Question: with a tagline like “Bourbon. Beer. Rock”, how can you go wrong? Answer: you can’t. Every Friday is Devil’s Night Happy Hour at this good-whiskey-and-craft-beer mecca in the East Village, and if you’re around on September 16th, check out their one-year anniversary party: $1 whiskey shots all night and $1 craft beers until 8pm. Rock on.
(image via metal-army)
25 Avenue B, between 2nd and 3rd St. (East Village)
917-338-7090
Ever find yourself craving a delicious, juicy, grilled organic (chicken, beef or veggie) hot dog topped with, say, kimchi or Asian sesame slaw? Or Japanese curry with kimchi apples? Or spicy ketchup, jalapeño mustard, and crushed salt and pepper potato chips? (Can you tell we’re hungry?) Asiadog’s got you covered. Started in the back yard of a friend’s bar, Asiadog has expanded to locations that include the Brooklyn Flea, Central Park’s Summerstage, Terminal 5, and pretty much any in-the-know event. They even opened their own shop on the border of Chinatown, and it’s the perfect place to grab a bite whilst kicking around Nolita or Soho.
(image via mesohungry)
66 Kenmare, between Mott and Elizabeth (Little Italy/Chinatown border)
212-226-8861
NYCer’s love their happy hours – wait, have we mentioned that? Pretty much every bar has a happy hour, and we would be here all day long if we listed every single one. Here are some old-school, old NY favorites:
Corner Bistro: $2 mugs of McSorley’s and one of the best burgers in town.
331 W. 4th St. at Jane St. (West Village)
212.242.9502
Gowanus Yacht Club: $2 PBRs and hot dogs, all on an outdoor patio.
323 Smith St., Brooklyn (Carroll Gardens)
718.249.1321
Motor City Bar: 2-for-1 drinks, 4pm – 7pm.
127 Ludlow St. (Lower East Side)
212.358.1595
Niagra: $3 beer and well, 4pm – 8pm
112 Avenue A (East Village)
St. Jerome’s: $2 Buds and Bud Light, 6pm – 12am
155 Rivington St. (Lower East Side)
212.533.1810
Welcome to the Johnson’s: 4:30pm-9pm; $2 PBR, $3 Budweiser and Bud Light, $4 well and beer, $5 call liquor…and a pool table.
123 Rivington St. (East Village)
212.420.9911
Sing Sing is one of the best spots for karaoke downtown. It’s free in the front, but what you want is a private room, amiright? They’re affordable, you get your own server, and no one is secretly laughing at your awesome version of “The Thong Song”. Tip: they have a half-off karaoke happy hour that lasts until 8pm!
81 Avenue A # 1, NY (East Village)
(212) 674-0700
OR
9 St. Marks Place, NY (East Village)
(212) 387 – 7800
So they told you “old New York” was dead, right? As dead as you’d have been 25 years ago if you went past Avenue A? Oh, hell no. Just stop by Handsome Dick Manitoba’s (yes, THE Handsome Dick of Dictators fame) bar in the East Village and drown yourself in cheap beer ($2 bottles during happy hour), smelly bathrooms, and a jukebox full of Ramones, Dead Boys, Dictators, and other punk legends. Here, “old New York” never died.
Manitoba’s
99 Avenue B, NY (East Village)
So after work we really like to catch a cab over to the far westside and climb aboard the Frying Pan, a 1929 historic lightship-cum-bar docked on a railroad car barge. We order our burgers and beer at the big bar on the pier, then walk the observation plank to watch the sun set. NYC rules.
The Frying Pan
Pier 66 at 26th St and West Side Hwy (Chelsea)
Dude, having some trouble with your bike (that’d be motorcycle, not fixed-gear)? Take it down to The Shop and while you’re there, have a $6 special: a Bud and plate of barbeque from the shop’s smoker. And yes, this is actually a working garage that just got their beer and wine license and is now a bar, too, sometimes with bands. You gotta wonder if they’re pulling one over on us, but who cares when it’s this fun?
290 Metropolitan Avenue (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
BBQ-lovers, you are in luck with Swingbellys. Not only is their food delicious, but they have the following specials that you need to pay close attention to:
Mondays – all-you-can-eat Monster wings for $9.99, and $10 pitchers
Tuesday – Fried chicken night, with 5 pieces, a side, and cornbread for $12.95
Thursdays – $1 rib night. Yes, you heard us – each rib is only ONE DOLLAR. Seriously?
Plus, they have a live surf cam.
(images courtesy Thomas Brookins)
909 West Beech Street, Long Beach
516-431-3464
French-Canadian diner M. Wells makes us ask, “Canadians, do you really eat like this?” Our Québécois friend says “Yes”, but he also bellows nonsensical French-Canadian curses when drunk. We’ll just go ahead and believe that our pals to the north always gorge on burgers the size of a small cow, sweetbreads, veal brains, and escargots and bone marrow.
21-17 49th Avenue at 21st St, Long Island City (Queens)
718-425-6917
It’s worth a trip up to Harlem for this laid back bar/restaurant, which is about the size of your bedroom, but serves way better beer and food. Local brews and a – you guessed it – cheese-heavy menu with bizarre combos like grilled cheese with pork belly, kimchi, and a fried egg make it the perfect place for your afterparty cool-down meal.
1259 Park Avenue, East Harlem
212-289-1581
