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Jeremy Wagner behind "The Little Bar" at Sardi's
It's been a long day. Your boss has been particularly demanding -- or, if you are just visiting the city on holiday, the airline has lost your luggage and you now face the possibility of having to wear the same pair of Bermuda shorts for an entire week. What's the one thing that can turn your mood around, that can really aid you in coping with these situations? Well, the answer is booze, my friends. Booze! Here's a list of 10 noteworthy bars, saloons, watering holes, etc. that are located in the vicinity of Times Square. Any of them is sure to satisfy the need for a stiff belt and maybe offer a little culture, history, or a glance at the ballgame. So, make it one for my baby and six more for the road. Cheers!
| “The Little Bar” at Sardis | | 234 West 44th Street
212-221-8440
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This little gem opened very shortly after the 21st amendment re-legalized the sale of alcohol. Over the years, many famous people have vied for the very few seats here. Several of the caricatures for which Sardi's is famous hang adjacent to the bar -- and, to this day, Joyce Randolph of The Honeymooners' fame loves to come in and sit under her own caricature. Interesting fact: Randolph was not the first person to play Trixie in The Honeymooners. That distinction belongs to a woman who also has her face on a wall at Sardi's: Elaine Stritch!
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| Angus McIndoe | | 258 West 44th Street
212-221-9222
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One of Broadway’s most popular hangouts, Angus McIndoe can be very crowded after the shows let out -- but, really, that's why you want to be there. Lot’s of folks who are in the business of Broadway come to Angus to let their hair down and relax with their fellow thespians. (Don’t get scared; I said “'thespians.”) Nice hearty cocktails, interesting people, and decent food to boot. Like many theater district restaurants, Angus is often filled with cast and crew of the shows playing in theaters right nearby. So, with Gypsy next door at the St. James, maybe you'll meet several strippers and a newsboy.
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| Smith’s Bar and Restaurant | 710 Eighth Avenue @ 44th Street
212-246-3268
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A real, old-fashioned, “back when a bar was a bar” kind of place. In the days when Hell’s Kitchen wasn’t a reality TV series but a struggling, lower-middle-class, rough trade neighborhood, establishments like this were plentiful. However, with constant gentrification and “improvements” being made to Time Square, Smith's is now a rarity and definitely worth checking out. Lots of men who work construction and union guys maybe found throwing back liquor and watching sports in this raucous testament to the past. Surprisingly, the attached restaurant is very family friendly and offers basic yet terrific food.
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| Don’t Tell Mama / The Lounge at Don’t Tell Mama | | 343 West 46th Street
212-757-0788 | |
For 25 years, this cabaret bar and club has been entertaining locals and tourists alike with fantastic, live entertainment and affordable (for the neighborhood) drinks. With a recent change in ownership and some much-needed refurbishing and changes made, I expect it will last another 25 years. The bar area at Don’t Tell Mama is where all the live piano music and singing takes place, starting at 9pm every night -- and I'm telling you, if you’re not in the door by 10pm or so, you'll have to wait in line. A new addition is The Lounge at Don’t Tell Mama, located right next door to the main bar. It's quite elegant, and the perfect place to relax as you curl into one of the leather couches and have a nice conversation with your date. The lounge offers tapas-type food with a median price around 10 dollars, so you can afford to hang out for a while.
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| Bar Centrale @ Joe Allen | 326 West 46th Street
212-581-3130 |
This really is an insider’s establishment, located up the steps from Joe Allen’s restaurant. There's no sign or other indication that there's a bar up here at all -- but there is, and it can be loads of fun. Open nightly from 5pm, this intimate locale has a retro noir feel to it, and the size of the space almost demands camaraderie. Every time I mention Bar Centrale to people I know who have been there, they respond with a list of celebrities they spotted at the adjacent booths and tables. Do you have out of town visitors in tow? Take them here and let them see the kind of company you keep.
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| Thalia | | 828 Eighth Avenue @ 50th Street
212-399-4444 | |
Always inviting. As large a space as Thalia is, the colors, décor, furnishings, and flowers make for intimacy amongst the vastness. The place is very popular at different times of the day with differing sorts of clientele: business people flock here for lunch and in the early evening, then the theater crowd shows up and fills the place before and after their shows. There is plenty of seating space at the large, oval bar, at the tables, or on the very comfy couch and ottomans. A terrific wine list and favor-infused vodkas that they make themselves are two great reasons to drink up. If you decide to eat as well, Thalia has a great menu -- and you can even order pre-packaged food to go from Thalia Kitchen, a little side location on 50th Street.
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| ESPN Zone | | 1472 Broadway @ 42nd Street
212-921-3776 | |
Located at “the crossroads of the world,” this multi-level behemoth boasts not one, not two, but three bars! All will satisfy your need for a fast beer while checking out the score. But if you want a place to hang for a while and maybe you have the family along, the third floor is for you, because that's where you'll find video games, bowling, etc. ESPN Zone is heaven for sports enthusiasts. Yes, it's a chain establishment and thus not a completely unique Times Square experience; but if dad and little brother were kind enough not to complain when you dragged them to the American Girl shop, a visit here might be a nice payback for them.
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| The View Lounge @ The New York Marriott Marquis | | 1535 Broadway, between 45th and 46th streets
212-704-8900 |
According to the Marriott website, The View is “New York City’s only revolving roof-top lounge.” You may ask why any city would need one, or ever have more than one. Well, stop being so effete and admit that it's sort of a neat thing to see our beautiful skyline while spinning around in the clouds -- and that's even before you have a sipsy! On a clear day, there's miles of visibility. This is an interesting and unique place to have a few, but make sure to trail some breadcrumbs on your way to the restroom, as finding your way back to your table in a revolving restaurant after several Bacardis can be a challenge. There is a $7 cover for those not staying or dining at the hotel, and you might want to call ahead to ask about appropriate attire.
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| Therapy | | 348 West 52nd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues
212-397-1700 |
The name of the place says it all. Have a few beers, ask your bartender for some personal advice, and you can save a bundle on psychotherapy! This gay bar is a nicely appointed, modern, two-story space. Drinks are affordable, and all ages seem to comfortably co-mingle here. If you find yourself in midtown and want a drink and maybe a little eye candy, stop in. (They make a very nice cosmo.) With a daily “happy hour” two-for-one drink deal from 5:00 to 8:00pm and a small but satisfying food menu available every day but Saturday, this is the ideal place to assuage your id.
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| The Lobby of the Algonquin Hotel | | 59 West 44th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues
212-840-6800 |
There's a pretty little bar at the Algonquin, called the Blue Bar, but the lobby is so inviting that it's hard to decide where to have one's libations. On the hotel's website, the lobby is described thusly: “A welcome oasis of civility amid the hectic pace of New York.” Admittedly, that sounds a little hoity. But I dare you to order a Rob Roy straight up with a twist, sit here for 10 minutes, and not start to feel saved from the burning desert that is Manhattan. The hotel is cat friendly, and even has its own lobby cat. When you visit, you can stop in and take a look at the terribly famous Round Table where, many years ago, New York’s glitterati traded witty barbs. Here’s looking up your old address, Dorothy Parker!
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