlike the overly flashy quasi-futurism of 300 and Bowlmor Lanes, Harlem Lanes presents an idealized representation of bowling lanes of old with its classic, almost retro design. The food and drinks are as pretention-free as they are delicious, and the staff is refreshingly friendly and alert (a big difference from places like Leisure Time Bowl). It may not be a kitschy dive like the bowling alleys of suburban nostalgia and memory, but Harlem Lanes is a serious bowling lover’s dream hangout. The Dude would love it.

Melody Lanes

Melody Lanes Bowling Center is one of the only ‘real’ bowling alleys left in the New York area. By that I mean, everything is cheap, the customer base is colorful and composed mostly of locals, and the bar food is awesomely greasy. No escargots or lychee-tinis here. Between games, chat up the kindly bartender and throw back some cheap beers in the lounge, or pump some quarters into the arcade like the old days. The location (across the street from the Jackie Gleason bus depot on Brooklyn’s 5th Avenue) may not scream romance at first glance, but take your date on an after-bowling stroll through nearby Sunset Park for an amazing view and the, ahem, activities that tend to go along with such a lookout point.

College bars (especially of the dive variety) are great because the crowds there focus on what's important – getting wasted, and fast. No pretention, just sloppy, loud people who can't hold their liquor. There's never a shortage of overplayed Top 40 on the jukebox, and there's always a sick girl in the bathroom with her friends holding back her hair. Those were the days, all right.

When it comes to college bars in the Big Apple, you need look no further than the vicinity of New York University in bohemian Greenwich Village, where cheap drink specials draw fake ID-toting freshmen like flies to a pile of garbage bags on a New York street corner. The following are three of the best time-tested dives in the NYU area, all of them perfect for a wild night out with friends. Grab your letterman jacket and pop a few Chasers, because you're about to go back to school.

Grassroots Tavern
The age-worn wooden floors in this historic basement bar have been trodden upon by artists, writers, and scores of naïve students over the years, not to mention a handful of jaded cats and dogs who strut around like they own the place. Some come for the cheap pitchers and popcorn, some for the dart tournaments, some for the company of the amusingly no-nonsense bartender and sodden regulars, but everyone leaves happy. Between rounds, take note of the old pressed-tin ceiling, heavy wooden bar, and other charming Old New York details. Just don't bother the cats when they're sleeping – trust me.

Bar None
Bar None is the kind of place where you always go in for one drink and end up staying for four. Perhaps it's the fact that they offer the self-proclaimed longest happy hour in New York (11am to 8pm every day), where $4 will get you a well drink or a pint of better draft beer ($3 for boring Bud and Bud Lite). Newcomers are mystified by the incessant pounding on the ceiling, which actually comes from a karate class that meets upstairs. The place turns into a dance party late at night, but the afternoon is the time to come, when you can chat up the tough-looking but super-friendly bartender and his son, and/or enjoy an episode of "Cash Cab" with them. And honestly, you stop noticing the karate class after a while. It's like the stench in New Jersey that way.

Josie Woods Pub
This deliciously 70s-looking stone-and-wood basement bar is in the dead center of the NYU campus, so there's never a shortage of tipsy coeds to ogle. Cheap pitchers of beer and decent bar food make up the offerings here, doled out by a genuinely nice staff that always remembers your face, if not your name. The frat guys and ditzy girls that pack the bar on weekends can get annoying, so come after work if you prefer a laid-back atmosphere and access to the pool tables and the MegaTouch. Although there's something to be said for the spectacle caused by dozens of fresh-faced college kids reaching record blood alcohol levels at the same time. It's enough to make you want to sign up for classes all over again.