Bar of the Week Archives 2001

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2A

Guess where (25 Ave. at 2nd St.)
(212) 505-2466

Dive? Yes? Lounge? Yes? Jazz? Yes. 80's music? Yes
How is it so many things to so many people, you ask? They did a good job.

The Downstairs Bar
- Characters: Regulars, aged 30+
- Setting: Large bar with a few tables and small lounge area towards the back
- Time: 9:30pm, Sat night

We walked in to find a neighborhood bar with neighborhood people who have probably been coming to this bar since Alphabet City was feared and not yet revered. The 30 + crowd looked at us as we walked by the 15 people bar and then turned back to their conversations set to the tune of some mellow jazz. We walked by the long, leather couchette and 3 tables as we headed back towards the bathrooms, and found a staircase leading to the upstairs bar.

The Upstairs Bar
- Characters: Class of 2000 - Class of 1992 graduates
- Setting: Small bar/large lounge with about 8 "areas" in which to relax, and two thin bar/tables with stools
- Time: 10:30 pm, Sat night

As we walked up the dark staircase, we found a completely different scene than downstairs. The music was almost too loud to talk over, and consisted of late 70's and early 80's like Blondie and Toni Basil. The lounge areas had sofas, chairs and coffee tables, and were all completely filled with young former sorority and frat types by 10:30. And, just to have another perspective on the upstairs bar, my friend pointed out that it's "....mainstream for the East Village".

Both Floors of the Bar
- $5 bottled beer, $6 call drinks
- happy hour every day 2-8
- Offer a good time in the Alphabet city area
- Worth checking out

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Nativa
5 E. 19th St. (between Broadway & 5th Ave.)
(212) 420-8636

What do the Beastie Boys, D-Lite, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson have in common? They're all played by the amazing djs at Nativa. And since I am a big believer that music can make or break a place, this did a lot to boost it's rating.

Along with the music, you'll also find that they have great:
- Mixed drinks - they are $10, but very strong and yummy (try the chocolate martini if you can handle it). Call drinks are $8 and an Amstel is $6

- Staff - Ask the bartender for a reco, and she'll make you something out of whatever liquors you like. In addition, the guys with the guest list and friendly bouncers make the club experience more pleasant, and make the wait much shorter

- Bar Space - both the large upstairs bar and smaller downstairs bar are well equipped with 2 bartenders and fully stocked with upscale liquor

- Crowd - well dressed, good looking 25-35 year olds on a guest list come here to people-watch, pick up and hang out

- Upstairs - the upstairs has a club atmosphere with couches around the perimeter of the room and an open space in the center where people sometimes dance

- Downstairs - the downstairs is very cavernous and dark with couchettes and comfy, oversized stools and great for larger groups

- Champagne Room - this is where the great djs spin and where you can buy a bottle for yourself and some friends in a private setting

- Space - while there are two floors, there are 3 sets of stairs, so you're never trapped on a stair well or stuck in one place while your friends are in another

- Bathrooms - they're clean, big and dark, but there are not many of them, so get in line before you think you'll need to

They also have food which smells amazing, but on which I can't yet comment since I haven't had it. I do know that they have Pan-Asian food, and that they serve it on all floors until midnight.

As with most new, cool places, there is no sign, so look for the burly bouncers and velvet rope on this quiet block in the Flatiron.

Enjoy!

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Nice Guy Eddie's
5 Avenue A (corner of Houston)
(212) 253-1666

Unlike a lot of the new bars in the 'hood, you need not get dressed up to go to Nice Guy's and can figure that out with one look at the wall with a big painting of Kiss outside. I like divey places, and this one is no exception -- except for the $1 price tag on the Ms Pac Man/Galaga machine (sorry, David).

There are lots of things to like about it though from A to Z:
A big pool table in the back
Beer on top (10 of them)
Call drinks for $5.50
Damn good jukebox with classic rock and a touch of metal
Exceptionally good deal for brunch: Saturday & Sunday from 11-5, $8.95 includes an entree plus a mimosa, bloody Mary or Bud plus coffee, tea or juice
Fantastic sign stating no cigar or pipe smoking
Great place to watch sports on one of three TVs
Healthy mix of people of all ages from locals to Ludlow street spillovers and even punks
I believe that there are about 8 tables for dining as well as several tables near the bar and in the back next to the pool table so it's good place to bring a group
Jolly good wings and other bar food
Zero reason not to check it out

(OK - I cheated a bit, but 26 reasons is superfluous.)

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Solas
232 E. 9th St. (between Second & Third Ave.)
(212) 375-0297

Although I think this may be the smokiest bar on earth, I'm willing to overlook that as there are so many virtues to extol here:
- Laid back, mellow atmosphere
- Both lounge and bar enjoyment
- Fabulous music (e.g., Jamiroquai)
- Party rooms
- Interesting/vast drink selection
- Young, good looking, sexily dressed 20 something crowd

I got there at 9:30 on a Sat night and it was pretty packed already.

My first impression: There are a lot of dates here. Sat next to one. "Don't do that unless you mean it" said a guy to a girl who leaned down towards him to get her bag from the floor. He laughed, She didn't.

Loungy and dim, large bar on 1st floor with about 25 stools

7 beers on draft and 7 bottled beers plus Smirnoff Ice Vodka and citrus. "Gets you really fucked up" said the bartender whom I asked about it.

$6 call drinks heavy on the alcohol, no cider, energy drinks and Tara Irish water.

I'll def go again - probably on a weeknight and most definitely when NYU is out...

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Fiddlesticks
54-58 Greenwich Ave (Between 6th & 7th Ave.)
(212) 463-0516

I haven't been to this bar too recently, but thought that the size and offerings make it a good choice for the St Paddy's B.O.T.W., so I enlisted the help of my new friend, Christian, who seems to be a Fiddlesticks maven. His comments are all in quotes, so if you don't like the review, let me know and I'll give you his email so you can set him straight (kidding, of course).

What you'll need to know for St Patrick's Day:
- It is a huge space with antique furniture in several different rooms with different themes or, "Lots of nooks and crannies to play in"

- The crowd is usually a mellow, neighborhood crowd, but you'll also get, "rugby crowd on Thursdays and Saturdays (men and women)"

- They have a variety of food from yummy bar food like potato skins to Irish faves like Shepherd's Pie and a diverse offering of sandwiches and entrees (penne a la vodka, jambalaya, e.g.)

- The prices are pretty typical here --$5 for a call drink-- and they have a good selection of beer (including cider), but a solid reason to go is that they pour the, "best pint of Guinness in town"

- Check out the lounge but, "don't ask what the leather straps in the lounge are for, they'll tell you horses"

- They have good music and a friendly ("cute") staff

And if you don't make it this Saturday, you are encouraged to check it out on Sundays when they have a $9.95 brunch which includes two drinks, and live Irish music.> > > >
Or check it out in the summer as they have sidewalk seating, so you can drink and do some top-notch people watching. And unlike other bars with outdoor spaces, they let you sit and drink all day rather than pressuring you to get up when your meal is through...my kind of place.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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Another Room
249 W. Broadway (between Beech & No. Moore)
(212) 645-9758

For those of you who know of this chain of popular beer and wine bars, this is the third one, and it's in TriBeCa - the first is the Room in SoHo and the second one is the Other Rom in the West Village.
On a Saturday night around 1:00 am when all other TriBeCa bars had a line or were filled to capacity, this wine bar had room to spare (pun not intended), and a friendly atmosphere that you don't usually find this far downtown.

It looks a lot like what a Pottery Barn bar would look like -- olive colored walls, a beautiful tin ceiling, dimly lit with rectangular hanging lamps and votives all over the bar. Plus, they have sliding doors to a couple of the nicest bar bathrooms I've ever seen.

Size-wise, Anotheroom is a bit on the small side with 6 iron tables that are bar height and one large banquette lining the wall. Plus, they also have 2 private areas when you walk in, and they have 8 bar stools at the bar.

But the main draw of this bar to enjoy is the wide selection of beers and wines in a laid back atmosphere.

They have about 36 bottled beers ranging from $5 - $7, 15 "big beers" which are $8 - $16, and they also have 12 beers on tap. You can order a pilsner ($3.50 - $4.00) or a pint ($5 - $7). In addition, they have 3 white wines and 7 red wines by the glass.

My favorite and the most striking decoration here was the vulture hanging out behind the bar, which both puzzled me and delighted me at the same time.

And the crowd consisted of 25-35 year olds, half on dates (or so it seemed), and the other half just chatting quietly over Bob Marley.

If you're in the area and looking for a place for a good drink and quiet conversation, look no further.

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West Side Tavern
360 W. 23rd St. (between Eighth & Ninth Ave.)
(212) 366-3738

We ended up here by default since H2K, the lounge across the street, was closed for a private party. But we had such a good time here that I think we found a new happy hour haunt. It had what we were looking for:
- The drinks were cheap ($4 call drinks, $5 wine)
- There was entertainment (a pool table, as well as a solid jukebox with lots of disco as well as Bruce, Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews and lots of Motown)
- And they had 2 TVs with basketball playing

Other reasons we liked this bar is that it is big -the bar has about 20 seats, there are a few tables in the front, a large lounge area in the back, it attracts a mellow, neighborhood crowd, on Thursday they offer $2 pints of Carlsberg and they have a good selection of 6 draft beers, 7 bottled beers including cider and the latest craze in energy drinks - Red Bull.

Also, because of its proximity to Chelsea Piers, depending on which night you go, you may find yourself there with a team of hockey players relaxing after a game, so we women were digging it.

Aside from the large group of us, there were a few people there solo to watch the game, a group playing pool in the back, and some people there for quiet conversation. So if you're looking to get rowdy, keep on going, but if you want a cheap pint, and a good place to sit and chat or watch the game, you'll find those things here.

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Tribe
132 First Ave. (St. Marks Place)
(212) 979-8965

It's not a small bar, but it's not a large bar either.
It's not exactly a club, and it's not exactly a lounge.
It's not expensive, but not cheap.
It's filled with people you'd expect to see on St Marks and some you wouldn't expect to see at all.

So what it is? Not exactly any of the above, but all of it.

On the weekends, there is always a good DJ, and the music switches by the hour from slow jams to poppy fun tunes to groovy hip hop. On the nights I've been there, it's started out with slow jams to relax by, then to great 80's to which everyone dances and sings to, to contemporary hip hop in the later hours.

On the occasions I've visited, the bartenders have been friendly and cute, and made a good drink (even flaming ones if you so desire).

Early on, there may be a party there, and as it gets later, you'll find more of the touristy, St Marks crowd looking to dance and pick up. The average age is about the same at all times - mid 20's to early 30's - and is pretty good looking and swankily dressed.

There is no food, but fabulous, comfortable lounge areas and a huge bar, so it's a good venue pre or post meal.

The people who brought us Tribe also manage the Vig Bar and W8th, so if you've ever been to either and like them, check this one out and you won't be disappointed.

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Kava Lounge
605 Hudson St. (W. 12th St.)
(212) 989-7504

It looks deceptively small as you walk by, but Kava Lounge is actually a great place to go with a group of friends after work. In addition to the small, 10 person bar in the front, there is a comfortable back area with banquettes and a few tables which is the perfect place to chill out with a group.

Happy hour is from 5-7 daily and you get great bang for the buck as you can enjoy 2-for-1 drinks during that time. So instead of 1 $7 call drink, you get two.

It's a very mellow bar painted red and orange with tribal murals decorating the walls, lots of candles, and if there's music, I don't remember it.

As far as food, they offer a cheese plate and a hummus plate, but since they don't have a kitchen, I'd stay away from both as who knows how long after
they cut up the cheese and pita they serve them.

Kava is an extract from an Australian pepper plant of some sort, so they offer kava beverages, but I've heard mixed reviews, so taste at your own risk.

They do have a great wine and beer selection and a local crowd that varies in age and background, so once you get tired of the rowdy, frat-influenced bars of the West Village and you're interested in something a bit more conductive to conversation, stop by the Kava Lounge.

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Parkside Lounge
317 E. Houston St. (Attorney St.)
(212) 673-6270

Parkside is the type of place you happen into or live near, but don't usually make it your destination for the night. That's just fine for the mellow, local crowd of varied ages looking for a game of pool or a cheap drink. Cheap means $5 for a call drink and less than that for a beer.

It looks link the type of comfy, divvy bar they would go to on that 70's show - carpeted floors, old video game and pinball machine, a PBR clock, a neon sign reading "drive thru 24 hours", a model airplane made of Shaeffer cans, and wood paneling.

The bar has about 15 seats and there are a few tables with bar stools against the wall. Back by the pool table, there is standing space and in the back, an area for bands to play. Unlike other music venues, the music starts and ends early here - 3 bands had gone on and come off by the time we arrived at midnight.

The beer selection consists of 9 bottled beers (one cider), and 5 drafts beers. And the jukebox selection had a healthy helping of classic rock like Janis, the Stones and Jimi.

If you're unsure of whether it's your scene or not, come by for happy hour (5-8) when you can get $2.50 draft and well drinks and an overview of the place. If you're looking for a comfy place to hang with a few friends that won't cost you much, I guarantee you'll be back despite the out of the way
location.

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Filter 14
432 W 14th St. (entrance on Washington)
(212) 366-5680

I was a bit apprehensive to check out Filter, not because of the foreboding meatpacking address, but more because of its description as a club. I think "club" is a bit inappropriate as clubs invoke a very specific image, at least to me, of barely legal kids or B&Ters decked out, using cheesy pick up lines and dancing until 6 in a hot, sweaty room. None of these things are true to Filter as the crowd is NY chic-ly dressed, at least out of school, and Filter is for, well, more than just dancing.

There are 3 main rooms here and I'll refer to them as we did on Saturday night:
- Front room is a bar/lounge
- Back room is the disco room
- Downstairs is a lounge

All rooms have bars, of course, but each has a different personality depending on which night and who's DJ'ing at the time.

1) The front room was my personal fave - they played Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" as we walked in, and I instantly fell in love. As the night went on, they played more old funk/soul like "Use Me" by Bill Withers and "Mama Used to Say". You can dance or lounge as there are really comfy banquettes, as well as ample bar space, and if it weren't for the horribly stinky bathroom, I would give this room an A++.

2) The disco room played music that I consider clubby - a lot of contemporary house, no disco to speak of. I merely call it the disco room as there is a disco ball hanging from the ceiling. It was crowded and wild in here from about 1:30 on, and to the delight of the patrons who stayed late, they got a special show from the bartender: nipple fires. That's right, had you stayed in the disco room until 4am Sat., you, too, could have seen the bartender set her nipples on fire. I'd bet just that is enough to get you guys to check Filter out.

3) The lounge reeked of a smoky substance when we got there (God bless it) and the bar there was manned by a girl in a cheerleading uniform who looked like she had just come from practice. It's white and has lots of seating, and was playing reggae early on in the evening, but I can't remember what was playing there when I left for some reason...

There is a "mandatory" coat check through the downstairs lounge and much more bearable, even nice bathrooms as well.

The drinks are club priced - $8 for a call mixed drink, $6 bottles Bud, so drink before you go and do shots so you can get bang for the buck.

The owner, Tommy Frayne, is a cool guy who told me that people often describe Filter as the Hogs & Heifers of the club scene, and I can see why (in case you can't imagine, see description of the disco room above). While it's in the midst of being fixed up, the lighting and comfy furniture take your eyes away from the unfinished aspects of it. But don't take my word, pony up your $5 or $10 and find out yourself.

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XR Bar
128 W Houston St (Sullivan St.)
(212) 674-4080

You've probably gone by it a million times and never gone in. It's a quiet bar at the corner of Sullivan and Houston and while the open windows and couchettes lining the walls look comfy and inviting, since you've never heard about it, you walk by. And, you know, on a weeknight, I'd say that instinct is right, but on a weekend, you should make it a late night destination.

I walked in on Saturday at midnight to the sounds of Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing", took a seat at the end of the 20 person bar and stayed for a few hours. This is what kept us here so long:
- a continuous mix of funk, soul and disco
- the fun, friendly crowd
- cool bartenders who make a strong drink (and a fine shot)
- being 2 of a handful of women and having shots bought for us
- a mellow, no pressure atmosphere

Despite outside appearance, it is a large place with a huge bar, a handful of tables in the front, and a lounge area in the back. It's hard to characterize the crowd, but I'd say it wasn't NYU at all considering the locale, but more of a mature crowd ranging from 27 to 35. There were some B&Ters there, but others seemed more local and dressed casually.

Drinks were about $6 call and $5 bottles and I didn't notice if they had anything on tap there or not as we were all about hard liquor (as usual).

It is dark and cavernous and dark red, so it's loungy in a burlesque kind of way.

Bring a date, bring a friend, a group, or whomever and sit towards the front to enjoy some top notch people watching inside or out.

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The Vig Bar
12 Spring St. (at Elizabeth St.)
212-625-0011

The owners of Tribe and W 8th bring us another bar with great music, lots of lounge areas and a good looking, ready to hook up crowd.

Vig bar is more of a lounge than bar as it's dark and intimate with couchette areas great for relaxing. As most lounges do, they have an excellent martini selection (I highly recommend the peachy keen), it's moderate to expensive (while martinis are $9, an amstel will cost you $6) and filled with an attractive clientele, well dressed in anything black.

The front room has a large bar, lots of areas to sit and a lot of standing space which is helpful as on any weekend night, you can expect to be packed in there starting midnight. This can be a curse or a blessing as some of the patrons tend to come on a bit strong and you can't help but talk to them since they're right next to you. But, since the upper 20's/younger 30's crowd is filled with more well-dressed, attractive people than not, you might be happy to squeeze your way by the shabby/chic NoHo hottie with the bowling shoes at the bar.

The back room looks like an Asian disco with lots of red, blue and orange on the tables, chairs and walls, and it's a great place to rent out for a private party as it's a good size for a party of 40 or less and the room is a square so it makes it easy to check everyone out.

What we loved most about this place was the friendly, knowledgeable bartending staff and the varied 80's music like Digital Undergrounds' Humpty Dance, U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday, George Michael's Freedom '90, and lots of other tunes we found ourselves singing happily along with along with the rest of the drunk patrons.

Not sure that I've quite imparted the charm of this place, but you'll see it if you go, and then you'll be happy you did.

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Hudson Hotel Bar(s)
- Hudson Bar
- Hudson Library Bar
- Hudson Garden Bar
356 W. 58th St. (between 8th & 9th Ave.)
(212) 554-6343

I am not a fan of chi chi bars. But this hotel has 3 bars to choose from and, despite the prices, it has a lot to offer.

Hudson Lobby Bar:
Lit up disco-like floor, lots of people watching and ample, comfy seating. Typical Phillipe Starck bar with loud music (think Asia de Cuba), it glows and hums with lots of trendies.

Hudson Library Bar:
Looks like a library, hence the name. Has shelves of books from the floor to ceilings as well as big, comfy leather armchairs, a working fireplace, chess boards and a purple pool table.

Hudson Garden Bar:
One of the best outdoor drinking spaces in the city. It looks like an antique flea market as the tables and chairs are eclectic (meaning they're not the same style but somehow match anyway), and look as though they came from ABC Carpet. It is covered, and they have heat lamps, so you can enjoy this spot spring through fall despite the weather. They also have some plush bed/sofa seats much like at the W hotel bar, and a lot of seating, but be warned that hotel guests can reserve space so you can get bumped if you're waiting.

All bars serve an upscale martini menu (most martinis serves with edible pansies) which also includes my favorite, the mojito. Because of the high quality of these drinks, and their upscale garnishes, they range from $10 to $12, so go on an expense account or stick to beer. Given costs and reputation, expect a good looking, wealthy, 30 and up crowd looking to hook up or just be seen, plus foreign hotel guests who are in the know. And wear something nice or suffer outside the velvet rope.

Happy Hudsoning.

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Tiki Room
4 W. 22nd St. (between 5th & 6th Ave.)
(646) 230-1444

The old Fred's Beauty Bar space has been reclaimed and moved to the tropics. Or so it would seem.
Flat screen TVs behind the bar project morphing island images from a tidal wave, to a volcano erupting to wild flowers. And if that doesn't put you in the right frame of mind, try one of their $10 specialty drinks which are worth every penny as they're strong, refreshing and served in a tall, ceramic tiki mug with an umbrella and some fruit. Some of my favorites include: Tiki Me Elmo - a frozen drink with raspberry vodka, and sweet, tropical juices, Carmel Apple-tini - a twist on the popular apple martini, but they add butterscoth schnapps to it. Or for a vacation from a typical drink try the Mucho Mango with mango puree, dark run and oj.

If mixed drinks are not your thing, they have 6 beers on draft and 6 bottled ones (including cider) which are $4 for domesic beers until 8, and $5 after that, or $5 for imported beers until 8 and $6 after that.

The space itself consists of a large bar room downstairs with bar stools for about 25, small, cavernous rooms in the back of the bar room, and a cool, upstairs hangout with bar, couchettes and tables which make it great for a private party space. And there is also a large, tiki sculpture which spans from the floor of the downstairs to the ceiling of the upstairs which you can not miss and is a must-see. You can walk through it to get to the small lounge areas on the first floor, or sit/dance in it on the second floor.
And the food is excellent, especially for a bar, with $7 - $10 apps like sesame chicken wings, smoked chicken, goat cheese and jack quesadilla and salmon tartare with green papaya and horseradish.

They have a DJ every night, generally Stormin' Norman formerly of Shine, so you can def dance the night away in this Carribbean hideaway. Some of the great old soul he played included Rod Stewart's classic Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? as well as the Jackson's 5's Can You Feel It?

Eddie Dean, who thought up this idea in his car one night, wanted to create an updated tiki lounge with a vacation enviroment - a place you could escape to without leaving town. With the help of the Nancy Mah, the woman who is responsible for designing Sushi Samba and Lotus, they did just that.

The staff, dressed in hawaiian shirts for easy reference, is very friendly and makes/serves some excellent drinks - my downstairs bartender concocted a great frozen drink for me that wasn't on the menu, and Brendan, the upstairs bartender, made a mean mojito.

Eddie warns that they have private parties and long lines on the weekend, so you might want to call ahead if you're bringing a group. He also owns Hush on 19th street, so if that is any indication as to the future popularity of Tiki Room, get there soon and get to know someone so you can get in.

Check out pix, info and their menu on their site: http://www.tikiroomnyc.com

It occurs to me that my bars of the week are getting much more upscale. Not to say I don't enjoy a good dive bar, oh no, I do, but I think I've reviewed them all already. Given that, I'll review a great date/after work /dinner spot, Sushi Samba 7
Sushi Samba 7

The newer Sushi Samba has 4 huge reasons to go there and forsake the original Gramercy branch:
1) Huge restaurant
2) Huge roof deck
3) Huge lounge area
4) Sidewalk seating

The best thing is, you can eat in all four, and take in the sights of the downtown hotspot.

Like the Park Avenue one, you can get amazing, albeit, pricey mixed drinks like the ever-popular mojito, and a fabulous twist on the margarita and martini - the sambarita and saketini. It will cost you $8 for a mixed specialty drink, $9 for martini.

The food is a mix of Brazilian cuisine and Japanese, so they have cooked food like shrimp and Latino veggie tempura and Chilean sea bass as well as an assortment of seviches and also tasty rolls which run $7 - $12 for a specialty roll like eel.

While the outsides are similar - a Mondrian-type colored glass motif on the windows, the crowds vary significantly as do the spaces. At 7, in addition to the outdoor spaces and lounge, the dining area is significantly larger as is the sushi bar with seating for close to 20. And the bar at 7 has about 10 stools plus a large lounge are adjacent to it with orange banquettes and small tables.

It is tough to get a reservation for dinner (call 4 or 5 days in advance for an 8:00 or later reservation), and that is the only way to sit outside. Keep in mind that there is a $30 food minimum required for dinner on the upstairs patio. But, you can just walk in to the bar, sushi bar or lounge if you can find somewhere to sit. The crowd is a mix of trendy downtowners and after work drink seekers, but dress nicely or you'll feel out of place.

Sushi Samba Park Ave.
The Park Ave. branch has a 3 course business lunch for $20.01 and 7 has a Samba Dromo brunch Sat and Sunday from 11:30-4:00 with live Brazilian jazz music.

Even though I think the newer one has more reasons to go, if you're in the neighborhood, the original Gramercy branch is on Park Avenue South at 19th Street.

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Peter McManus
152 Seventh Ave. (19th St.)
(212) 929-9691

While Edward Norton drank here in Keeping the Faith, you need not be a celebrity to come here.

In a neighborhood of gay bars and chi-chi clubs (not that there's anything wrong with that), here's a Chelsea Irish neighborhood pub where you don't have to get dressed up, won't spend a lot money and won't have to wait on line. Established in 1936, this family-owned bar is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, has three TV's playing sports and lots of B&W photos on the walls.

Peter Mc Manus Cafe has a large bar with about 25 bar stools, medium sized dining room with six booths and four tables, a large neighborhood following, but itsy-bitsy prices. The crowd swells and thins throughout the course of the night, and is made up of everyone from college students to firemen to long time Chelsea dwellers and comedy club attendees.

On a recent Saturday night, a friend and I put down a $10 and got a call drink and a draft beer and got change back. They have eight beers on tap including Sam, Harp and McManus Ale, plus twelve bottled beers including Bud, Corona and Cider Jack. All will cost you about $4.50.

In addition to the cheap drinks, they have good pub fare including burgers, deli sandwiches, lamb and pork chops and all are tasty and inexpensive as well.
They also have two golf video games and a great jukebox with music varying from Chicago and Boston to Bob Marley, Best Of Culture Club, Trainspotting and Marvin Gaye.

The friendly bartenders tend to observe the buyback rule and are knowledgeable enough to make a Blue Whale even if people don't typically order them. This bar also sponsors spring and fall stickball games, when they close off W. 19th St. for the game, and offer free beer and munchies to all attendees.
You can eat here late, but don't expect to do any picking up - it's so bright in here that your potential hook up will be able to see the desperation in your eyes...so just drink up and enjoy.

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Grace
114 Franklin Street (between W Broadway & Church St.)
(212) 343-4200

Grace is a classy, but fun lounge in the heart of TriBeCa that satisfies a lot of urges such as eating well, drinking well and picking up. This huge space has a mahogany bar with stools for about 30 people, high, tin ceilings and a comfy back dining room.
They have 14 international beers on tap for $6 including the Czech Republic, Belgium, Vermont, and , of course, Brooklyn. They also have 6 bottled beers ranging in price from a $6 Amstel to a $12 imported Cider in a 24 oz bottle. They also have a special cocktail menu which, for $8, gets you a pint of strong alcohol mixtures such as the Grace cocktail which is a rum runner with pineapple and Bacardi, or a raspberry fizz with Stoli raz, soda and fresh raspberries.
The food is excellent and includes sandwiches as well as American tapas like the skirt steak (my friend called it "orgasmic"), spring rolls and the quesadilla of the day.
Everything here is tasty, not expensive and served by a friendly staff.

If you're more of a dive bar person, you'll love the Liquor Store Bar. Once an actual liquor store, this small, rustic space attracts a laid back crowd and is a breath of fresh air when you're seeking a good, old-fashioned pub in this area.Inside, you'll find tables of people drinking beer, maybe a gin and tonic, but no cosmos or swanky imports here. And when it's nice, you can try to snag an outdoor table from which to enjoy top-notch people-watching.
With only 4 beers on tap including Bud and Guinness and a small liquor selection, patrons here range in age and enjoy the oldies on the cd player as there is jukebox or pool table or dart board to distract you. That said, you're coming here to get plastered, and will be able to do it more cheaply and quickly than other place in the area.
This is as un-TriBeCa in TriBeCa as you're going to get, so if you're looking for a place with velvet ropes, expensive drinks and dancing, move on.

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MacDougal St. Ale House
122 Macdougal St. (between W. 3rd & Bleecker St.)
(212) 254-8569

Twas Halloween night and all round West Village
We sought a good bar and here ended our pilgrimage
The Mac Dougal Street Ale House is where we did go
And make sure you look for it closely, as it's down below
Upon our entry, we observed a bar with ten stools
Otherwise there were 5 tables and a place to shoot pool
They had 2 TVs, a video game and a great jukebox
We sang along to the tunes as the music here rocks
The friendly male bartenders were put to the test
As they served drinks as cheerleaders, scantily dressed
The drink prices during happy hour were not much at all,
$4 a beer and $5 for a mixed drink (type: call)
The patrons were older than I expected they'd be
As co-eds were no where in the bar to be seen
Everyone was friendly, and to my delight
They showed the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror X that night!
So as you can see I was digging this place
And recommend you come visit this wonderful space
As to why I write this in the style of the Night Before Christmas
I really couldn't tell you, so mind your damn business.

We've got a winner here, folks! In the former spot of H2K, Kanvas takes much better advantage of the neighborhood and the space. For $8.50 a call drink, I also felt a bit taken advantage of, but now that I know better, and can warn others, I have come to terms with it.

So rather than take what's behind door #1 (an $8.50 call drink), opt for door #2: go during the 4-7 Monday-Sunday happy hour and get a martini for half price. Choose from the plain vodka/little vermouth variety or one of about 10 others like a jolly rancher or a mint chocolate chip. And if vodka isn't you thing, they also have mojitos or specialty drinks like the apple shock or PB&J (chambord, vodka and frangelico) which all cost less than the regular call drinks. Or get a pint from their tap with over 10 beers and pay a mere $5 - $6 instead.

But enough with the prices already, here's what you'll get as your wonderful prize package if you check out Kanvas:

- A menu of delectable eats like a lobster club, chicken kabobs or potato and bacon cakes

Or you could choose what's behind door #3, but lord knows what you'll find there.

I used to hate Bahi. After a birthday party gone awry, I swore it off forever. Forever ended up being two years as I did come back, and am glad I did.

- The biggest change is that there is now a daily happy hour. For $5, you can get a call drink, so that's more booze for the buck.
- The girl guy ratio is no longer 5:1 as the bouncers are a bit more forgiving.
- They took away the jukebox, but you can convince the bartenders to change the music if you don't like it.
- They have added more labyrinth type rooms in the back for your drinking and, uh, smoking pleasure.

The crowd is not as young as it once was as it encompasses more 25-30 year olds than 21-25, and they are dressed in work attire versus jeans and baseball hats.

There is a DJ most nights playing good 70's and 80's music, but don't expect to dance as it is a small space. Unless your plan is to rub up against the hottie next to you in which case, good plan.

The bartenders are a bit wet behind the ears, so if you order something complicated, expect it be a bit uneven, but the friendly guys behind the bar will always take it back and make you a new one, so you'll be well-serviced.

Friday night is guest bartending night, so book a spot and grab a friend to join you behind the segmented bar.

Speaking of which, I will be behind the bar myself on Saturday, November 24th from 6-9 and with my pal, Cynthia, Friday, November 30th from 6-9, so if you've never checked it out, either or both of those nights will be a good time.

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