The Ides at Wythe Hotel
80 Wythe Avenue at North 11th Street, Williamsburg
718-460-8006
Getting There: G to Nassau Avenue; L to Bedford Avenue
http://wythehotel.com/the-ides/

The run of rooftop bars continues this week as I’m doing all I can to have a beer in sunlight. First things first, if you either live in or often find yourself in Williamsburg and you haven’t grabbed some delicious and casual fare at Reynard, the first floor brasserie at the chic but approachable Wythe Hotel- then shame on you. Up on the Hotel’s sixth floor though sits The Ides, an equally relaxed bar run by the same team behind the aforementioned Reynard, Diner and Marlow & Sons and also offers awesome rooftop views of both Brooklyn and Manhattan.

What’s probably the most interesting facet that differentiates The Ides from the other rooftop bars in Manhattan is the absolute lack of pretension. It’s first come-first serve, and while it’s certainly a scene, there’s none of the snobbery that you might find across the river. That said, they also aren’t cutting you much of a deal on prices either- where beers are $7-$8 and cocktails are right in the $12 range. Hopefully you’re ducking into the bar when the weather is nice, where the communal seating is plentiful amid a much larger space than you’d expect that wraps around the building nicely.

Green plant life acts as partitions around the roof with benches lining the entire open-air space. Even if the weather’s not ideal, the bar area, a bit smaller, allows in plenty of natural light with its floor to ceiling windows and the views are even exceptional in there, despite seating being at more of a premium. Currently the bar is also serving small plates upstairs, but with such a variety of eats in the borough, your best bet is to grab a “Harvey Wallbanger” ($10) or a tasty and summery “Hemingway Daquiri” ($14) before dinner- enjoy the ambiance for a bit before heading out for the evening.

The Rundown

Bar Type - Among the best rooftop views you’ll find in any borough inside of Brooklyn’s coolest and most versatile space.

When to Visit – For our money, it’s all about Happy Hour. Not that there are many drink specials to speak of, but there’s something about kicking back on a rooftop that’s not oversaturated with people as the sun goes down. This is Brooklyn’s quintessential spot for pre-dinner drinks.

Value - You can snag a handcrafted cocktail here for $10 and $11 so I suppose that’d be considered competitive. But cost of drink is certainly not your incentive for checking out The Ides.

The Lowdown – You’d be hard pressed to find a rooftop scene as laid back as this one and The Ides manages to pull it together inside of Williamsburg’s most popular settings. The views are remarkable and the drinks are especially refreshing especially when there’s ample daylight. The opening of the Wythe Hotel was one reason to bring folks out to Brooklyn, but finding The Ides is an entirely new one altogether. In the throngs of summer, leave your judgment at the door and grab a seat on the roof with a seasonal beer in hand. You’re welcome New York.

Rogue
757 Sixth Avenue near 26th Street, Flatiron District
212-242-6434
Getting There: N,R,1 to 28th Street
http://www.roguenyc.com/

 

Despite the arrival of a certain massive and spacious Italian food warehouse, the Flatiron District suffers from a notable dearth of good watering holes- places where you can kick back and watch a game, potentially meet other singles, or drop in with some buddies for a brew without any pretension. Enter Rogue, a sports bar for the everyman that could comfortably make its residence in just about any New York City neighborhood.

Although it fancies itself as a restaurant- implied by the guests dining on the patio as we arrive- we’re here to grab a round of drinks. Immediately upon entering, Rogue’s space is perhaps most striking. The two-tiered mostly wooden layout is particularly inviting and the setting feels clean and modern. Moreover, there’s not a bad seat in the house with 14 large flatscreens and 2 huge projection screens strategically placed behind the bar and on seemingly every wall nook where exposed brick doesn’t already exist. On non game nights, the laid back vibe continues as the place routinely plays some good music along with the requisite videos flashed up on all of the screens.

Where Rogue really excels though is with its uber-friendly staff and the value of their specials. Despite the fact that the bar seats are all occupied, the bartenders waste little time in pouring our draught beers and we grab a first-come seat at a nearby table. With the World Cup officially in full swing, Rogue is showing all of the games in their entirety- along with beer specials for almost every country during their games. Our apologies to you though, Ivory Coast. Otherwise, draughts are typically around $4 with some weeknight promotion saving you a few dollars just about every evening. The takeaway here: the space is large, the bar itself is nice, the team is attentive and the prices are moderate.

 

The Rundown

Bar Type - A laid back, modernized sports bar and restaurant that never takes itself too seriously.

When to Visit – Rogue is most definitely suited for weeknight evenings where Happy Hour specials and sports games lend themselves to trickling over into later evening partying. It’s also a GREAT place to visit for a big UFC or boxing event, though you’d be best served to drop by early. And though we haven’t stopped in, Rogue’s weekend brunch is rumored to also be the real deal.

Value - Here’s where Rogue comes through. Their Tuesday Happy Hours offer $4 drafts and $5 mixed drinks- and better yet, they’ve got $4 -$6 World Cup specials with beers from each country during games. From extended Happy Hours to promotions virtually every night, you’ll find something here that saves you a few extra sheckles here and there with Rogue’s competitively priced drinks.

The Lowdown – In our visit to Rogue, we encountered some friendly bartenders hustling quickly on our behalf, a couple feverishly making out at the bar as some Top 40 music blared overhead, a crew of young professionals on the other side of the room kicking back to watch a ballgame and a potential first date- all in one place. Most sports bars might be challenged to attract such an eclectic assortment of clientele. But not at Rogue, a sprawling modern sports bar that’s seemingly fit for anyone.

Clinton Hall
90 Washington Street at Rector Street, Financial District
212-363-6000
Getting There: 1,R to Rector Street; 4,5 to Wall Street
http://clintonhallny.com/

2013 was a particularly strong year for beer garden openings in New York City and perhaps the part of town most desperate for one finally saw its wish granted. Clinton Hall brings a much welcomed alternative to the usual Stone Street centric scene, with more than twenty rotating beers on tap to appease the downtown suits. Coupled with a nice outdoor area on a relatively remote street, Clinton Hall offers a festive atmosphere that will last long after the place’s new-ness wears off.

The hours after work are certainly when you want to be checking out Clinton Hall, a sentiment that rings true for the entire Financial District actually. The outdoor communal tables are set up beer garden style, but amid the street side setting, the place exudes a fairly rustic feel underneath white Radeberger umbrellas. Fortunately there are heatlamps as well to entice high profile clientele in warmer months- but on this temperate evening and as summer approaches- that’s of no concern to us. Inside, the space is dark- lit up by flat screen televisions and overhead bulbs shining on the much nicer, darker tables that sit in the Hall’s main facility. The exposed brick behind the bar is sandwiched between reflective mirrors that list the many draught beers, poured to a typically fully occupied twenty seat bar.

As you might expect, beer prices here are hardly competitive. After all, it is a beer garden. But that said, there’s a good variety of styles and you’re likely to taste something entirely new. During our visit, I sipped on some familiar brews like a $14 liter of Radeberger and some half-liters of Weihenstephan ($8), a nice seasonal hefeweizen. Clinton Hall’s real value though lies inside of their “Keg O’Doom,” the remainder of whatever keg they’ve got laying around, which is priced at just $5. And if you’re adventurous enough to taste it and you’re able to guess the keg, the place sets you up with a free one. Fortunately, we grabbed some pours of the “Bronx Brewery Summer Ale,” unbeknownst to me- and a pleasant surprise indeed. For as many hours as I’ve spent toasting $7 Bud Light bottles on Stone Street, my first visit to Clinton Hall was a refreshing one in the area. It’s a perfect middle ground for PATH travelers and New Yorkers, an alternative to the scene on Stone Street, and is easier to get re-acclimated into city life than a walk to the Battery Park City nowhere land would leave you. But best of all- it’s just a really good beer garden to have in Manhattan.

The Rundown

Bar Type - A mostly outdoor beer garden that boasts a nice rotation of domestic and international craft brews.

When to Visit – If you’re in the Financial District on a weekend, you either live in the area or it’s for someone’s birthday. Your bread and butter down there is after work. And it’s always going to be buzzing at Clinton Hall from 6pm on whether on game night or during a routine Happy Hour.

Value - Though much of the desired beer list is certainly not cheap, their $5 “Keg O’Doom” specials for mystery beers are priced at solid value. Unless of course you get a sour style, which frankly, nobody likes. To further entice you, stop into Clinton Hall on a Tuesday until 7pm all summer long for 25% the bill….for parties under 8.

The Lowdown – Despite having been opened since 2013, it took me far too long to trek down to FiDi to check out Clinton Hall. Maybe all I needed was some warm weather and sunshine, but whatever the case, it’s a beer garden that is worth the trip. The vibe is fun whether indoors or outdoors and it’s a professional space that never takes itself too seriously. And since all trains intersect nearby, it’s a breeze getting to either the east or west side once you’ve had way too much German beer and you need to head home. So the next time you’re thinking of a cool, new-ish bar to check out with some buds, smash together your big liter glasses at Clinton Hall, a noteworthy addition to an increasingly growing beer garden scene.

Southwest Porch at Bryant Park
West 40th Street near Avenue of the Americas, Midtown West
212-780-0577
Getting There: B,D,F,M to 42nd Street-Bryant Park; 7 to Fifth Avenue
http://www.bryantpark.org/things-to-do/southwest_porch.html

Be it a biergarten, a patio or even a rooftop bar, the season’s first sudsy pour outdoors begins anticipation for warmer months ahead. Though the bar remains open for much of the year in spite of weather, the Southwest Porch at Bryant Park is irrefutably best suited for spring and summer. After work, the outdoor space is illuminated by strands of Christmas lights is heavily occupied with suits and ties looking to kick back with their brethren.

Just steps away from the Park’s Fountain Terrace, the rustic outdoor bar is routinely mobbed by thirsty drinkers and also catches the eye of just about any onlooker in passing. Even if there’s nothing of note going on, the Porch is a place that is always alluring, whether bundled up with blankets or in short sleeve shirts and shorts beneath the wooden canopy constructed overhead and the yellow umbrellas below. More importantly charging stations and free wi-fi complete the uber-inviting and relaxing setting.

 

Prices here are neither cheap nor egregious- beers like Ommegang’s “Rare Vos,” a favorite at LocalBozo.com and Oskar Blues’ “Mama’s Lil Yella Pils” run $8 each while pairs of red and white wines are served at $9 per glass. Essentially, if you can secure a space for a large enough group- which admittedly is a challenge- the Southwest Porch at Bryant Park can serve as a full-on destination for boozing and for people watching in the park. And if you can’t manage to grab more than a singular table, it’s as good a spot as any in the City to pony up to the bar for a drink as the sun dims lower on a weeknight.

The Rundown

Bar Type - One of the most casual and low key outdoor bars in tourist friendly Bryant Park.
When to Visit – If the temperature holds up, now is the time to head to the Southwest Porch on a weeknight. It will be busy without being swarmed during after work hours and you’ll be able to grab a table and some drinks. As we approach the summer months though, we wish you luck.

Value - You’re in Bryant Park. The sights and smells and sounds are all free. You won’t find many drink specials here though, with beers and wines priced at $8 and $9 respectively.
The Lowdown – If it seems that there’s not much to the Southwest Porch at Bryant Park, that’s because there’s not. The formula for outdoor drinking in a cool, casual atmosphere is hardly complex. But being that this is a place that everyone from the tourists to the locals know about, you need to make sure that you time your trip appropriately or risk standing around uncomfortably waiting out a table- which in New York City as it turns out, isn’t even all that bad. Find your spot. Grab a beer. And enjoy the sights.

Red Star
37 Greenpoint Avenue at West Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
718-349-0149
Getting There: G to Greenpoint Avenue
http://www.redstarny.com

It wasn’t all that long ago that we crowned Greenpoint’s Red Star as makers of the ‘Best Wings in Brooklyn’ as part of LocalBozo.com’s “Brooklyn Wing Bowl.” So take this piece with a bit of a grain of salt as you read forward. I like Red Star. I like it a lot. The massively spacious tri-level haunt should be routinely mentioned in any conversation of the City’s best sports bar and for some reason it isn’t. For that reason, I consider the place my not so little secret.

Candidly, as you might assume, I don’t make it out to Greenpoint nearly enough as I should, which my raving reviews along my most recent journey probably indicate. But every trip out there reinforces my love for Williamsburg’s often unheralded and underutilized sister. Red Star, the bar, formerly hosted its very own ‘Best Wings in Brooklyn’ competition annually, a competition which to my dismay has been discontinued. But the place’s exceptional (really exceptional) “Raspberry BBQ” and their “Garlic Wings” (each $13 per dozen) are absolutely awesome and are worth going out of your way to sample.

Wings aside, Red Star is an excellent bar to frequent on gameday. The walls are adorned with sports memorabilia, most of which you’ll notice after your first three or so visits. There’s also a mini-arcade- don’t get any ideas and bring your kids or anything- but it’s conducive to packs of friends that like sports bars but not necessarily sports. There isn’t any pretension on the beer list here either, with their own Red Star Dark Lager being the signature on tap and the Sixpoint Sweetaction being the closest to a craft style in the house. Make no mistake, this isn’t a place where you linger and sip upon some vanilla porter or some rare IPA- you come to Red Star to throw back a couple and enjoy values like $1 sliders and $3 domestic beers on Mondays, 50 cent wings on Wednesdays and Thursday Hockey Nights with specials for anyone rocking their long sleeve jerseys. Leave the Devils’ ones at home though.

The Rundown

Bar Type - A three floor sports bar that also poses as a mini concert and event space and home to some of the best wings in New York City.

When to Visit – You can’t beat their Happy Hour specials, but Saturday or Sunday afternoons are ideal. Just don’t make plans for later in the day- you won’t want to leave.

Value - Don’t miss the Happy Hour deals at Red Star- $3 brews on Mondays, $1 Taco Tuesdays, and 50 cent Wings on Wednesdays- there’s specials all the time at Red Star. Leave your snooty attitude at the door and drink some of this domestic swill for a change.

The Lowdown – If you want to talk about great sports bars, Red Star deserves to be in the conversation. Gamedays are perpetually packed and frankly, there’s not a similar place that can hold a candle to the Star in Greenpoint or in Williamsburg. And you’d have a hard time convincing me of a better spot in Manhattan. At the very least, do us a favor and head over to taste the Wings. Whether you’re down the block or down the subway line, it’s a trip that’s absolutely worthwhile.

Spritzenhaus 33
33 Nassau Avenue at Guernsey Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
347-987-4632
Getting There: G to Nassau Avenue; L to Bedford Avenue
http://www.spritzenhaus33.com

There are several reasons why Greenpoint Brooklyn is suddenly surging with a groundswell of popularity. Aside from an explosion of new restaurants and a close proximity to Williamsburg, it’s the brand new bars that have made the waterfront/industrial neighborhood a must visit part of Brooklyn lore. With roughly 25 beers on tap, Spritzenhaus 33 offers up the complete bar experience for any style of drinker inside of a massive space that suits hipster types that might despise spending an entire day inside of a bar.

The “Drink Here Now” crew had sufficiently heard enough buzz about Spritzenhaus 33 long before our initial afternoon visit. With communal picnic tables on the front sidewalk filled with patrons on a sunny day, it was clear that we found a respite from the atypical dimly lit dive bars that I’ve become so accustomed to getting sloshed in. Spritzenhaus though feels like a step up- a place where families can feel comfortable (though that’s something I loathe), where people can relax with a beer and read or work (this also was happening inside at the time), or more naturally, where groups can come to kick back and find comfort in a spacious and unique open setting.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the lights were entirely off while our group was inside of the bar- there’s so much natural light that enters the room coupled with a roaring fireplace smack dab in the middle of the space that the place feels well lit on its own. The bar is distinctively shaped with taps in a U-shape pouring the likes of Ales, Lagers and Wheats straight into their respective glasses with dozens more in bottle and can form to choose from. Fittingly, the place’s menu is limited solely to one of ten different sausages with toppings, fries, a pretzel and a “Black Kale Salad” ($11). That’s about it. But think about the last time you chomped down a “Krainerwurst” ($8) or a “Duck” ($13) sausage topped with a chorizo chili or a “Jalapeno-Jicama Coleslaw.” Sure has been awhile, hasn’t it?

With some 6,000 square feet, the sheer size of Spritzenhaus is appalling considering that every newfangled new biergarten in Manhattan opens to greater fanfare than this place, which already exists and is essentially excellent. Outdoor seating, close to McCarren Park, tons of great craft beers (the Ommegang “Rare Vos” and Brooklyn Brewery “Sorachi Ace” ($7) on draft are killer) and suitable German fare to sop up said beer? Heck, I’m getting antsy about Spritzenhaus 33 again just by recapping my afternoon there. Make up some excuse to your boss, hop on the next G train into Greenpoint and meet me at Spritzenhaus 33. I’ll be the guy with the book near the fireplace.

The Rundown

Bar Type - A gigantic 6,000 square feet beer lovers paradise with indoor and outdoor seating among a ton of other charming characteristics.

When to Visit – Spritzenhaus 33 is absolutely an ideal place to stop by on a warm sunny afternoon…and stay until it’s dark outside.

Value - Fortunately for you, the bar offers up some beer and shot specials for just $6. I didn’t say they were top shelf shots, I just said that they do contain a great deal of value. The “Silver Surfer” in particular is a Nude Beach Summer Wheat beer and a shot of tequila.

The Lowdown – Every visit to Greenpoint makes it harder and harder for me to leave. If there were an easier way to travel directly from Manhattan, I might even consider calling the Williamsburg sister my home. But until then, I’ll have to settle for their newly opened restaurants and great bars to give me an excuse to brave the longer commute out and with every coming visit, you can be sure I’ll find my way back to Spritzenhaus 33, one of the best stops anywhere in New York City.

Dirck The Norseman
7 North 15th Street at Franklin Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
718-389-2940
Getting There: G to Nassau Avenue
http://www.dirckthenorseman.com

Smack dab in the middle of their soft opening, we made a special trip out to Greenpoint as rumors swelled of a brand new Brooklyn brew pub taking shape. The owners of part beer shop-part charming craft beer bar Brouwerji Lane had secured a roughly 6,000 foot space that had been heavily anticipated for a number of months. On Thursday, March 13th, the bar and restaurant celebrated its grand opening in style and with that, New Yorkers alike finally have an opportunity to test the waters at Dirck The Norseman.

There’s a lot to take stock of en route to Dirck The Norseman, namely the dearth of surrounding bars nearby in the industrial waterfront that is Greenpoint. But with existing treasures and a flurry of recent openings including this one, now is as good a time as ever to head to our sister borough be it for a bar crawl or to a new-fangled restaurant. Inside, the place is simply immaculate, replete with wonderous floor to ceiling window panels, large communal style tables reminiscent of a beer hall which peer into the brewing room and its multi-barrel fermenters and tanks and a massive center island bar that boasts close to a dozen beers on tap alongside- some of which will be brewed literally on site, under the Greenpoint Beer and Ale Co. moniker.

Folklore dictates that a Scandanavian named Dirck Volckersten was Greenpoint’s first settler, hence the clever name in tribute. In his honor, the menu features entrees like “Braised Pig Knuckles” (saucy and fall off the bone tender), “11 Hour Smoked Brisket” (deliciously marbled) and other meat centric fare that makes your run of the mill sausages and pretzels seem bland in comparison. From Manhattan, the trek to Dirck the Norseman isn’t exactly convenient, but the end result leaves you in a fun and eccentric neighborhood that finally boasts a complete bar that is absolutely worth going out of your way for. Basically, take our advice and Drink Here Now.

The Rundown

Bar Type - A versatile beer hall and restaurant that offers up a little bit of everything. Plus it’s brand new which makes the entirety of the experience feel special.

When to Visit – Dirck The Norseman is an ideal place to grab some food after work with some buddies but it’s location is especially ideal during sunny warm weather afternoons.

Value - You want value? Go to KFC. The value here is being the first of your friends to try out a fantastic new bar, opened by some guys that truly love beer and know a thing or two about

The Lowdown – After weeks of their soft opening, the word is now out. Dirck The Norseman is guaranteed to be a smash in Greenpoint. With the weather bound to improve, and we’re hoping for this weekend, now is as good a time as ever to grab a seat and a pint before the frenzy begins. There are more and more reasons to visit Greenpoint Brooklyn, and Dirck The Norseman might just be at the very top of the list.

Scallywags
508 Ninth Avenue near 38th Street, Hell’s Kitchen
646-490-4803
Getting There: N,Q,R,S,1,2,3,7 to Times Square – 42nd Street
http://www.scallywagsnyc.com

Our most recent bar escapades left us stranded leaving the Port Authority Bus Terminal, where there lies a true dearth of desirable boozy haunts on the surrounding streets. Fortunately though, Ninth Avenue is a different story altogether, where just a few blocks south we returned to a familiar place that I remembered having been inside during much drunker days. Scallywags is a bar and restaurant that is considered an old fashioned pub with decisively Irish and American inspiration. On this dreary winter day, the bar’s bright red signage was particularly eye-catching as our group trolled block after block and we immediately found a cozy respite inside.

Boasting a dozen or so flatscreen televisions and ample space, Scallywags is an ideal stop on gameday. But with snow falling outside, our focus was solely on seasonal beers and some hearty eats. We grabbed a seat at the bar and shot the breeze with the friendly bartender who doled out some frothy pints of Guinness as quickly as the slow pouring beer’s tap allowed. Though the place offers some solid Happy Hour specials – most of which are priced around $4 and $5 – and moderately priced brews during Syracuse games, we ignored the LandShark and Shock Top pints for the more traditional familiarity of the Guinness pour. An order of the thick and creamy “Spinach & Artichoke Dip” ($10) and their “Sriracha Lime Chicken Wings” ($12) nicely hit the spot as we washed down each bite with another big gulp.

Weekly, Scallywags hosts live music in its main space- mostly singer/songwriter types that play as a backdrop to your conversation behind the clanking of glasses, but there’s also open mic nights on Wednesdays that welcome your everyday neighbor up to the front of the room for an exercise in embarrassment. Although the place sort of fancies itself as a restaurant – and it’s perfectly serviceable as such – Scallywags is your neighborhood bar through and through and while its location makes it an ideal landing spot for commuters and locals, it’s also one that’s worth seeking out if you do find yourself in Hell’s Kitchen and you’re looking for a comfortable if not entirely typical Irish pub.

The Rundown

Bar Type - A relaxed Irish-American style pub.

When to Visit – If you’re commuting, definitely stop here on your way back to whichever hub you’re traveling from. And if you find yourself here on a weekend, the prices are pretty reasonable and the surrounding residents and visitors all seem open to chatting.

Value - There are Happy Hour specials until 8pm virtually every night of the week and during Syracuse games. Between 8pm and midnight though, you’re paying full price bucko.

The Lowdown – If you live in an outer borough or far from the thralls of Hells Kitchen, Scallywags is hardly going to be your go to New York City bar. But there’s something to be said for a local place that embraces its surroundings and maintains the feel and the relative authenticity of a true Irish pub. Scallywags embodies the feeling of an ordinary place straight from the streets of Dublin, which makes so many of the imitators that try to capture that feeling in New York City that much more unremarkable. Good pub fare, affordable drink specials, comfortable setting: Scallywags, in a nut shell.

Bottomzup Bar & Grill
344 Third Avenue near 25th Street, Murray Hill
646-918-7220
Getting There: 6 to 23rd Street
http://www.bottomzupnyc.com

In a day and age where literally every place dubs itself a sports bar, newly opened Murray Hill haunt Bottomzup literally makes them all seem amateur. Spawned from an idea that combines the very best of tailgating with a bar that looks and feels like an ideal man cave, the space is rife with legendary likenesses of sports figures and flat screen televisions covering every inch of the place. But the sheer variety of food being offered- from its raw bar to its sushi rolls- make it a stand out spot where you can enjoy any game and eat pretty well too.

Bottomzup opened in New York City back in November, the second such haunt that shares the same name as its Carle Place, New York predecessor. The bar sports a whopping forty-five 60 inch televisions all over the place, which is probably the most eye catching spectacle that entices heavy street traffic- aside from the cartoonish bar sign that sits overhead on Third Avenue. With 3400 square feet, there’s nowhere for you to sit out of range of a slew of televisions showing a multitude of sports games through and through, with sound, which lends itself to a highly energetic stadium-like experience inside. Also, there are more than a dozen draught beers on tap here including some of the bigger craft breweries and about fifteen others in bottled form- all priced in the $5-$8 range.

Televisions aside, the star here is the top-to-bottomz menu, featuring the likes of six different wing sauces on the $10 “Buffalo Wings,” southern fare like the “Kansas City Rib Stacker” ($10) and “North Carolina Sweet Potato Fries” ($6), and a full sushi bar. The bar offers $5 drink specials three nights a week with solid Happy Hour deals until 7pm nightly as well as great specials on game day- but not unfortunately during the playoffs- which we learned the hard way. Beginning in February, the space expands to also include a bottomless brunch for $25 which includes one of their lip-smacking morning entrees, and which will hopefully expose some new folks to one of the City’s best new sports bars that proudly dons that badge of honor admirably.

The Rundown

Bar Type - Perhaps New York City’s finest and most well rounded, if not overly kitschy, sports bar.

When to Visit – Game nights definitely. Tons of rowdy folks and game day sound played loudly in the bar.

Value - Happy Hour runs from just $4-7, but the values are pretty great for booze and food including $1 oysters and $2 sliders and $10 pitchers of light beer.

The Lowdown – We make a point to stop into newly opened bars so you can imagine our great fascination with Bottomzup, which combines everything we love about beer and sports in the same place as a staff of good looking girls to serve. The food here far exceeds what you’re likely to find at any traditional ‘sports bar’ and because of the neighborhood, there’s a good chance that waiting for tables will be a bit easier than some of its competitors. There aren’t many better sports bars in Murray Hill and dare I say the City because Bottomzup caters to men and women equally- even on game day.

The Press Box
932 Second Avenue at 50th Street, Midtown East
212-317-1826
Getting There: E,M to Lexington Avenue-53rd Street; 6 to 51st Street
http://www.thepressboxnyc.com

Often I find myself in Midtown East, wandering the streets in search of a quality destination following a happy hour or a hearty meal. And in looking for a place that is a step and a half above a run of the mill dive bar, I always seem to find myself at The Press Box, which sits neatly on Second Avenue. The two floor space is often packed at the first floor bar, but behind those shadows also sits an Irish American inspired restaurant- warm and inviting by any standards- with items like “The Sun,” “The Times,” and “The Post” which hint toward a kitschy nod to the media via the bar’s name.

While you won’t find blaring club music here or a spot where you can’t reach the bar because there are so many people crammed inside, what you fill find is often more pleasurable: a very solid bar and restaurant that is well suited for catching up with buddies or even enjoying a drink with just one other person. The scattered televisions behind the bar might indicate that The Press Box is a New York City sports bar, but that’s actually a bit misleading. It’s a traditional, classy sort of pub that looks like it would fit in comfortably on any street in Dublin. Inside, rich brown wood drapes the entire space from the bar stools to the back of the bar to the ceiling no less in a fitting bit of class for the after-work types who frequent the pub.

There’s close to 15 draught beers on the menu including “Magic Hat #9,” a perpetual favorite of mine. Meanwhile, the wines by the glass here are reasonable at around $9 per and a fairly basic cocktail list that doesn’t exceed $15. But the reason to take a trip over to The Press Box is the pub fare that pairs with each drink. Be it the “Press Box Burger” ($14) with onion confit or the “Boursin Burger” ($15) overstuffed with garlicky cream cheese or even the requisite wings, tenders, skins, sticks, buffalo shrimp and rib tips that you’d hope to find at every corner bar, the menu here is vast and delicious. If you’re here for a real meal- there’s the likes of “Shepherd’s Pie” ($16) and “Braised Short Ribs Over Pappardelle” ($19) as well. Hey, a guy’s gotta eat right? Why not here?

The Rundown

Bar Type - A modernized take on a classic pub. Just don’t classify it as solely a sports bar.

When to Visit – Early evening weekends are a lot of fun here- especially if you’ve got a small group and can grab seats by the window. Happy hour is destined to be busier, but the same experience can be had.

Value - The Press Box is not a dive bar so you might not find too many $2 beer nights. That said, the prices are comparable with neighboring watering holes.

The Lowdown – I’m not sure what it is, but there’s something that is just distinctly likable about The Press Box. It’s got above average comfort food by the bar and offers a different experience altogether if you stop inside for lunch or dinner. We prefer to use the first floor bar space to shoot the breeze and people watch and to throw back a few beers before heading back out to our day to day responsibilities. You won’t find too many young people here- but that’s okay sometimes. It’s a relaxing adult bar equipped to handle hungry diners, hardcore sports fans and the casual drinker inside of a more upscale bar than you’re probably used to frequenting.