Times Square bars?

February 15, 2006 4:04 PM

Can anyone suggest a good Irish pub close to Times Square in NYC? Also, how about the best bar in general in that area? (Please nothing with "planet" or "zone" in the name.)

Why in Times Square of all places? Because that new Nokia Theater is there and I'm looking for someplace to go before or after a show. A few blocks walk is fine (and probably preferred).

posted by smackfu to food & drink (15 comments total)

Not Irish but fabulous: The Russian Vodka Room. It's low key, an eclectic crowd, with an excellent selections of infused vodkas.

If dive is more your style: Siberia. It's not marked at all, just look for the black door under the red lightbulb. It looks much scarier that it is. Interesting crowd, non-hipster. Basic beers and booze. Nothing fancy.

The only Irish places I can recommend are closer to Penn Station: Tir Na Nog (the swankier of the two), and Twins(average neighborhood joint, but authentically Irish, with good food.
posted by kimdog at 4:24 PM on February 15, 2006

Rudy's has free hot dogs.
posted by jeb at 4:26 PM on February 15, 2006

The Irish Pub (yes, that's what it's called) I think on 38th at 7th or 8th. When I was there, there were more people with Irish accents than American (including, iirc, the owner). However, I haven't been there for a few years and there was a rumor that it might be closing, so you may want to check before you go.
posted by amro at 5:20 PM on February 15, 2006

Blaggards used to be pretty good...haven't been there in a few years (and only the 35th St location), but the Irish staff and the Guinness were both great.

Also I second Kimdog's endorsement of Tir Na Nog...great ambiance and terrific sheperd's pie if you like that sort of thing.
posted by edverb at 6:47 PM on February 15, 2006

The Gingerman is my favorite bar near midtown. Many beers on tap, and the music is not too loud.
posted by A dead Quaker at 6:53 PM on February 15, 2006

Oops, I got the location of The Irish Pub wrong. It's 7th Avenue at 54th.
posted by amro at 7:20 PM on February 15, 2006

I'm partial to Hurley's.
posted by sueinnyc at 7:27 PM on February 15, 2006

Planet Hollywood Zo... oh, nevermind.
posted by cloeburner at 7:35 PM on February 15, 2006

When I worked in the area, we used to go after work to [beware: music in link] O'Flaherty's, which has a fireplace and walls lined with books and is actually quite lovely for 46th Street.
posted by xo at 9:31 PM on February 15, 2006

I used to go to lunch at a place called the "Tenth Avenue Jukebox." I remember it being irish-ish in some fashion. Regardless, they served my all time favorite lunch (fettucini with mussels, bowl of manhattan clam chowder and an Iced Tea.)
posted by muddylemon at 9:37 PM on February 15, 2006

I spent a lot of time at Jimmy's Pub, an ex-boxers joint with all kinds of boxing photos up on the wall. cheap beer! not really a glitzy joint, but fun nonetheless.
posted by durin at 10:32 PM on February 15, 2006

There are a few Connolly's in the area as well. I believe the one at 121 West 45th was our favorite, but the group was a bit roudy and I'm having trouble remembering. Black 47 seemed pretty good and the staff were quite nice.
posted by jwells at 7:03 AM on February 16, 2006

Here's a second vote for Jimmy's Corner, at 140 W. 44th Street (between 6th and 7th). It's just a plain ol' bar, which is rare in that neighborhood -- and you can go get biscuits at Virgil's afterwards.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:20 AM on February 16, 2006

[Spent 6 weeks living in crappy apartment on West 44th]

Jimmy's is excellent - not very Irish, but cheap beer, good music, and great barmaids ;)
Can get a little cramped though, it's not the biggest place.

There are actually a couple of Irish bars a few streets up [jwells mentioned Connolly's which rings a bell...Black 47 too].
posted by nafrance at 5:46 AM on February 17, 2006

Thanks. Tons of great suggestions here. We ended up going to Connolly's on 45th, just because it's only half a block off Times Square and the Nokia is on 44th. Worked out just fine. They even had women's curling on the TVs. Can't beat that.
posted by smackfu at 6:56 AM on February 17, 2006