Bars - Union Square/Flatiron/Gramercy

UNION SQUARE & FLATIRON & GRAMERCY (14th-34th; East of 6th)

Lucid/Pressure/Bowlmore: Bowling/ Lounge. 110 University Place @ 12-13^th; Lucid is a tiny dance club within Pressure – the sprawling lounge above Bowlmore; Bowlmore is of course a huge bowling alley; Big dance floor; Singles scene; Girls & Guys meeting all night. Private Parties.

Bar None: Dive Lounge. 98 3^rd Av @ 12^th-13^th; All day happy hour- noon to 8pm = $3 drafts; Pool, darts, dance, chill at the bar; DJs Thurs-Sat; 11 TVs; Hard Rock Juke; Beer Pong; Great website; Fishbowls; Huge drink specials all week; Cute staff.

Bar 13: Music Venue/ Bar. 35 E 13^th @ University Place: Multiple rooms, drink specials. Live music. Young & eclectic. Huge place. Check theme on website b4 you go (some gay, lesbian nights); Martini Lounge; Even has rooftop bar- 3 levels. Multiple dance floors.

Crocodile Lounge: Dive bar. 325 E 14^th @ 1^st-2^nd; Signature Croc ale; Worth a try; NYC crowd; 4pm-4am drink specials daily- see website. $2 Tuesdays. Sexy and friendly staff – fun vibe. Buffalo Bills bar. Free cheese pizza with every beer!

Otto’s Shrunken Head: Dive Bar. 538 E 14^th @ Av A-B; Tiki alternative bar; Frozen drinks; Volcanos; Absolutely zany place; Live music sometimes; $3 Bloody Marys 4-8pm Sunday; $3 PBR pints all the time; Other specials; People singing; All sorts of fun drinks. Great for groups.

Revival: Dive Bar. 129 E 15^th St @ 3^rd Ave; Garden in the back; Private parties; Happy Hour 4-7pm weekdays; Punk Rock Tuesdays; Couch surfer Thursdays – Int’l folks who look for a place to crash!

Belmont Lounge: Lounge. 117 E. 15^th @ Park Av S: Trendy but cool. Good looking people. Back dance room with DJ; 20s-30s crowd; Date spot; Comfy couches & booths. Like a living room – very impressive. Overall rustic décor vibe. Sundays is Reggae night.

Park Bar: Lounge. 15 E 15^th @ 5^th; Upscale atmosphere; late 20s-30s; Date place/ pre-dinner drinks; Comfortable places to sit, though small overall and gets crowded; Mature crowd; Well made cocktails. Pre or post dinner date spot.

Coffee Shop Lounge: Restaurant/ Lounge. 29 Union Sq W @ 16^th; Trendy Upscale Eatery with Diner like grub; Downstairs, is an ultra cool bar/ lounge; Perfect spot to eat late night while keeping your drink on. Top choice for lunch and people watching.

Underbar: Lounge. 201 Park S @ 17^th; Underground location at “W” hotel; Comfortable couches; Pillows; Martinis; Good looking crowd & sexy servers; Extremely expensive; Fancy cocktails; Impress a date; Good for small groups.

Cibar: Martini bar. 56 Irving @ 17-18^th; Trendy and cool. Date place / sophisticated spot; Sexy crowd; Professionals with cash; DJ sometimes; Fireplace, and outdoor area in summer; Romantic – formula works here. Plush couches.

Old Town: Pub. 45 E 18^th @ Park S; NY Institution; Great Food; After Work/ Happy Hour spot; Cool old-NY feel- opened in 1892; Upstairs area as well; Great starter bar. A fancy McSorleys of sorts. Like a London pub.

Flatiron Lounge: Lounge. 37 W. 19^th @ 5-6^th; Awesome bar/ lounge. Great starter place. Known for inventive cocktails made with the freshest ingredients; Professional service. Pre-dinner- Ideal for a date; Amazing food too. Classy, sophisticated. Art deco design.

Flute: Champagne Bar. 40 E 20^th @ B-Way-Park; Tons women here in you’re a single male; DJs on weekend; Couches, champagne flights are way to go; Mingle and celebrate; Very pricy. Stylish as any bar in city.

No Idea: Dive Bar. 30 E 20^th @ B-Way –Park; Every day, different 1^st name honored- drink for FREE if yours; Two rooms; Pool, Jukebox; This is a fun, laid back bar; Great for after work or a few pre-game. All night if your name!

Porkys: Bar/ Dive; 55 W 21^st @ 5-6^th; Love this place; Tries to be lower class but it’s a lounge/ young meat market; Major singles scene; Theme nights; Tons of drink specials; Great website- check out; Private parties; Lots of fun; Always an insanely good drink special; Bachelorette party central; Drunk crowd.

Slate: Pool Hall. 54 W 21^st @ 5-6^th Av; Upscale pool hall; Very nice, spacious bar area; Sexy bartenders; Perfect for a Private party or group; After work hot spot; Has a Ping Pong Lounge!! 25 Pool Tables/ 200 seats. Even a dining room. Also a dance floor- mistake! Yuppy/ corporate crowd- 20s-30s. Avoid on weekends.

Molly’s: Irish Pub. 287 3^rd @ 21-22^nd; Truly a traditional place. Small but very friendly staff. Working fireplace and very homey feel; Huge portions of excellent Irish food. This one you have to check out. Best Guinness, Corned Beer, and Irish Breakfast!

Black Bear Lodge: Tavern. 274 3^rd Av @ 21-22^nd; Ski-motif lodge scene; Jager shots, PBR, antler-chandeliers; Somehow a cozy, relaxing and cheesy-cool scene; Related to Bulls Head Tavern; Try the strong “Cherry Bombs” – 151 infused cherries;

McSwiggan’s: Irish Dive Pub. 393 Second @ 22-23^rd; Neighborhood Bar; 20s-40s crowd; Pool, Darts, Jukebox; Amazing drink specials daily; Nothing stands out but it is reliable and everything an Irish pub should be.

Spin: Sports Bar. 304 Park Av South @ 23^rd St; As one reviewer put it – it is ‘table tennis with a bar, not a bar with table tennis; If you are a ping pong junkie, this is your place. Fairly priced drinks; Great for groups; Best on a weekday when there is little or no wait for a table.

Fitzgerald’s: Irish Pub. 336 3^rd Av @ 24-5^th; This is your classic neighborhood Irish pub featuring $4 all day pints of domestic; Great pub food with partitioned seating; Clean bar area and bathrooms; Friendly conversation.

Dewey’s Flatiron: Irish Pub. 210 5^th Av @ 25^th; Great after work/ happy hour spot for local Biz types; Great food and specials; Also, good for catching game; 2 floor setup! Happy Hr 4:30-7. Monday trivia night.

Hog Pit: Dive Bar. 37 W 26^th @ 5-6^th Av; Country roadhouse serving amazing bar food – Mac n Cheese; Grilled cheese; Pool table, country tunes, and cheap beer. The Duke brothers would have come here; Absolute dive.

McCormack’s: Irish Pub. 365 3^rd Av @ 26^th; What a pleasant Irish Pub; Guinness perfectly poured; Incredible Irish brunch/ breakfast- with free drink; 4 42’ Plasma TVs; Soccer, Rugby fans flock here.

Mad Hatter: Irish Pub. 360 3^rd Av @ 26-7^th; 50 seat beer garden; Old and new; Great beer and food. Has darts and pool; $4 happy hour pints; Fun vibe – TVs for sports. Typical bar – but that beer garden!

230 Fifth: Upscale lounge. 230 5^th Av @ 27^th; Roofdeck with 14,000 sq ft terrace with 360-degree views. Expensive. Pre-drink scene. Stylish bar open 4pm-4am every day; Sexy, good-looking crowd; Large parties; Truly an epic spot to take a date for dinner/drinks or for a Holiday party.

Houston’s: Bar/ Restaurant. 378 Park @ 27^th; Unreal food- best pub level food in the city; Semi-formal actually, perfect for a date; On bar list because it has one of the best after-work scenes in NYC; Singles, meeting for a drink, and a spacious bar area.

Rodeo Bar: Country bar/ Roadhouse; 375 3^rd @ 27^th: Extremely well decorated, true southern/ Texas feel; Good food; Live Music most nights; Two rooms; Drink specials; Fun place… not too country. Happy hour 4-8pm; Honky Tonk feel- great food- ribs amazing. Very good at being what it tries to be.

Choice: Restaurant/ Bar. 380 3^rd Av @ 27-28^th; Large, spacious bar with TV options and great for meeting a friend or date pre-dinner; Full service dining options with a large, tasty menu; True hybrid bar-restaurant.

Maker’s Bar: Neighborhood bar. 405 3^rd Ave @ 28^th-29^th; After work; Great scene. Welcoming feel and excellent for pool; Fairly spacious & laid back; Happy Hour= M-Sat, $3 bottles, $4 drafts, $5 wine.

Red Sky: Lounge. 47 E 29^th @ Madison-Park; 3 floors of entertainment; Top after work, private party and singles scene; Rooftop space; DJ/ Lounge; $3 domestic drafts 4-8pm daily & $4 cosmos & apple martinis; 7 flat screens on 1^st floor; 2^nd floor is lounge; 3^rd is roof. Perfection! One of the best in city.

Tonic East: Upscale Sports Bar; 411 3^rd Ave @ 29^th; Excellent Food; Large flat screen TVs; Lounge feel; Nice Irish bartenders; Little pricy for genre. Very clean, cool looking and sharp; One of the best sports bars in the city; Very good food. Happy hour 4-7pm- $2 vodka red bulls/ drafts. Spin wheel for drink.

Paddy Reilly’s: Irish Pub. 519 2^nd Av @ 29^th: Lots of live music. Great for a few. Awesome food. Even have open Mic night; Guinness & Bud on tap only; Reeks with tradition & been around forever. Classic Irish gem.

Failte: Irish Pub. 531 2^nd Ave @ 29^th: Standard Irish fare with pool in the back; Extremely friendly staff and patrons; Fireplace; See website for crazy good drink deals every day; Beer Pong & Trivia Thursday; Weekend drink deals just as good. One of the better spots in the area.

PS 450: Lounge. 450 Park Av @ 30-31^st; Has a stylish 32 foot bar; DJ at night; Great after work spot with banker types that changes into a more progressive crown later; M-F 4-7pm $4 drafts; Decent wine selection; Great food; Private party space.

Brother Jimmy’s: Dive / Sports Bar. 181 Lex @ 31^st; Carolina Bar; Incredible Bar-B-Q food; Dirt Cheap beer specials- Happy Hour 5-8pm; Great for games – especially Tarheels or Yankees; Singles scene at night; Beer lover’s haven; Fish Bowls with Alligators in them; Just a fun place.

Whiskey River: Dive Bar. 575 2^nd Av @ 31-32^nd; Woodsy cabin feel; Great for after work, has game nights, good private party space. Fireplace. Dirt cheap beer including $10 buckets of PBR. 3-8pm Happy hour. Beer Pong.

Rattle and Hum: Pub. 14 E 33^rd St @ Mad-5^th Av; Massive beer selection; Perfect alternative to Ginger Man near by; Lots of TVs as well; Knowledgeable staff; Happy Hour specials 11am – 7pm weekdays. Cask quality pints; Great drink menu explaining the beers and providing alcohol content. Cool, pub décor and great food. Laid back vibe; Private Parties welcome.

Patrick Kavanagh’s: Irish Pub. 497 3^rd @ 33-4^th; Amazing bar to relax and enjoy a pint of beer; Neighborhood bar. Excellent food and brunch menu; Soccer & Rugby haven. Spacious and friendly buy-back bartenders.

IANNATION.COM

Ian Hunter's Guide to New York's Best Restaurants, Bars, and Gourmet Markets