Fashion District
38th St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.
Decent sized sports bar in an area that is slowly accumulating more pubs/sports bars as opposed to pretentious spots.  That being said, you still get the B&T crowd, mostly business types, good amount of TV’s showing sports, and possibly the friendliest bouncer I’ve ever come across.  Above average beers at above average prices, taste fine.
35th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
Like any rooftop bar, when you go early in the evening, there’s a lot of velvet ropes and bouncers for what I can assume turns into a hoppin’ night.  However, until that time, this rooftop bar with a pretty good view of Herald Square (who knew the rooftops around here were interesting!?!) is sparsely crowded.  There’s a second, smaller bar out on the deck next to the “VIP†seating, the service is friendly, and the crowd consists of B&T’s and hotel guests.  Above average taps at above average prices, taste alright.
38th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
Another crpwded rooftop bar but I definitely feel more relaxed at this one. Â Yes, it has your business crowd, overdressed and trying to entertain clients, but the bar area keeps things moving. Â Good views looking south, clientele is people who like rooftop bars, mixed with midtown tourists staying in the hotel. Â Above average drinks at slightly above average prices, taste fine.
35th St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.
Used to be Blaggard’s Pub, and now, thankfully, it’s actually a nice spot to go into.  Decent pub that has a good amount of space, crowd is quiet B&T’s (who knew they existed!?!), and the service is friendly.  Lots of taps of average and above average beers, average prices, taste fine.
39th btw 5th and 6th Ave.
Used to be EVR, and they have thankfully revamped this spot.  While both floors are still pretty spacious, it’s no longer giving off a club vibe, loud music aside, but still a little snooty.  TV’s are present, it’s a crowd mixed of business people old and young with groups going out for happy hours.  Service is alright, average and above average beers, slightly above average prices, taste fine.
37th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
One of the few rooftop bars where there isn’t a lot of standing room…actually, there’s really just not much space.  This rooftop is basically a bunch of tables and bench seating, filled with workers from the Fashion District and hotel guests.  Service can be a little slow, but they’re friendly.  Drinks are cocktails and wine, above average prices for each, taste fine.
39th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
I think the best way to sum this place up is that it wanted to be a club over near 10th Ave. in Chelsea, but decided to try it’s luck in the middle of the island.  The patrons and owners haven’t gotten the memo and still treat it as if it’s a raging club 24/7, filled with smoke machines, VIP tables, coat check, etc. with just a really sparse crowd.  There’s a decent amount of space by the bar, service is friendly…that’s about it.  Average drinks (bottles), slightly above average prices, taste fine.
39th St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.
Trying to get to this rooftop bar is like reenacting the Goodfellas Copacabana entrance scene.  When you finally get to the elevator, you’re brought up stairs to a decent sized space where the drinks are, surprisingly, not outrageously priced.  I mean, still above average, but not to a point of complaint.  Views are pretty good, decent space even though they have VIP tables, and the crowd is 20’s-30’s mixed with tourists.  they even have a TV for sports.  Above average beers at above average prices, taste fine.
40th St. and 6th Ave.
I always thought this was a sandwich place, but come here after work and you just find a bunch of people drinking. And during the winter, they drag out a fire pit in the middle of a bunch of chairs. Not much else to it, all outdoors, above average beers at above average prices, taste fine.
40th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
Normally a coat check will have me turn right around, but this blog ain’t gonna write itself! Head to the basement of Bryant Park Hotel, and you have a somewhat spacious bar room packed with business kids, after work parties, and tourists. Pretty tough to get a seat, so you cram next to the bar and grab a cocktail…not much more to it. Service is pretty good, no taps, cocktails at cocktail prices (~12), taste fine.
39th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
A packed “gastropub†that’s trying to bring a little bit of adult to the neighborhood. Basically two room, island bar up front, tables in the back. There’s a good amount of standing space but, as mentioned, can fill up quick around happy hour time. Clientele is older mixed with business types, service is pretty good at handling the orders, above average beers at above average prices, taste fine.
39th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
Speakeasy’s aside, this might be the most well hidden bar in the city. I honestly thought I was walking by a deli when I passed. Tucked away in the middle of a non-descript block, this Scottish bar is a nice quiet place for either a stopover on the way home or just to quietly watch a game on TV. Good amount of bar space up front, tables in the back, service is friendly, crowd is mixed. Average beers and Scottish beers, average prices, taste fine.
35th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
While there is an empty bar downstairs, make your way through the labyrinth of the top guest floor to a staircase (good luck finding it) into basically one big soft bench lined roof top that’s covered. Pluses, it’s big, not a lot of people, mixed crowd of all sorts, and a really good close-up view of the Empire State Building (as if you can’t see it from anywhere else in the city…). Negatives, it just feels a little run down. So if you want a quiet rooftop to relax, this might be for you. Average beers, average prices, taste fine.
38th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
As far as rooftop bars go, this one is a good mix of lounge and bar, meaning you get the cozy mixed with people who go to lounges. Business kids, B&T’s and a 20-30’s crowd hang up here on the decent sized outdoor space that doesn’t provide a view of much besides the Empire State Building. A plus is a downstairs bar to wait in just in case it’s too crowded up top, which it usually is. Service is pretty good, average/above average/wine/cocktails for their respective average prices, taste fine.
35th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
Used to be Katwalk, and from the looks of everyone in here, they either still think it still is or just were too tired to go elsewhere. The pub looking exterior gives way to a decent sized space with a bunch of tables and booths scattered around. Still not entirely sure who can go up to the second floor. The taps could use a good cleaning seeing as it’s a new place, but the service is friendly, and the Owner does all he can to make sure you’re having a good time…multiple times. B&T and business kid crowd mixed with tourists. Average beers at average prices, taps need a cleaning.
36th St. btw 5th and Madison Ave.)
Used to be Under the Volcano, and they’ve made it a little bit more inviting (removing the blinking neon sign, getting rid of the weird smell by the front door, etc.) it still has the same business kid crowd as before. It’s basically a decent sized square room with some seats up front, a little more crowded in back, and it’s definitely more subdued than its neighbors on the block. Average beers at average prices, taste alright.
5th Ave. and 36th St.
Hotel bar that is quieter and slightly upscale than its surrounding neighbors. Now, if that’s your kind of place, come here for a quiet couple of drinks with other hotel guests mixed with an older crowd while listening to whatever “jazz†group has been hired to play up front. Cocktails and your average few taps, slightly above average prices, taste fine.
37th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
It’s basically two places in one: part beer hall with plenty of tables for you and friends and to meet newcomers, part bar, meaning everyone crowds around the bar and just orders as per anywhere else. This midtown beer hall draws a pretty good crowd that the staff can handle, it can be a little tough grabbing a seat. You have your mix of B&T’s and business kids here and the staff wearing the lederhosen uniform (though I doubt anyone is actually from anywhere near the Alps). German beers at above average prices, taste fine.
5th Ave. btw 41st and 42nd St.
If you actually go through all the effort and find the bar in the basement, you’ll find an enormous space that’s usually half full. It’s a cocktail bar that, well, the cocktails are just ok, nothing outstanding in that department, but the food is pretty good. It really kind of feels like a waste of space, though the small crowd was pretty lively. Plenty of seating at the bar or along shared tables. Service is pretty quick, cocktails at cocktail prices (~12), taste ok.
36th St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.
I…I just…I can’t. College kids (seniors of course…), douchebags, and meatheads assemble! This is one big bar that is completely packed to the seams with the aforementioned crowd, packed with TV’s, packed with a sprinkling of tourists, packed packed packed. The staff does a decent job of keeping up with the orders (there must be a billion bartenders back there), the tricky part is getting to the bar. Average taps, average prices, taste alright.
36th St. btw 5th and Madison Ave.
Same owner’s as its namesake on 40th and Lex, but this one is just one giant, more aerated room. Definitely goes for the authentic feel (like the other location), there’s basically a big room, some tables scattered around the perimeter, and one big standing bar space with a big column right in the middle of it. Sports on TV, below average to average beer prices for average beers, taste fine.
35th St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.)
Looking to capitalize on the “walking to Penn Station†crowd, this new space is the latest in bars that provides the B&T crowd with a big room with tables on the fringe, lots of TV’s for pre-game drinks/going home libations, and good service that keeps you on time for your train. Average drinks at average prices, taste fine.
35th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
New bar that needs a better sign/frontage, because it’s easy to miss it. Step inside to a polished “sports bar†that has a lot of room with not a lot of people in it. The lack of service may be the culprit, or the fact that you just don’t feel cozy in the place. Must have had the manager for the early shift because he was great, but the rest of the staff could really just care less. Above average prices for average/above average beers, taste good.
39th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
Joining the fray of big bars in this neck of the woods, this one has probably the least to offer in terms of character, but it has no problem attracting characters. It’s basically just a big, open room with tables pushed against the wall in the back. The people are your business people that work in the area, from old and creepy to young and douchy, the former here to ogle the bartenders and crowd, the latter to be loud. Plenty of TV’s, service is very friendly, average drinks at average prices that taste fine.
41st St. btw 6th Ave. and Broadway
Wait a sec, isn’t this a pizza place? Yes and no: yes because half of it is a pizza place and the other half is a bar, no because the pizza sucks. So let’s focus on the bar half. Good amount of TV’s, not a lot of sitting room at the bar, good service, and you can have garlic knots (which are pretty good) continuously delivered to you. Beers were average prices, tasted fine.
36th St. btw 5th and Madison Ave.
The first time I walked into this bar, it smelled like a dank pit even though it looked a little more upscale. So I returned a month later and at least the place smelled better. The beer’s reasonably priced, tastes fine, and there was plenty of B&T’s, if that’s your thing.
37th St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.
Bars that try to be clubs usually don’t sit well with me, but I was actually feeling alright here. The crowd was of the twenties/thirties variety, beers were average prices, tasted fine, and there was a good mix of music. It was a pretty good social scene too, mainly because you could at least hear the other person’s conversation as they shout over the loud music.
36th St. btw 5th and Madison Ave.
If you’re not up for the crowds across the street, come in here…and get everyone else who had the same idea. A decent amount of space in here…well, upfront at least. The bartenders are the reason to come here, very friendly, good for a chat, average priced beer that tastes as good as you can expect a Bud Light to be.
35th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
I came here for a Shilelagh Law concert…those shows definitely need to be in a bigger venue from now on. The bar was nice though, with, what I can picture without the throng of people filling it up, a decent amount of space on a normal occasion. The beer was average prices and tasted fine.
36th St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.
The newest part of the chain, and I’m realizing that this is one of the better chains in the city. This place is huge, two floors, but I’m almost positive you can’t get to the second (it was a long St. Pat’s so I’ll try properly another time…checked again, you can). There was a young crowd here, mostly B&T, and the like. Beers were average prices, tasted fine, good selection of music too.
36th St. btw 5th and Madison Ave.
I’ve been here a few times and I’m never sure what I’m going to get. While the staff is always friendly and the beers are average prices and taste fine, the crowd is either one way or the other: quiet and slightly depressing or nicely crowded. Since I don’t mind the slightly depressing, it works fine for me.
35th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
Really? This area needs a club? Or something desperately trying to be one? Well, if you have to come in here, don’t say you weren’t warned. Two floors…well, one floor and you can stare at the dancers on the second. Not a lot of space to maneuver in here, though those crazy kids try their darndest. The drinks are only slightly over average prices and they taste fine once the bartender realizes you’re alive/thirsty.
8th Ave. btw 36th and 37th St.
There aren’t a lot of bars on 8th Avenue between Penn Station and the Port Authority, so thankfully this place opened up. There’s a good amount of space here, though the overload on stools makes getting to the bar a fun adventure. It’s the 21-49 crowd, average prices for beer that taste fine, but TV’s are set up in weird locations so choose your seat wisely.
36th St. btw 5th and Madison Ave.
So many beer taps and at average prices make this place the popular place it is…that and it’s equidistant from Park Avenue to Penn Station. True, lots of B&T’s, and the majority goes to the males here, but it was hard to find other faults with this bar. If you keep a close eye on the tables, the crowd usually rotates through them so you won’t be standing for long. Definitely a great after work place to head to, which is completely what this crowd is.
36th St. btw 5th And Madison Ave.
Hands down, the worst name for a bar. I expected either a seedy dive or scraggly women of the night and was surprised to stumble into a club-like atmosphere. The place was near empty, possibly due to the two unnecessary bouncers outside, but the service was quick, along with average priced drinks that tasted fine. Don’t know if I’ll frequent again but I’ve definitely been to worse.
39th St. btw 6th Ave. and Broadway
Now this is a place I can get used to for my after work drinks. I went on a Tuesday night and it was mildly packed with a good crowd that wasn’t too old or too young. The drinks were average prices, tasted fine, and the Irish bartenders were friendly. The bar had a good amount of TV’s showing sports and plenty of seats.
40th St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.
This midtown lounge tries to have a little something for everyone; it just doesn’t mix well, for me at least. The drinks were priced averagely and tasted fine but I only really liked it as a stopping point on my way to another bar. Everyone (the few people there) were sectioned off in their own little areas. The music being played was a mix between R&B and the most random rock songs from the 90’s. It’s a place to go if you don’t want the usual bar scene in Times Square, which I would never understand why you wouldn’t.
40th St. btw 6th Ave. and Broadway
There wasn’t really much to stand out about this place besides it being your normal, run of the mill, midtown bar. There was a decent amount of space, plenty of tables to sit at and eat, and good tasting taps at average prices. I would’ve missed it due to the scaffolding outside but I’m glad I got to stop in.
38th St. btw 5th and Madison Ave.
If your idea of a fun night out is a Sausage fest, then look no further. Not too crowded but definitely has the 20-30 year old male yuppie/meathead bar scene. The prices are average for average tasting beers and there is lots of room to stand. I may be speaking for a minority, but I don’t need a towel man in my bar bathroom.
35th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
When walking by, you would think its some fancy, hoity-toity bar/restaurant. But it’s extremely down to earth and the bar staff is very friendly. You do have people stumbling in from down the block when the club, or the line for it, becomes too much, but otherwise the clientele are just your ordinary drinkers. The beers are average priced and taste just fine, and there’s a lot of space to spread out in.
38th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
In complete contrast to its Westside counterpart, this bar is spacious, friendly, and there’s good pub food, definitely some of the better nachos I’ve ever had. The wait staff is friendly and there’s plenty of seating for your after work group. Beer tastes fine, average prices, good folks and fun…don’t sue me McDonald’s.
35th St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.
The Westside location of this bar might actually be the most depressing bar I’ve ever been in. It’s not exactly a dive but it’s definitely a bar where you can go and drink by yourself and stew in your misery. Cheap beer, yes. Tastes good…yes. Friendly atmosphere…about as chipper as a graveyard.
41st St. btw 7th and 8th Ave.
This falls into the category of not necessarily a hotel bar. It falls into another category of having the older business men being the clientele and having them stare at me for wearing a Mets jersey before hopping on the 7. I stuck to the beer at this place and though they were bought for me, I overheard the average prices and they tasted as good as anywhere else.
38th St. btw 5th and 6th Ave.
This bar always looks spic and span when I’m here. Plenty of space in the back, thankfully, because the bar is a little tight in the front but not uncomfortable. The staff was great, plenty of TV’s, and extremely well lit. One slight drawback was a bit of a yuppie crowd but they thankfully faded away after 10 PM and the fun people stuck around.
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