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December 17, 2007 The House of Brews (302 51st St, NYC) is one of those places. You know the kind. You get a call from a friend asking to go out, leaving the planning up to you. You try to find a new place to impress your friend, but nothing jumps out. So your mind falls back to that favorite, comfortable place with such a variety of beer and plenty of tasty food treats that, no matter what you order, you know you will enjoy. Last week I got an email from my friend Courtney. We had not seen each other since I had shrugged my corporate coil. She recently left that same company where we first met. So the time was long overdue for a catch-up session. House of Brews was the perfect choice in my mind. Normally the upstairs area is the quieter, more intimate one, but not tonight.
Thanks to this time of year, the top floor was bustling with parties and all of the tables were reserved. This caused an ironic flip-flop effect as the normally rampaging happy hour area of the downstairs bar was peaceful in comparison. Courtney and I chowed down on potato skins, mini-burgers (I hate that they're called sliders) and nachos while sipping our cocktails. Guinness is a cocktail, right? And we talked for hours. A few days later, my friend Annie and I met for drinks at the nearby Russian Samovar. And while we were enjoying the infused vodka, we were craving some good old bar-fare finger food. Without hesitation, I suggested House of Brews. This being a Monday night, the more comfortable lounge area of the upstairs bar was perfect for us to laugh and snack on Diablo Garlic Fire Chicken Wings and (of course) nachos.
House of Brews is one of several great pubs in the area just far enough from Times Square and just close enough to Hell’s Kitchen to keep a neighborhood feel. And yes, it does get crazy around happy hour, but that crowd tends to thin out eventually. If you’re looking for a place to have a leisurely night of conversation, food and drinks, this is perfect. Sure sometimes you need to be patient while trying to find that quiet corner spot, but it’s always worth the wait. Links:
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