November 19, 2007
The Ginger Man
Yards of beer and bacon on hot dogs
By Stephen Bailey

My friend Amanda’s sister Jennifer was visiting NYC for her birthday. So plans were made to meet up for drinks at The Ginger Man (11 E. 36th St). I walked in and to the back of this enormous pub meets rich boys cigar club and ran into my friend Autumn and her friend Sarah. Autumn and I work together at Hearst. Since just about everyone showing up works in publishing, I figured she was there as part of this party. However this was just a very pleasant coincidence.

Definitely a joint for beer lovers, The Ginger Man boasts 60+ craft beers in bottles and on tap. Prices range from $5.00 to as much as $17.00 and come from all over the world. Tonight I was sipping on a nice, dark and just bitter enough draft from Colorado called Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout. It’s a cask-conditioned ale or one that is unfiltered and without any added carbonation. They also have ‘yards’ of beer, which is just what it sounds like but we were not inclined to indulge.

As more people came in, we all got cozy on the sofas in the antique back area decorated with dark wood and brass. I needed to eat. The food choices are your standard bar fare. This is certainly doesn’t seem like a place to eat healthy although they do have a few salads and lighter sandwiches. The thing that caught my eye was the Ginger Man hot dog. Topped with a strip of bacon, melted cheddar and some sort of ‘house’ sauce, this was a juicy bit of decadence.

I’ve heard that this place can get pretty crowded with quite a diverse group of patrons. From business men to folks just looking for a welcoming pub atmosphere, they roll in after work. But this place is big enough that I can’t imagine it ever really feeling packed. Tonight was fairly empty for two reasons. It was Monday and it was just a few days before Thanksgiving. So it felt nice for our group to be able to mingle uninterrupted.

Links:
The Ginger Man
MurphGuide: Brew Pubs
Stephen Bailey