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January 23 , 2008 I stepped into Bar Nine (807 9th Ave, NYC) and was welcomed by soothing music, low ambient light and candles on the coppertop bar. It's not what I normally expect from this place, but I liked it. I could feel my day slip away. As I sat sipping a Guinness, calmly waiting for friends to arrive, I was asked by Kierin behind the bar to pick some songs on the jukebox. As much as hearing Bono's lamenting voice bodes well for this spa atmosphere, he feared it was a bit too lamenting for happy hour. It was nothing some Jesus & Mary Chain couldn't remedy. And just like that, the spa was gone and the bar was back. Kierin and I had a fairly in depth conversation about music. Somehow we got on the subject of how only Rush fans can actually be Rush fans. It takes a certain type of person to like that sound, yet bands like U2 or T. Rex have universal appeal. This was abruptly cut short when the afore mentioned candles set a handbag ablaze, filling the room with the aroma of charred canvas. Aside from that excitement, I was still able to relax and soak in the rest of the bar's atmosphere as I waited on my friends. Antique stage lights hung over the bar. Or perhaps they were upside down metal djembes (depending upon your perspective). There was a canopy of white branches too up there too.
Altogether, the decor is a hodgepodge of exposed brick, kitschy adverts, a bull's skull, a table arcade game, a lawn jockey, a small rowboat and a checkerboard-topped pub table. And this is just in the front room. In the back they have mismatched sofas and chairs around tiled, amoeba-shaped tables and one enormous wooden booth. Behind that room is another bar area and tucked further away is what appears to be a higher class of a cubbyhole for more intimate gatherings. It was empty. The bathrooms continue the eccentricities with black industrial metal floors, walls and stall doors looking like an old loading dock that went into the bar biz.
Later in the night there was a band playing on a small stage overlooking the front bar. I don't remember their name. They played covers which is not my fare but they were mostly doing classic rock and a good deal of blues, so I was able to enjoy it (somewhat). It had to be better than what was being advertised for a future show. There were flyers everywhere for a band called Led Blimpie with the Swan Song logo holding a Blimpie sandwich. I didn't really get it, other than it's a play on Led Blimp, but that's not very funny. Apparently they're into doing Led Zeppelin covers, eating hearty sandwiches and infringing on multiple trademarks. Bar Nine is a good place to meet for happy hour, which ends at 7:00 so get their early. Even after, the prices are decent and if you're nice, you could score a buy back or two. It is sometimes hard to get a smile out of the girls working the tables who can come across as a bit distant. Just don't be a jerk and they'll warm up. If you're there with a decent sized group, it's best to run a tab on a card to reduce confusion since the place can get crazy. If you prefer to pay cash, you could order from the bar. However, going to the bar and not ordering from the girls could be construed as you being a jerk. So, be forewarned. Links:
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