We Americans can claim talent and often superiority in a variety of pursuits these days, but when it comes to drinking, Ireland still put us to shame. At least we still have better breakfast. But you don’t need an airline ticket to visit this magical land of drinking – just a liver of steel and a high tolerance for slurred singalongs. Thanks to their customers’ natural talent for holding the hooch, as well as a rich history in NYC, the Irish bar has become near-synonymous with tying one on in the Big Apple. So whether you’re as Irish as a whiskey-soaked potato, or whether you don’t know your soda bread from shortbread, these three East Village bars will give you a taste of the Emerald Isle without having to leave the Isle of Manhattan.
Irish eyes are smiling at this St. Mark’s Place institution, where the standard 1-2 punch of cheap beer and Jäger shots will leave you with a hangover and a lot of fun (but fuzzy) memories. The spacious garden, complete with a crumbling airplane, is one of the sweetest spots in the neighborhood for a drunken summer evening. The crowd is a crazy mix of employees from the local shops and restaurants, wee NYU kids with low tolerances, and hard-drinking Irish nationals looking for a taste of home. Add to that that the ever-friendly bartenders know the value of the occasional free shot to good customers, and you’ve got the makings of some excellent Gaelic gallivanting. Oh, and did I mention they have a beer bong?
Even though its old location in a cavern-like basement on 3rd Avenue was far superior and a lot less generic-looking, the beloved Finnerty’s Irish Pub has managed to preserve much of its dive bar charm in the move to its new 2nd Avenue digs. This isn’t a bar for discerning cocktail-sippers; the standard order is a Tall Boy of PBR and a shot of whiskey (for $6, not a bad deal). If you come with friends who don’t mind Budweiser and plastic cups, the pitchers are the way to go (plus, you can usually count on a buyback every three or four rounds). Besides the cheap beer and some seriously enormous well drinks, Finnerty’s is pretty basic; diversions include a pool table, foosball, decent digital jukebox, and of course, Erotic Photo Hunt. But the super-nice staff and funny sodden regulars, as well as one hell of a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, make this place a neighborhood treasure.
Ryan’s Irish Pub (which is owned by the same people as neighbor The Thirsty Scholar and the aforementioned Bull McCabe’s) is, like most Irish bars in New York, a tad overpriced and a little too sports-bar-ish for my usual taste. However, when you come in the afternoon, before the frat crowd settles in, there are few better places to sit and hash out your day with the bartender over a pint or three. The bartenders are often Irish and always fun to talk to, and they’re usually happy to take requests for the iPod sound system. Or you can always come with friends and stake out a table on the outdoor patio, which fills up fast during the warmer months. If you stay for dinner, stick with the authentic Irish and British food, like Bangers and Mash (my favorite) and Shepherd’s Pie – nothing soaks up Guinness quite like gravy-soaked meat and potatoes.
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