151 replies to this topic

[Abbylovi]

Ok, I'll get it started with:

Blind Tiger in the West Village. They carry a huge number of rotating beers on tap including Dogfish Head and is one of my favorite places for a Sunday afternoon pint.


Omni, what are you looking for in a pub?

[omnivorette]

Good question.

Good beers. Not neccesarily a huge selection, but that's fine too. Beers have to be good - and stuff you don't find everywhere is always good. Tap and bottles.

Casual atmosphere. "Scene" - less. This is very important.

Could have food, could not - but not a restaurant.

[StephenT]

Does anyone here know the Peculier Pub, allegedly at the corner of Bleecker and Laguardia? I ask because it's associated with this comic strip and I'm planning to visit next time I find myself in NY.

[Abbylovi]

Yes I know the Peculiar. It's deep in NYU territory so it tends to have a lot of rowdy youngsters. They also have this practice of tacking the tip onto the price of a beer. Now that's bad enough but it's in small print on the menu so everyone tips on top of that and believe you me, the wait people do not remind you of this.


They do have a very big list of beers though.

[Wilfrid1]

I hadn't noticed the tip practice. Yes, the beer list must be about the longest in the city, but the place itself is a bare, wooden, beer-soaked dive. Haven't been in a good while.

[omnivorette]

Back to telling me where I'm going to be pub-happy, please. :)

Let's define bar vs. pub.

[Wilfrid1]

Pub v bar. Good one. The simple answer, surely, is that New York pubs (pubs in the U.S. generally) are quite deliberately and self-consciously based on traditional British/Irish pubs. The facade, the windows, the decor, the atmosphere - entirely imported.

Now, there may be a few exceptions - I can think of some pubs which are close to being echt New York pubs. But by far the majority of pubs are attempted reproductions of a non-American institution.

I am not sure the same is true of bars, especially cocktail bars. In the latter case, America has predominantly influenced Europe.

Alternatively, one can try to distinguish pubs from bars on the basis of what is served - but increasingly this is a meaningless distinction. One wants to say that all pubs offer a selection of tap beers, as well as bottled beers, and expect customers mainly to order beer and either straight liquor or possibly highballs. Bars, on the other hand, expect to serve mainly highballs and/or cocktails. But there are few pubs in New York these days which will refuse you a Cosmo or martini, and few bars which don't stock a selection of ales.

[omnivorette]

One wants to say that all pubs offer a selection of tap beers, as well as bottled beers, and expect customers mainly to order beer and either straight liquor or possibly highballs.

That's what I want.

No cosmos. Or at least the cosmo-orderer should be a rare exception.

[Stone]

DBA, on 1st, is excellent when not packed with kids.

[Wilfrid1]

I haven't found the crowd there particularly young - maybe I go at the wrong time. All round, beer and liquor, it's probably the best in the city.

I admit that, as a "frequent drinker", I look for things other than beverage selection. Comfort is very important, by which I mean a high probability of getting a seat at the bar, tolerable noise level, and enough light to read by. One also develops loyalties to particular bars through getting to know the owners/staff, and this can be more valuable - to me - than being able to get a small cask bourbon or imported bitter.

[Adam Lawrence]

Out of interest, do pubs in NYC only serve bottled and keg beer, or can you get real ale? And if so, is it from local micros, or imported from the UK?

[Orik]

Some pubs that we like (and why):

Thady Con's (48th and 2nd) - close to home, cosy, quiet early on weekends and late on weekdays. Has a fireplace in the back, which makes it even nicer in the winter. Not much of a beer selection. They have some sort of a lounge upstairs, never been. Beware of terrible live music.

Waterfront Ale House (30th and 2nd) - great beer selection (about 15-20 draft, quite a few bottled), friendly service, good burgers. Normally not too crowded, but can get overrun by pre and post movie crowds.

Molly's (23rd and 3rd) - I'm sure you've all been.

DBA, already mentioned here and in the bars thread, although on weekends it gets too crowded and it's borderline bar.

[Wilfrid1]

Out of interest, do pubs in NYC only serve bottled and keg beer, or can you get real ale? And if so, is it from local micros, or imported from the UK?

If you mean hand-pulled, I can't recall seeing any. I think even the imported British ales at dBa are served through a tap.

[Abbylovi]

Waterfront Ale House (30th and 2nd) - great beer selection (about 15-20 draft, quite a few bottled), friendly service, good burgers. Normally not too crowded, but can get overrun by pre and post movie crowds.

There's a Waterfront in Brooklyn too. Omni--a good pre or post Waterfalls venue. But here's a quandry: the food is good there so perhaps skip Waterfalls?

[omnivorette]

Especially since the last two visits to Waterfalls were disappointing.

Must mention again David Copperfield's. Have yet to try any food, but I've heard they make a good burger.

Definitely in the pub category.