MISSION
Baron Von Drinkenstein, Anita Glass, Chuggs McKenzie & Al Havanother are 4 New Yorkers in search of the best outdoor bars that Gotham has to offer.
West 79th Street (Riverside Park)
212/496-5542
ANITA'S REVIEW: Paradise under the West Side. Located at 79th street under the west side highway this St. Tropez-esq bar is a perfect venue for after work drinks to catch up with friends (and a 100 strangers) and watch the sunset over Jersey (ahh Jersey). While this place can turn into a bit of a meat market, the atmosphere is altogether nice.
Nestled in the old stone walls of riverside park, the 79th Street Boat Basin's weekday scene features great views of the Hudson river and overachieving runner/bikers cruising by to get a few good miles in before dark. On weekends, it becomes a true retreat from the city (but still with a crowd). If your lucky to get a table outside, you can relax in the sun with a bucket of ice cold beers or a pitcher of frozen electric lemonade and watch the boats sail in.
The food is sub par consisting of burgers, hot dogs, salads, and nachos that taste like they are straight from your high school's concession stand, but you manage to eat it because you are too busy enjoying the view. All in all its a pretty good place to visit this summer, especially when your friends have left you for their homes in Fire Island and the Hamptons.
40 East 4th Street (at Bowery)
212/475-2220
AL'S REVIEW: Last July, I had a small birthday celebration at B Bar. I thought it would be a great place for everyone to meet, especially since they have a large patio area decorated in mulit-colored lights (prime summer spot!). B Bar is a pretty decent size with three bars and various different themed rooms. The patio area (which includes bar #1) serves as more of a lounge area for people to sit back, relax and enjoy their company. Bar #2 is in the restaurant portion of the bar, which gets the majority of the flow in the winter months. Bar #3 sits in a designated room which includes a DJ and plenty of room for dancing. It's very easy to move from room to room/bar to bar and suits any desire for a night out. If attending B Bar, please be aware that they have a strict dress code, especially for the guys! No shorts or flip flops allowed so please dress on the more appropriate side. All in all, it's a great place to meet your pals and catch up - then hit the dance floor after downing a few cocktails!! Plus - the DJ was very accomodating with song requests, even if it is Bootylicious!!
225 Liberty Street
(near West Street)
212/945-0528
SouthWest NY Website
AL'S REVIEW: Ok, this has to be one of my favorite finds. Located all the way downtown on the Hudson River, they have some of the best margaritas and Mexican food. Going here makes me feel like I've left the city and wound up in Chicago on a marina overlooking Lake Michigan. There's PLENTY of outdoor seating and it's a lot of fun to watch the sailboats come and go. All though it overlooks New Jersey, it's one of the most magical sunsets I have ever seen. The best part is that after your meal, you can stroll along the esplanade all the way down to Battery Park. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a perfect date place
CLOSED - renovations in Union Square Park currently underway
Union Square Park
50 East 17th Street
(near Broadway)
212/475-8464
AL'S REVIEW: Located at the north end of Union Square Park, this seasonal bar offers the perfect summer spot for happy hour or grabbing a quick bite. I've ended up here a few times randomly and once with Ms. Emily. The food is so-so and over priced for what it's offering. The same can be said for the crowd, which consists of an abundance of bridge and tunnel folk (probably since it's right on top of a major subway stop). AND I don't recommend using the dirty/dodgy bathrooms that seem to tell a story of their own. Luna Park is usually open from mid-May through September.
THE BARON'S BABBLE: I can't really comment on the food; normally, Luna Park conjures up enough disgust to kill my appetite. For starters, on Thursdays, Fridays, and assorted sunny days, the venue can not handle the apres-work crowd. This means that a line builds up, not a velvet-rope-selective line, just a Oh-Shit-Our-Bar-In-The-Park-Can't-Handle-The-Crowd line. I am not a fan of lines, and the characters to be found are this line are... well, they suck. As mixed as a pousse-cafe, the crowd consists large of twenty-something men who loudly aggrandize menial jobs in finance and long to be home wearing a white "UVA Lax" cap, not to mention the women that find this archetype sexy. Better company, can be found in the collection of shoeshines, street performers, homeless men, and wild squirrels who prey upon the patrons. The drinks inside are expensive, and the rats eye view of union square is nothing special... if you make it that far. Try Coffee Shop, Blue Water, Heartland, or any other outdoor cafe on the Square for a far better experience!
Upper West Side
Pier 1 at W. 70th St. & Hudson River
(One block right of the stairs at the end of 70th St.)
AL'S REVIEW: One day last summer, Emily and I took advantage of the free kayaking in Riverside Park on the Hudson River at 72nd Street. After racing each other in the water for awhile, we decided we needed to make our afternoon complete with alcohol. We walked south along the river to the completely outdoors cafe, the Maritime Cafe. It was perfect for a hot summer day after kayaking in the eclectic Hudson River. Their menu was great - salads, wraps, burgers, hot dogs, etc. AND their drink menu was even better. We opted for their homemade Sangria that put us over the edge. There was nothing like sitting in this clean open space and sipping on some chilled sangria with plenty of fruit! Our other favorite was their seasoned french fries... mmmmm. If you're in the neighborhood, it's a terrific pit stop!
35 East 13th Street (SE corner of University Place)
212/979-6677
AL'S REVIEW: Oh the memories!! This is where Emily and Ted held their joint birthday party last year. Though the main section of the bar is indoors (and quite dark!), they offer roof top access in the warmer months. It's not your typical roof top though - Since the walls are so high, it looks as if the Jolly Green Giant marched over and ripped off the roof. Ah, light - thank you Jolly!! The drink prices are reasonable and they even offer happy hour prices if you can sneak out of work early enough! It's a great place to go when it's dark out because the bar turns on their decorative lights and it appears more quaint and charming than during daylight hours. It's not on my top list of outdoor bars to check out, but then again, thanks to Emily and Ted, I can't really remember more than this!
2-03 Borden Ave.
(at 2nd Street)
Long Island City, NY 11101
Harry's Water Taxi Beach Website
AL'S REVIEW: Back in the Summer of 2006 when Harry's first opened, a NY Times reporter wrote a review quoting none other than yours truly:
travel2.nytimes.com/2006/07/07/travel/escapes/07share.html?pagewanted=1 . Since my visit that day, I've been back a couple more times and still love the escape - though it's become more popular and quite crowded. To get there, you can either travel by subway (though it's a bit of a walk) or my preferred way - the water taxi from 34th Street. Formerly a vacant lot, "Harry" had the great idea to fill it with sand and serve burgers, hot dogs, and cheap beer. From 4-6pm, there's usually a happy hour special featuring $3 beers (went up from $2 in 2006 - the nerve!!). One of the highlights of this place, is that the fence is lined with a "mister" that spritzes you with cool water. It's not the same as diving into a giant swimming pool or running into the Atlantic, but us city folks see it as the next best thing! Though Harry's gets packed later in the day, it offers the most spectacular skyline view of Manhattan, especially around sunset. If you've never been, you must experience this great find at least once and don't forget to bring your camera.
230 Fifth Avenue, 20th Fl.
(at 27th Street)
Flatiron District
212/725-4300
230 Fifth Website
AL'S REVIEW: I had quite the experience at this bar about a year ago. The line for this place began outside on 5th Avenue where the stereoptypical bouncer checks IDs. After you pass inspection, you go through the lobby (similar to that in every other office building) and up the cramped elevator to the 20th floor. This is where you step into a large Miami-esque lounge complete with neon lights. However, where you want to be is up the stairs and on the lavishly decorated roof deck. BUT there's a snag - ANOTHER LINE! The line wraps around the lounge and all the way up the stairs, so it will definitely take you a good 30 minutes to even see the rooftop. The good news is that you can grab a drink inside to occupy you during the wait (maybe 2 drinks if you're impatient like me!) Once outside, the views are absolutely breath taking, with both the Empire and Chrysler buildings glistening with the stars. Drink prices are a bit steep, but the cost of the atmosphere is included! I definitely want to venture back here, but only early enough to beat the crowds and miss the long lines.
2867 Broadway
New York, NY 10025
(212) 866-7035
The Heights Website
AL'S REVIEW: After walking from 57th Street to 111th Street, Emily and I were in desperate need of a strong drink. We opted for some yummy margaritas that went immediately to our heads. My limit was one, but Emily went in for another and BOY did she feel it later in the night (I'll spare you those details!). We waited at least an hour for a 4 person table on the roof. BUT, after drinking during the wait, we found the Mexican fare quite complimentary (even though Ted got a "garden salad" - he's trying to watch his womanly figure!) The view from the roof was decent (no major obsturctions) however, my fear of heights did kick in climbing back down the steep stairway. AND, since the bathrooms were on the main level, I tried putting it off until my eyes turned yellow. I'm just so glad I wasn't too tipsy & I was able to successfully use the stairs. Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere, drinks and food. I'd definitely go back - BUT thinking of the stairs reminds me to wear flats!
