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Ian Hunter's Guide to Manhattan and Bergen County, NJ's Best Restaurants, Bars, and Gourmet Markets
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MURRAY HILL/ MIDTOWN EAST (34th-59th) (east of 6th)

Mercury Bar: Sports Bar/ College Bar. 493 Third Av @ 33-34th;  Excellent number of flat screens; Large and tasty menu; Brunch menu; Singles scene;  Overall a good, solid bar; Young-ish;  Happy Hour 5-;  Football Sundays.


Bar Twelve: Sports Bar. 206 E 34th @ 3rd Av; Irish Sports bar; Looks great… Hosts private parties and birthdays; Yankees, Giants crowd; 2 full bars, 20 plasma TVs; 5-8pm Happy Hour- $4 Bud Lts; 20 Tap beers;  Have Every Game! Beware- Duke fans here.

 

Bar 515: Sports Bar/ Lounge. 515 3rd Av @ 34-35th; Giant selection of beers – microbrews as well; Happy hour game; Excellent food- large menu.

 

Karaoke Duet 35: Karaoke Bar. 53 W 35th @ 5th Av – 6th Av; Massive song book; Most private rooms even have the actual videos; $4-8/ person an hour (Fri/ Sat night is $8);  Make reservations- very popular; Beers $4-$5, Wine/ Cocktails $6;


Joshua Tree: College, Sports Bar; 513 Third @ 35th; College age Singles scene; Great to watch a big game & has good food to go with; Fun, Good music; Packed at night on weekends.    

 

Pinetree Lodge: Dive Bar. 326 E 35th @ 1st Av; Great Juke Box; Antlers all over the walls- like a dive ski lodge bar; Christmas lights;  Huge bar menu of really excellent food- even Oxtail and curried goat; Happy Hour 2 for 1.


Ginger Man: Bar/ Lounge; 11 E 36th @ 5th Av; 152 bottles of beer. 66 draught; After work, happy hour and great singles scene; Private Parties; One of the best if not best beer halls in the city.  Classic looking inside; Back room with sofas.  Slightly more price but worth it. Incredibly popular. Great website.


Under the Volcano: Lounge. Eatery. 12 E. 36th @ 5th-Madison. Mexican theme- excellent Margaritas and Tequila;  20s-40s crowd; Big after work happy hour spot.  Spillover crowd from Ginger Man/ Hooker. Dark and relaxing – date friendly.

 
Galway Hooker: Irish Pub. 7 E 36th @ Madison – 5th;  Irish Pub on a street well known by serious beer drinkers.  Don't be scared by the name – it's a sailboat!  Give a shout out to Donal the new owner of this unpretentious & fun hideaway. Good TVs for sports fans. Two levels. Happy Hour w/ $4 drafts, wine & well.


Rare View: Lounge. 303 Lex @ 37th; Great after work spot; Private Parties; Amazing views at this more upscale Hotel Bar; DJs/ Music;  Shelburne Hotel- Rooftop bar 16th floor- Pre-party. Huge place.   

 
The Australian: Aussie Bar. 20 W 38th @ 5th – 6th Av; Great new Aussie bar with good choice of beers and food from Down Under - Aussie Nachos anyone?  Happening after work scene. Friendly staff. 

 

Japas 38: Karaoke Bar. 9 E 38th @ 5th Av – Madison; Great for groups; Private rooms; Great food choice; Huge location; Private room = $18 per person/ per hour= all you can sing, drink of beer, wine, sake, andwell; plus sushi, fries, chicken strips. Song lists are huge. Button in room for immediate service. Oh yeah!

 
Windfall: Irish Pub. 23 W. 39th @ 5th-6th. Trendy after work spot. 44 foot bar; Modern décor w/ great art; Excellent restaurant as well; Young professional crowd;  Private Parties;  Clean and well run; Perfect neighborhood spot.

 
Chill Lounge: Lounge. 329 Lex @ 39th; Very stylish; Good looking crowd downing mixed drinks and martinis; Bottle service; Great for private parties- decent packages; $12 special drinks; Expensive but a hot scene. Impress a date.


Cellar Bar: Hotel Bar. 40 E 40th @ 5th-6th; Bryant Park Hotel. Very nice- romantic and trendy;  Date spot. Chill out. Drinks are amazing.  Decent after work singles scene. Bar in a wine cellar setting. Dungeon theme for the drinks. Sexy servers & décor- but pricy.
 
Brother Jimmy’s: Dive / Sports Bar. 89 E 42nd St @ Park;  Carolina Bar; Incredible Bar-B-Q food; Dirt Cheap beer specials- Happy Hour scene at night; Beer lover’s haven; Fish Bowls with Alligators in them; Just a fun place. 


McFaddens: Irish Pub. 800 2nd Ave @ 42nd;  Tons of theme nights; Very popular singles scene; 20s-30s crowd; Pub Grub is good; Drink specials all week; Buy backs weekdays. Extremely hot spot. Young, frat boy / B&T crowd often- but it is a wild party if that’s your thing.  Packed on weekends. Partners with Calico Jack’s.


Calico Jack’s: Mexican Themed Bar. 802 2nd Ave @ 42nd; Next to McFaddens; Amazing drink specials all week; See website. Lots of theme nights; After work crowd & later it’s a major singles/ party scene. Younger crowd. Bachelorette parties. Margarita Mondays. Sunday- $1 drafts on. High energy, wild spot.  


Annie Moore’s: Irish Pub. 50 E. 43rd @ Madison; Classic Irish pre-Train commuter pub; After work/ Happy hour bar only; Professional/ Westchester NY crowd.  Okay overall…nothing special.

O’Neill’s: Irish Pub. 729 3rd Ave @ 45-46th. After work, Happy hour spot; Thurs/ Fri gets packed! Two levels – and has decent bar food; Reliable for a pint.  Live Irish music. Dirt cheap lunch specials.

 

Perfect Pint: Irish Pub. 123 West 45th St @ 6th Av; Multi-level pub known for excellent pub grub and a large assortment of TVs showcasing your favorite sporting events; Huge selection of draft beer along with bottled beer and about every liquor under the sun; Friendly, witty bartenders; Ideal mid-town pit stop.


Nation: Bar/ After Work. 12 W. 45th @ 5th-6th; Mixed crowd; 2 levels. Bar/ lounge. Professional crowd after work that becomes more eclectic later on; Private Parties;  One of the better bars in the area. Gets very crowded due to lack of competition.

Patroon: Steakhouse/ Bar. 160 E 46th @ 3rd-Lex;  Excellent Rooftop bar & 2nd floor lounge; Mini burgers in the sun;  Great summer spot. Professional crowd/ Singles. Perfect summer after work spot. 

 
Connolly’s: Irish Pub. 150 E. 47th @ Lex – 3rd; One of the best, most reliable and popular after work spots for Professional crowd; Two levels;  Private Parties; Good place to grab 2-3; late 20s to 30s crowd; Excellent food – can go for dinner.  Live music on weekends.  Strong drinks.

 
Snafu: Dive Lounge/ Bar. 127 E 47th @ Lex-3rd; levels, though a small over spot; Pool Downstairs; Multiple sofas downstairs and upstairs; Great Juke; Free popcorn; Corporate yet crazy; Dancing on the bar to Professionals to locals; Jack of all trades bar; Affordable with some edge.


Maggie’s Place: Irish Pub. 21 E 47th @ Mad-5th; Mid 20s - 30s crowd. Midtown watering hole. Pick up a tourist. After work drinks; Great food; Just a cool, reliable Irish Pub. Doesn’t necessarily stand out.  

Connolly’s: Irish Pub. 14 E. 47th @ 5th – Madison; One of the best, most reliable and popular after work spots for Professional crowd; Two levels;  Private Parties; Good place to grab 2-3; late 20s to 30s crowd; Excellent food – can go for dinner.  Live music on weekends.  Strong drinks.

 

Karaoke Duet 48: Karaoke Bar. 304 E 48th @ 1st – 2nd Av; Massive song book; Most private rooms even have the actual videos; $4-8/ person an hour (Fri/ Sat night is $8);  Make reservations- very popular; Beers $4-$5, Wine/ Cocktails $6;


Nikki Beach: Lounge. 151 E. 50th @ 3rd-Lex; Famous Miami club now in NYC; Very hot, sexy lounge; Huge room for Private Parties; Upstairs VIP lounge that is accessible off peak hours; Great after work Happy Hour scene- Thursday is best 4-10pm; Sexy New Yorkers in midtown! Looks like Florida inside. 

 

Rink Bar: Bar / Restaurant. Rockefeller Plaza; 20 W 50th @ 5th Av; Located adjacent to the ice skating rink, this is a fantastic outdoor/ summer bar & also a great after work spot.  Amazing frozen drinks; Always a happy hour beer special; Great people watching.


Clancy’s: Sports Bar/ Irish Pub.  978 2nd @ 51-2;  English Soccer haven; Cheapo Brunch; Great beers on Tap;  Less formal. Some Live music; Tables to eat. Clean, welcoming environment. Solid all round.  


Turtle Bay: Lounge; Irish Pub. 987 2nd Av @ 52nd; Two Levels; Extremely popular singles and happy hour bar; Stays packed deep into night; Brunch, dinner; DJ/ Music; 20s-30s crowd;  A lot like Sutton Place.  Frat Party scene.  


Opal: Bar/ Lounge. 251 E 52nd @ 2nd; Another Happy Hour Meca. Incredible drink specials every night. the night.  Some say poorly managed.  See website- excellent.

 
Redemption: Bar/ Lounge. 1003 2nd Av @ 53rd;  Huge place – 3 rooms; Great for a private party; Happy hour galore- easy to meet people;  Brunch, dinner;


Sutton Place: Bar/ Lounge. 1015 2nd @ 53rd; Wildly Popular after work place; Parties deep into night; Incredibly hot rooftop bar in summer; Not cheapest place in area;  3 levels. Plasma TVs, Bar Food; Mega singles scene; One of the best after work bars in the city. Detractors claim too much of a B&T crowd & gets overcrowded- all true.

T.G. Whitney’s: Irish Pub. 244 E 53rd @ 3rd Av; Tons of specials- see website;  Happy Hour, singles scene; Good music and food;  Very friendly bartenders; 20s –early 30s crowd;  Welcoming spot.  Friday night Karaoke;  Groups welcome- private parties ideal here. 2 for 1 happy hour. Iffy food. Drunkish crowd.


Metro 53: Bar/ Lounge. 307 E. 53rd @ 1st-2nd Av; 2 levels, 3 bars; Great bartenders. Lots of room. Dancing. Good singles scene. Top notch Bar food; Happy Hour- excellent after work; Sexy singles;  B&T galore but decently fun.


The Volstead: Lounge. 125 E. 54th @ Lex – Park; Pricey, Recently renovated.  Dark, mahogany décor; After work professionals with cash to spend on pricier drinks; Cocktails are great. Tapas on menu, even Chocolate Fondue. Is a cool date scene.    

 
PJ Clarke’s: Pub. 915 3rd Av @ 55th; Owned by actor Timothy Hutton; Absolutely outstanding burgers, large seafood raw bar menu; Newly renovated;  Classy pub with great after work crowd; Comfortable and cool vibe. Old New York feel;  NYC Institution.

 

Monkey Bar: Lounge. 60 E 54th St @ Park Av;  Fancy cocktails and Asian inspired appetizers; Civilized décor that attracts a mixed crowd and is presently a hotspot for even celebs; Yuppy singles scene; After work scene.

 
King Cole Bar Lounge: St. Regis Hotel Bar. 2 E 55th @ 5th – Madison;  Best Bloody Mary in New York; Happy Hour/ After Work; Expense account crowd; So cool – you need to go for a drink. Nobody can afford two drinks here.