Bar in NYC

February 14, 2005 6:40 AM

I am looking for a bar in NYC within walking distance of this location. It should serve pub food (burgers, etc...) and should accomidate a small group of friends looking to catch up on old times without having to yell over the music.
posted by quibx to travel & transportation (15 comments total)

I wonder if one of these would be good ... hope your browser works with Google Maps.
posted by louigi at 6:50 AM on February 14, 2005

McSorley's Old Ale House on seventh? (close to astor place). Doesn't seem too far from there, burgers are good and cheap but not fancy, beer is great.
posted by dabitch at 6:53 AM on February 14, 2005

Telephone Bar & Grill is a bit on the yuppie side, but the food is good. My usual bar is right near there and is great to hang out in, but it dosen't serve food. But most bars are cool with people bringing in a pizza or something. And that Pommes Frites place next to Toy Tokyo rocks as does Paul's, the burger place a couple doors down.
posted by jonmc at 7:02 AM on February 14, 2005

Telephone Bar. See if you can get a seat in the small room at the back, with the fireplace.

Veering OT: Telephone's food is quite good for bar fodder but if you really, really want fish & chips, go five blocks south to A Salt & Battery. Horrible punnage, great food. No beer, sadly.
posted by vetiver at 7:06 AM on February 14, 2005

You could throw a rock from that location and hit a hundred bars that meet that criteria. I think you'd have much more fun if you just wandered around and explored a couple different ones. I would second the McSorley's recommendation, but only if you go early and not on a weekend. If you go after 7 on a weekend preperare to be butts to nuts with about 200 hundred other poor souls.
posted by spicynuts at 7:07 AM on February 14, 2005

In regards to McSorley's here's a better description, personally a simple burger with extreme hot mustard and two beers (instead of one) on a weeknight is perfect for me. It gets crowded on weekends, and not worth a visit then. I'll second the telephone bar and grill as a good hangout too.
posted by dabitch at 7:08 AM on February 14, 2005

vetiver: you can get a beer with your chips at A Salt & Battery, at least sometimes, but it's not a hangout type of place. The Odessa on Avenue A & St. Marks is an option, too. We went there after the last meet-up. Great cheap Ukranian eats. But go to the bar Odessa, not the diner Odessa. They're right next to eachother. Cherry Tavern is food-free, but a great drinking hangout and if you bring in some slices from Stromboli (on first & St. Marks) they don't care.
posted by jonmc at 7:16 AM on February 14, 2005

On an aside, if you're going to Toy Tokyo, I also recommend trekking down to Kid Robot in SoHo - at least if you're looking for vinyl toys. Toy Tokyo can get really cramped in the vinyl room.
posted by Remy at 7:22 AM on February 14, 2005

Also, about a 10-20 minute walk from Toy Tokyo (I think) is the bar we were all at a few nights ago--The Magician. 118 Rivington Street, a block or so south of Houston.

And the 11th Street Bar was all right, I was there a week ago. It's on 11th between Avenues A and B, with no real sign, just a Guinness neon.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:52 AM on February 14, 2005

Oh, and I second Remy's suggestion of Kid Robot, it's smaller but has tons of toys too. And yes, Toy Tokyo gets crowded sometimes.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:53 AM on February 14, 2005

I'd recommend Old Devil Moon on 12th bet. A&B. Stick-to-your-ribs southern/trailer park food, great beer selection and kitschy decor...
posted by AJaffe at 9:06 AM on February 14, 2005

Mmm....how I miss Old Devil Moon's chicken fried steak! Good recommendation, AJaffe! I need to revisit my old haunts.
posted by mds35 at 10:01 AM on February 14, 2005

Definitely go to Stromboli's.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 2:49 PM on February 14, 2005

Swift's has a yummy hamburger and the nicest bar staff ever. It can get crowded after work, esp fridays.
posted by softlord at 5:15 PM on February 14, 2005

Maybe this is a hike, but there's a place on Stanton called the Lotus Bar. I've been there a couple times. Actually scratch that, I don't think they have food, but it's a good bar, strange music, wifi. Maybe some other time.
posted by airguitar at 2:54 AM on February 15, 2005