Boston Market

Four generations of the McManus clan have operated this jovial Irish tavern, making it among the oldest family-run bars in the city. Its originator, Peter McManus, left his quaint Irish hometown and disembarked in Ellis Island with “basically five dollars and a potato in his pocket, ” as the story goes. He opened the first McManus as a longshoreman’s bar in 1911 on West 55th Street, which he then converted into a thriving general store during Prohibition while migrating his liquor business into a number of speakeasies. Once the restrictions ended in 1933, the shop was so successful that Peter kept it going and found a new spot on 19th Street in which to revive his bar. Peter’s son, James Sr., spent close to fifty years working in and later running the pub. It then passed into the hands of James Jr., who now stands beside his own son, Justin, serving beer and cracking jokes over a century later. Knowing that they will find pleasant conversation and an intriguing cast of characters at McManus, people often come alone to see what the night holds for them. The atmosphere at McManus is merry, but patrons still respect the history and charm that suffuse every corner of the space. Much of the bar is original, including the stunning Tiffany stained glass windows, the hand carved woodwork and crown molding, and the terrazzo floor that can no longer be made today. “We try to preserve it and are pretty protective of it. This bar was built to last, ” Justin said.

The Crompton Ale House is the perfect example of a bar that has embraced its surroundings. Right in the middle of the fashion district, the bar is named for Samuel Crompton, the man who invented the sewing machine. The spacious bar is decorated with bobbins and gears to make it seem like visitors are socializing inside a giant sewing machine. Jimmy, one of the owners of the bar, explained that he and his partners brought in a designer to create the unique atmosphere. “We even had threads up on the spools, ” he said, pointing at the wall ornaments, “But they were gathering dust – perhaps we’ll put them back up for Halloween. ”I was speaking with him only a short time after the bar had opened in 2015. Jimmy, who also owns the bars O’Donoghue’s and Genesis, was not quite sure what the bar would become, but he was already excited by the crowds that had arrived. He sees the area as an up-and-coming neighborhood, and has been delighted to meet a lot of locals, which is a change from the tourist-heavy crowds that he experiences in Times Square. With a happy hour from 4pm-7pm on weekdays, the bar draws in a solid after-work crowd. It is not surprising that people are gravitating to the Ale House, with people like Jimmy at the helm. Like many other Irishmen, Jimmy grew up working in a bar. He had his first job filling pints at the age of seventeen. He went on to reminisce how “There were no cocktails – just pints, " but then stated, "It’s changing all the time. ” He told me how at Crompton he is serving local and seasonal beers, in order to keep up with what people are drinking. He was especially proud of the special beer of the house, Crompton Ale, an IPA from upstate New York. According to Jimmy, however, the real reason for the bar’s early success is “the standard of service and the quality of food. ”

As we approached Haymaker Bar, Olivia, a member of the Sideways team, mentioned that she often finds herself around Penn Station with time to kill, but nowhere to kill it. She does not know where to go, besides the chain stores and sports bars that populate the area. Her eyes lit up when we walked into Haymaker, a hip bar with an individual spirit, where the emphasis is not placed on sporting events, but rather the large selection of drinks and good food. The space emanated a sense of rustic hospitality and old-world charm, without seeming in the least old-fashioned. There we met Tristan Colegrove, the bar manager, and David Smith, the owner. Tristan showed us a menu, telling us that instead of using a chalkboard, he uses a clever stamping system on the menu to show the “constantly rotating” beers. He was incredibly enthusiastic about Haymaker, which had only opened a few weeks prior to our visit in the fall of 2015. Tristan immediately began pouring samples. He started with a cider and mentioned a tasting that was slated for that evening with Kyle Sherrer from Millstone Cellars. We found the most interesting to be the Millstone Bonfire Cyser, where cider, mead, and smoked fish peppers blended together into a perfectly balanced spicy-sweet combination. After being introduced to some interesting ciders, Tristan moved on to beer. Olivia and Tom eagerly tried Hop Showers from Other Half Brewing Co. in Brooklyn, which, true to the name, was hoppy and refreshing (“I try to bring in guys that are local, ” Tristan said). That was followed by a sour from Crooked Stave, based in Denver, and Olivia’s favorite, the Kent Falls Shower Beer, with hints of lime, coriander, and sea salt. Tom’s favorite, the “Bomb! ” from Prairie, was brewed with chili peppers, chocolate, and espresso beans. The beers come in a variety of sizes, including eight-ounce glasses that allow people to try more and still remain, in Tristan’s words, "productive at the office after lunch. ”As we sipped on the different drinks, David spoke about how the restaurant was formed. Originally from Northern Ireland, he moved to New York in 2006, where his career in the bar world started to kick off. He and his current business partner, Jeff Anszulewicz, met while working at Dempsey’s in the East Village. They wanted to open a bar/restaurant in an up-and-coming neighborhood. They looked in Brooklyn, but could not find exactly what they wanted. When the Haymaker’s current home became available, they grabbed it. Even though it is Manhattan, David and Jeff recognized it as a neighborhood that needed a bar with their vision. They wanted to be certain that the quality of the food matched the caliber of the drink, so they brought in Jim Takacs as executive chef and Tristan to run the bar. While chatting, Tristan brought out some of Haymaker’s food specialties for us to try, and as we were sitting at the bar, a shipment arrived. Tristan turned his attention to the box and we were able to witness the sight of him opening the new case of beer. It was like watching a child on Christmas morning. We happily continued to snack on the creamy orange pimento cheese with crackers and fresh cut up veggies. “The wings people go crazy for, ” David announced, as he put the plate down. Olivia and Tom wholeheartedly agreed, as did my husband and friends when we stopped in a few days later. I was quite pleased with the cabbage salad which was light, crisp and colorful. Flavor is king at Haymaker, and David says that a devoted core of regulars has already started forming. People come by for a variety of reasons, whether it is to take advantage of $2 off select wine, beer, and house drinks during Happy Hour from 4-7, to grab a light lunch with coworkers, or because they are a “beer nerd” and treat Haymaker as a destination bar. The crew is eagerly anticipating the completion of the Hudson Yards project, as they know they are in a perfect location to attract this new clientele.

Smithfield first opened on 28th Street in 2012, but has since moved to this 25th Street location. When I stopped by to check out the new spot, I was greeted by the owner Kieron, who had been chatting with other customers at the bar. He told me that meeting people was his favorite part of the job, and as he greeted yet another regular by name, I felt right at home at the friendly sports bar. It is the perfect place to watch a soccer game, with television screens visible from every angle, and an FC Barcelona flag proudly displayed on the wall. Kieron was quick to point out, however, that one wall is free of screens, so that drinkers and diners can choose to turn away from the constant flurry of color and activity. Many of the patrons were dressed appropriately in team jerseys, enjoying a drink or a bite to eat from the pub-style menu. Kieron told me that they only serve Pat LaFrieda beef, and I noted that they also have an intriguing vegetarian option on their burger list: a miso-glazed tofu creation. Kieron and his partners are all from Ireland, and so it seems appropriate that the bar is named after an old market in Dublin that was also home to the Jameson Distillery. Whiskey is not the only thing Smithfield's is known for – when I stopped by, they had 29 craft beers on tap, soon to be 39. Besides expanding their beer list, Kieron told me that Smithfield Hall will be expanding their square footage soon, adding a private room for special events. Having met many Irishmen who came from a long line of pub-owners, I asked Kieron if running a bar was in his blood. He answered with a sly grin, "No - but I've spent plenty of time inside one. " The research has clearly paid off.

As of March 2022, Eataly's rooftop bar Birreria has been turned into the pop-up SERRA. The rooftop of Eataly changes its concept each season. In 2016, for example, the sky-high spot transitioned from the beer-centric Birreria to a sea-side-themed rooftop bar called Sabbia. Each reincarnation of the bar is equally impressive, which comes as no surprise after visiting Eataly downstairs. Birreria was a sky-high brewery where Fred Avila, the head brewer, created beer in-house for three or four days out of every week. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Fred and talking to him about his experience brewing above Eataly’s impressive food palace. Fred has been working for Eataly since 2011, but he started home-brewing in 2007. He has become a master at blending different flavors together and was proud to tell me about Birreria’s two seasonal beers. Vera is a summery beer with hints of lavender and blood orange, whereas the Wanda is a dark, mild beer for the fall and winter, with a lightly roasted flavor. Fred is very attuned to the weather when he drinks beer. When I asked if he has a favorite, he said that it changes with the seasons and the forecast, though he did admit, “I love to drink Oktoberfest beers. ” He featured obscure sours and saisons (pale ales specifically brewed for warm weather) in the summertime and interesting stouts in the fall. “People used to just drink IPAs or Pilsners, ” he explained to me. It is clear that working in the beer world has become considerably more exciting. Birreria collaborated with a collection of external breweries, including Dogfish Head, a microbrewery based out of Delaware. Because Birreria was part of Eataly, the list of collaborators also included two Italian companies, Birra del Borgo and Baladin. The founder of Baladin, Teo Musso, is considered the “godfather of the Italian brewing movement, ” Fred informed me. He also let me know that he always liked to have one or two New York beers available. The food menu was no less impressive, especially since it was made entirely using produce from downstairs. Unlike other parts of Eataly, however, Birreria often strayed from Italian cuisine. For example, Fred told me about a mozzarella-stuffed quail, which sounds more Northern European than Italian. Everything on the menu was designed to pair well with the bar’s unique selection of beers, creating a perfect culinary balance. I visited Sabbia shortly after it opened in 2016. It was like a taste of the tropical seaside in the middle of Manhattan: Imagine listening to the Beach Boys and sipping on one of their signature summer cocktails while lounging on a beach chair in the cabanas. The menu is filled with seafood specials that continue the seaside resort theme. It is the perfect summer spot for those who cannot leave town, and there is a retractable roof for rainy nights.

Stepping out of the culinary carnival in the main Eataly building through the side street entrance of the calm, cool wine shop next door was a soothing experience. The space is primarily filled with Italian wines, though there is a selection of local New York varieties upstairs. Also on the second floor is the “Riserva Room, ” a temperature-controlled chamber with rare wines, mainly acquired through auctions. What surprised me about the Riserva Room, however, is that the bottles are not very expensive. Despite feeling the need to whisper inside the elegant space, I noticed that many tags quoted prices under $100. We learned from Brianna Buford, the PR Assistant, that this is so that customers do not feel intimidated to try new wines. As with the rest of Eataly, Vino is dedicated to educating the public about the quality, origin, and uses of its products. There are helpful signs in the area and tastings every week. “Staff Pick” signs give shoppers individual recommendations and there are often fun promotions whose goal is to introduce customers to new labels. For example, in 2015, the wine store hid golden corks all over Eataly, offering anyone who found one a special bottle of Vino Libero. “Vino Libero” means “free the wine, ” a motto which seems to ring true throughout the store, where wine is freed from any pretension or intimidation and presented in a playful, educational way.

Many months ago, I gathered a group of friends and family to celebrate my husband's birthday. No one had ever been to Spin, so it was the perfect opportunity for everyone to have a terrific night taking turns playing a sport most of us adore, and sharing in conversation, drinks and appetizers. As we walked down the steps into the dimly lit lobby we were greeted by a friendly hostess in a chic black outfit, and it felt as though we had entered any other swanky Manhattan club. And yet, as we turned the corner we saw immediately that this was not the case. Instead of the usual dance-filled floor, at this club we were presented with rows of ping-pong tables and couples in heated competition. The diversity of the crowd was vast and only became more so as the night went on. Businessmen off from work, their white collared shirts glowing in the black light, rallied next to serious athletes there for a workout in gym shorts and sweatbands. Young couples looking for a quirky date played next to groups of older friends there to enjoy the nostalgia of this classic game. Everyone is welcome at Spin. Serious ping pong players make the circuits, challenging worthy opponents to games while casual paddlers compete in a more leisurely game. It has never been easier to enjoy ping pong, as Spin has eliminated the frustrating need for constantly picking up stray balls - staff with fascinating contraptions collect all the balls and reload the buckets regularly. Perhaps even more exciting, servers come by to the tables with what could be described as high-class bar food - some of our favorites were the alcoholic mango slushies, the fried rice balls, and the truffle mac and cheese. The delicious food and drink are honestly worth a visit on their own, and as the club often hosts championship ping pong games, even those who do not want to grab a paddle themselves can fill up a plate and watch the action. Originally opened by ping pong enthusiasts Franck Raharinosy, Andrew Gordon, Jonathan Bricklin and Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon, Spin has quickly become a hot spot both in other parts of the US and abroad.

Visions provides services for the blind and visually impaired; it is located in Selis Manor, a twelve-story apartment building dedicated to housing and assisting blind and otherwise handicapped New Yorkers of all types. Visions holds braille courses, exercise and rehabilitation classes, music programs, and various events and lectures.