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2A
- Nearest Transit:
-
2 Av (F)
Delancey St (F)
Essex St (J, M, Z)
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Wed, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Hipster
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
87 reviews for 2A
Review Highlights
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"...and a fantastic view from the floor to ceiling windows." In 5 reviews -
"...they used to project movies on the wall across the street." In 4 reviews -
"The upstairs area is great for groups." In 36 reviews
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87 reviews in English
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Review from Varun V.
3/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awesome upstairs. Totally can't tell from the street that this place is the way it is.
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Review from Catherine K.
New York, NY
3/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Let's talk about 2A. At first, I would give it a decent 2 stars because if this is your scene, it's perfect. Nondescript, with all the little details that people subscribing to the hipster subculture would appreciate, weird, funky music, and awkward patrons.
But this night, there was no ignoring a specific patron who not bothered several girls there and harassed me to no end. He would touch me randomly, and despite my asking him not to, he would return and deliberately touch me. I told him to fuck off and he started slinging racist, sexist remarks.
When anyone asks you not to touch him or her, you DO NOT TOUCH HIM OR HER. I should have pepper sprayed that fuck.
He passed by again, prodding my shoulder. I tossed my drink on him down the stairs. Fucker comes around again, and at this point, I've had it. I'm about to break my glass and give him a new face. But that would be contradictory to my wish for non-contact.
Instead, I explained the situation to the bouncer. Renewing my lack of faith in authority and men, the bouncer only warned him. He told me to let him know if the guy does anything further. Annoyed, I tried to just forget everything.
This final time, right before the fucker leaves, he touched my friend and squeezed, and I mean squeezed the back of my neck. I never felt so violated, and was on the verge of tears.
1. Why does a female have to suffer this sort of treatment?
2. I am sure I was being targeted as a minority.
I could not believe he had another older lady friend with him as he went around squeezing girls like they're dolls.
I'm not blaming the bar nor the bouncer for what this guy did to ruin my experience and time here. But I am extremely disappointed by the bouncer's lackadaisical attitude. That really left a sick feeling in my stomach. I told him on the way out, and he only said that I should have told him, and he'd have kicked him out. He should have done so in the first place, and the guy was on the way out anyway, like I want to follow him out to the bouncer just sitting there at the front door, flirting. There should be no tolerance for this sort of behavior.
Girls should not go here, as there is no respect for them, from the patron at least, nor the bouncer, and the establishment he belongs to. -
Review from Gamal H.
2/13/2012
This review is basically for the upstairs lounge. The downstairs bar is non-descript, laid back and pretty much forgettable. It reminds me of the ground level bars of several spots in NOLA.
The upstairs lounge is a comfortable sanctuary of leather sofas and big windows that fails to capitalize on its potential. The music is too loud for talking and the space is too small for dancing, so the hipster heavy crowd mostly drinks, nods their heads to the beat and yells into each other's ears. For some reason I don't understand, the bar projects old movies, documentaries and random commercials on the side of a building across the street. The space would be great for a private party or a more laid back lounge crowd. It could even have an APT style dance floor if you removed a couch or two.
There are a lot worse lounges in Alphabet City. 2A only has to make a couple of subtle changes to become even better.
Have fun.
G -
Review from vc c.
New York, NY
Updated - 4/20/2012
who is the crazy guy working in the downstairs bar? you know, the one with the rockabilly/rock'n'roll style shirt and slicked back hair who is clearly INSANE after too many years of snorting blow?
apparently he has been working there for nearly 15 years.
he is rude, abusive, disgusting, and a total shame of a person to have as the front man of what could be a great bar.
GET THAT LOSER OUT OF THERE.
i've never seen anyone speak to respectful and paying customers like that. he must be out of his mind because he would literally have these psychotic outbreaks where he would start offending people for taking too long to drink their drinks, for asking questions about drinks (oh, pardon me, i thought that was your job, douche bag).
needless to say that when he is working, my friends and i (all of whom have lived in the neighborhood for over a decade) are elsewhere.
ick1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/24/2012
one of my favorite go to places for a drink with friends. it's lively but relaxed and totally… Read more »
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Review from D A.
Brooklyn, NY
5/5/2012
When I went to close my tab, I discovered that the bartender gave my credit card and photo ID to somebody else. He didn't even seem to care, and was rude about it. Worse yet, hardly anyone had a tab open that night, and the place was not even near crowded. In a city where everyone wants a bartending job, I have no idea how this guys keeps his.
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Review from David P.
1/6/2012
I'm usually here after work-ish. They have two-for-one drinks during happy hour, which is great. I stopped in for a quick beer and was ready to rush out, when the bartender told me about the free drink I had coming to me. I made the time for it.
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Review from Heather M.
New York, NY
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Holy Crap, Happy Hour(s)!
A friend and I walk into a bar. 2 for 1 drinks! She buys a round (2 drinks), I buy a round (2 drinks). 4 drinks later and I've spent $20, am giggling, babbling nonstop about inane things and stumbling up the street. I'm not one to go out and get plastered, but I assure you... if it's happening after work, it's happening at 2A.
Get the Greyhound. Set for the night. -
Review from Todd W.
Manhattan, NY
5/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
2A is the best damn bar in the East Village for people-watching. Big windows looking out on the corner of Avenue A and 2nd Street. Great bartenders - especially the amazing Tom Clark (don't miss The Treehouse - his live band jam session on Sunday nights upstairs). Big shout out to the irascible Donovan as well.
Happy hour is 4-9pm every damn day of the week. And they've got a popcorn machine. They've recently installed a DJ booth upstairs so DJs on the weekends and they restarted the 2A tradition of projecting movies on the big, brick wall across 2nd Street.
Bottom line? It's just a great bar and even though they've turned over the staff a few times since I first started going there (around...umm...20 YEARS ago ;-) 2A is still one of favorite spots to chill on the planet. Sunday afternoon Happy Hour crowd is an all-local session with homemade Bloodies by Mr. Clark. Respect! -
Review from Jim U.
11/21/2010
After Boys Night Out, Brian H. and I wanted to grab some more drinks. Being Friday night though, every bar seemed hopelessly packed and, consequently, pretty loud. We were both in a chill mood, so we were more interested in a place where we could get a seat at the bar and actually hear each other. A couple of places clearly failed miserably with this criteria, but then we chanced upon 2A.
It's literally a corner bar situated, obviously enough, on 2nd street and A avenue. It has plenty of exposed windows looking out on to either street which really betrays the animation of East Village at that late hour. The bar itself is pretty narrow though, and there is really nothing to fixate the eyes on inside, except the bottles and taps. Selection was okay, and the prices were tame. We ended up talking quite a bit and it never took more than a moment to summon the bartender over when we wanted something more to drink.
Good but not memorable. 3.5 starsListed in: My "By the Numbers" list
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Review from martha m.
10/17/2011
Good beer selection. Lots of space. DJ upstairs when I went on Saturday night. No food.
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Review from Jason G.
2/25/2011
2A's got a charm that the other bars in the area lack. There's something spiffy and intriguing about it.
It's always pretty crowded. There are two floors here, with a bar on each. -
Review from Vanessa V.
Portsmouth, NH
1/18/2011
2 words... Free popcorn.
This is one of my favorite bars in the whole city for that reason only. I'm sure the machine is a breeding ground for germs, but there is nothing better than some whiskey with a side of hot, fresh, free popcorn.
Drinks aren't very strong but happy hour is 2 for 1.
Oh, and watch out for the crazies. They love it here, apparently. There's always one or two around. -
Review from Mickey M.
12/12/2010
I didn't have any intention of sticking around when I went into 2A. Maybe to just have a drink and move on.
But then the crowd began to ebb & flow. It was crowded, then it wasn't, then it was upstairs and not downstairs, the vice versa. I ended up staying for hours.
It was a good time. Halfway through my night, I tried to figure out the name of the place. The front of it has '25' on it, which is just their address..but I later learned it's called 2A..as it's on the corner of 2nd avenue and Avenue A..
I think it'd be tough to find this place if someone just said 'hey, meet me at 2A.'
The bartenders were quick with drinks and it was relatively easy to carve out a corner for friends.
When I first went in with a group, it was hot and crowded. Someone in my group actually described the smell and feel as 'Walking into a burp". So, it is was it is..which is a bar made for heavy drinking with lots of other people doing the same. -
Review from Peter D.
3/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
This is just a bar. A nondescript, regular, normal corner bar. There are no games, no crazy specials, and no gimmicks. Just decently priced booze in a good location.
And I love it. It's the perfect place to go do what you are supposed to do in a bar: Drink.
Without even trying, the owners of this place have achieved the perfect bar balance. It's not deliberately, over-the-top grimy, like a few nearby dives I could mention. It's not some pretentious cocktail bar, where it'll cost you a bill to get drunk.
There is no hype around it at all. There is never a line to get in, but unlike almost every other bar I'm aware of, I've also never seen it empty.
In fact, everything about 2A is completely unremarkable, except that the bartenders are funny, and awesome. One of them looks like Judah Friedlander, right down to the hats he wears on 30 Rock.
Or maybe that was a dream I had.Listed in: the happiest of hours., cheap drinks., e.vill empire
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Review from Eric G.
Manhattan, NY
10/13/2011
With its unmarked and non-descript exterior, 2A might be easily overlooked upon passing by. The neighborhood dive bar offers a cozy and intimate atmosphere with a distinctive Alphabet City charm. What sets 2A apart from other local bars, however, is its second floor, which unexpectedly turns into an eclectic lounge with sofa and ottoman-style seating, unique floor-to-ceiling window paneling providing a great view, and a film projector which plays classic black and white films on a brick wall across the street. Friendly staff, reasonable prices, and the occasional DJ upstairs make this my favorite bar in the city.
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Review from Jeremy G.
New York, NY
4/6/2009
Let me get this straight. I buy a drink and you give me a little chip? Ok... then I give you the chip next time I want a drink and it's free? Got it! I like this game... Let's play again!
2 for one Happy Hours and nice corner location in the EV make this a good spot to meet a friend. It's a "dive bar" but that's AOK in my book. -
Review from Michael F.
New York, NY
9/16/2007
*sniff* ... *sniff*
Hmm. Smells like stale beer. Yup. Must be a dive bar. A dive bar that's been around. This bar has beer soaked into its soul. You gotta kinda love that about this bar. It's also got these huge windows on the first floor, so you feel like you're in a cage in the zoo and all the tourists are walking by checking you out:
"Hey look, Ma, look! It's hipsters! Hipsters...in their native environs! And... and... they're drinkin' beer! Didja evah?"
The other good thing is, they have cheap beer. 2-for-1 at happy hour with tokens to claim your second beer. Not a humongous list of draughts, but hell, ya gotcher basic requirements, Bass, Stella, Guinness.
As an added bonus, you have a plethora of cool people, hipsters (duh), older folks, and mutants hangin out. Yes, that's what I said, mutants. What would a dive bar be without some mutants? You know what I'm talking about, don't pretend like you don't. I'm talkin' about those people whose skin color is some weird shade of greenish gray, who look like they haven't seen the underside of showerhead since they invented... SOAP. Those people. Yup. Always makes for good entertainment. Especially with beer.
All in all, a fun experience. Extra fun if you like mutants. And beer. -
Review from Alex i.
NY
1/13/2010
I am frequently tempted to wax poetic about this gritty city. These moments usually happen after a few cocktails. The euphoria gets exacerbated when I entertain visitors. You see: as any New Yorker will tell you, we love to show off.
I took some colleagues to 2A after a dinner at Lil Frankies for a nightcap and the view of Avenue A blew their socks off. Its a beautiful dingy panoramic of a place at once unsentimental and softhearted. 2A is in fact a dive bar, but it is a dive bar that embodies the spirit tough romance in the city. Sure its a little crappy, but its moody and dripping with texture. The wrought iron staircase leads one up to an urban heaven, from which you can watch people scurry against the bitter cold or bicker in the heat of summer.
I wouldn't recommend 2A on the weekends. It is a magnet for the nuevo-urban who tend to think they've accomplished something by living in a condo in a once-hardened city. Really, we're all just living a sitcom--only our senses of humor are more refined. -
Review from Brock T.
New York, NY
9/7/2006
The PERFECT date bar if you're upstairs, with intimate couches and a fantastic view from the floor to ceiling windows. I've made my move there before, then gracefully tumbled down the stairs headfirst into the women's bathroom door. Gravity must be particularly strong around those stairs, because I've seen a half dozen people take that same spill.
Stiff drinks, especially upstairs where it's usually less crowded, but it can be tough to get a couch seat on a weekend night. -
Review from Selina R.
New York, NY
9/29/2010
Had a date here on a weekday, it was nice
quiet, cozy, friendly bartender, cool crowd, strong drinks, upstairs is nice for larger groups, hopefully not that quiet on a weekendListed in: Bars
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Review from Rachel J.
4/25/2010
Dragged my ass down here on a Saturday night for a birthday party and was all psyched to be in the trendy, hipster 'hood with all the cool kids. I was kinda disappointed when I walked into 2A and realized it was dead, given that I had just passed about 15 hopping bars. On the up side, there were plenty of seating options.
The bartender, sadly, did not know how to make a Dark and Stormy (?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?), but did whip together a tasty concoction with 3 different types of rum. Now THAT'S a dedicated bartender. The music was too loud given that there wasn't anyone there to enjoy (or hate) it.
The birthday girl was sloshed by the time I got there (and kept hugging me and telling me she loved me despite the fact that this was our first meeting), so my friend and I decided to bail after our first drink. There was nothing too compelling about the bar itself to make us want to stay.
We had more fun once we got home. Zing! -
Review from Cj J.
New York, NY
9/20/2010
bar is great, bartender is NOT
September 20th, 11pm or so upstairs, I am myself a great tipper and have worked at a bar and restaurant for the past 10 years. Not cool. Tipped her more than 40% for the drink she bought us, after we tried to buy her back and this chick gave us an attitude for apparently not tipping enough. Still love the bar, please fire her, whats with the total entitlement attitude? Seriously not cool. -
Review from Matthew W.
Astoria, Queens, NY
1/16/2011
I had a great time here for a friend's birthday about a month ago. My biggest issue with it was that the place was blazing hot. Lots of places end up getting a bit of condensation on the windows of their establishment, but this place was out of control. Water was dripping from the windows. It was burning hot.
All that being said, it was cheap and the atmosphere was fun and casual at the same time - exactly what I wanted.
The night was a blast, but in the winter time, there will probably be a place where everybody puts their coats. For me, this meant that I ended up losing my favorite scarf underneath the pile. Seriously, it was awesome, about 9 feet long and 4 feet wide. It was a little stretchy and pleated all over. The loss of this beauty marks the spot down a notch. Even though I liked the place, it ate my scarf. Consequences are consequences, and this place goes from four stars to three. -
Review from Bruce E.
Philadelphia, PA
10/12/2011
This place is incredible. An old dive bar that hasen't lost its steam. One of my East Village favorites. And make sure you order a Negroni from the ginger bartender, Jeff. I love him.
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Review from Nada O.
New York, NY
12/15/2007
This may be the only bar that I've ever actually liked. It's all about the upstairs. Especially on a weekday night, it's so much less crowded and noisy than you'd ever think possible. You sit on a couch with your drink and your pals, talk, and gaze out at the great 2nd-floor corner view through the floor to ceiling windows. As a person currently living in a tiny, crowded apartment with roommates, it's a like a momentary glimpse of what it would be to be civilized and rich. Next time it snows, I'm grabbing someone and heading over to 2A.
I also have to really praise the bartender who was upstairs the last time I was there, for a friend's birthday party - Lindsay. She was not only tolerant of our cake plus birthday candles, but took a piece of cake and bought the birthday girl a drink. Oh man. A bar where everyone has a good time and you can hear each other speak. Who knew it was possible? -
Review from Molly T.
Manhattan, NY
12/4/2010
I was taken to 2A a couple of times last year on obscure evenings when we didn't want to travel far.
It's low-key and cheap. I prefer the bar downstairs, but there is good seating upstairs for groups. I love the windows, although the lights make it feel pretty cheesy and it's not the cleanest of places.
Usually a friendly crowd despite how busy it get. -
Review from anni b.
Brooklyn, NY
4/18/2009
Walking through the Lower East Side on a Friday night is not something I do regularly. But sometimes you have to - say post theatre, or post dinner. Then you find yourself with the daunting task - ok - let's try to find someplace where we won't get crushed to death. We walked for about 15 minutes before stumbling on 2A, which was the first bar we'd seen that wasn't already packed to the gills by 11pm. So, major points there. We enjoyed a comfy spot on the couch. Reasonably priced drinks, good beers on tap, and good music. (Mostly The White Stripes and an 80's mix.) Music was loud but still able to converse over it.
Started to get crowded later on, but still not as bad as it could have been. Would definitely go back. It's a little dark, sexy, and dirty, and relaxed. -
Review from Brion R.
6/24/2010
"Classic EV Loungive"
Don't let the couches fool you. They have been here since the 90's. And have so many stories to tell you about the girls/guys who've hooked up on them. But thats what gives it charm.
All the features you want -- cheap drinks, seating, cool bartenders, two floors, and great view of the scene on the street. Its worth a late night finisher or a mid-night quick stopover.
Seriously, I don't want to even admit how long I've been going here. But it is a classic Lounge / Dive = "Loungive" in this area, here pre-gentrification. -
Review from Steph P.
Minneapolis, MN
4/12/2007
The genius of this bar lies in its name: 2A. It's at the intersection of E. 2nd Street and Avenue A. So when you're well into your night and need to figure out another bar to head to off the top of your head, just remember the name: 2A. Also very helpful if you have friends who need to meet up with you. This is the primary reason why I've visited this place more than any other in the East Village. Silly, but I am really terrible at night-life decision making.
Aside from it's super-convenient name, this is a pretty great bar for a very small group (I'd say 5 or less) or date. The couches both upstairs and downstairs, soft lighting, and great indie rock background music makes this a nice spot to chill and chat. Or you could stand and get hammered. To each his/her own. -
Review from Danny N.
Manhattan, NY
9/22/2011
This place is awesome. The drinks have generous pours and the prices are very reasonable for NYC standards. Great music selection too...
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Review from Matthew D.
New York, NY
6/10/2009
Solid bar in a great location - perfect staggering distance from the crib - didn't even make it upstairs, no need. Perfect school-night drink spot
Bartender was super cordial, even funny and honestly I can't deal with the attitudes anymore. (Don't get me started naming names) - will absolutely be back. -
Review from Cathy P.
New York, NY
5/11/2009
It is really the classic East Village dive bar....remember when the top bands used to hang out there...I think some of them still do.
Just a great place...I like downstairs more than upstairs -
Review from Jeremy S.
New York, NY
10/23/2009
2A gets the big fiver from me. Long before I moved to the city, when I would come visit friends in the E Vill we would go to 2A and enjoy the good tunes and awesome 2nd floor street corner vantage point. Now that I live here I continue to use 2A as a crutch; a failsafe, a happy place. Never a bad time and often a GREAT time.
Great for not being overcrowded, reasonable ($4) pints, good-looking but not stuck-up people. Solid for an after-dinner drink on a date, or a late night feeding frenzy. It's definitely on the "chill" side, so don't bring your friends here if they're looking for a dance party, but that ain't my steez. Chef recommends. SHIP IT. -
Review from Meghan M.
4/1/2010
This place might get a bit more business if they had distinguishable signage with their name on it somewhere to be seen outside. I say this not only because my sister and I could not figure out the name of the place when we walked in but another patron actually asked us if we knew what the place was called. It would likely be hard to explain where you were to friends for them to come meet you if you didn't have to say...one of the bars on the corner of 2nd and Avenue A...The one with the black facade.
Other than that, I think happy hour at 2A, (the name of which I found out via my Yelp Blackberry ap, thank you!), is pretty kick ass. Draft beers, cheap as is, are two for one. I had two Widmers for $5.50. Can't complain there! Seating is comfortable with couches, tables and the like and, as a bonus, the place was not too crowded.
If anyone reading this has the capital to open up a place like this in my neighborhood, I promise, I'll keep you in business! -
Review from Chris Michael M.
New York, NY
9/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
Good cheap bar in East Village.
This place is my regular only because they have good cheap beer on tap for inexpensive prices!
Whenever I walk into this bar, it is always really crowded on a weeknight. The bartenders are really nice. But, everywhere I looked I saw trash and empty glasses. Be careful, my friends and I had to walk through broken glass not once, but TWO TIMES coming here.
Upstairs is definitely much nicer and spacious than downstairs. The couches are good for a group of friends. They have big glass windows so you can have a view of the little shops outside in that area of East Village. Candles are lit throughout the bar sometimes. However, the music is so random and bad upstairs. I thought it depends on the bartender and whatever music he chooses. But this horrible choice of bar music seems to pervade almost every time I go there during the weeknights. Still manageable to listen to if you're drunk or have a good buzz with good friends. -
Review from Matt T.
Los Angeles, CA
7/28/2011
Walked into the place and had a beer recently. The bartender was a nice guy with some great stories. The beer was cheap and the patrons were good people.
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Review from Perry H.
5/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've heard some good stories about this bar before it was remodeled (along with the neighborhood) and decided to check it out. It's a good spot with cheap drinks, a diverse crowd, good music, and huge windows to watch the show pass you by. I dig this bar a lot and can only imagine what the view out the windows must have been like before the bistros popped-up and the area was a lot wilder.
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Review from V J.
New York, NY
12/28/2009
+ Decent dive bar.
+ Very good friendly bartenders.
+ Nice happy hour - something like 5.60 or 6.50 bucks for 2 beers.
+ Popkorn available.
+ 2 Floors. -
Review from Kira M.
Los Angeles, CA
4/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
I've walked by 2A a few times (read: once) and thought: "I wonder what this interesting place is called." And then I would shadily skulk around outside, scanning, as inconspicuously as possible (though my definition of "stealthy" is leaving the megaphone at home), the doorway for a trace of a title. I would emerge empty-handed (not wanting to linger so long as to be mistaken for a vagabond. Or a stalker.) and continue on my way, disappointed. One night, however, I fortuitously made the bar my destination. What a pleasant surprise to find that it was the aforementioned, unnamed spot. I could finally put a name to a face... er, a name to a... Oh, whatever.
2A is dimly-lit and low-key. The music (emanating from the bartender's iPod) is kept at an unobtrusive volume. If you can't find a chair by the bar on the first floor, chill in a window seat. Better still, go upstairs. The second floor is packed and bustling on weekends. Lots of couch space for big groups. Return downstairs if you prefer to preserve the concept of personal space (not to mention chat up indie musicians from Liverpool sporting funky hats!). -
Review from Anne M.
New York, NY
8/12/2010
I go here frequently, and bring friends here to end the night - mostly because its right across the street.
$20 credit limit. Happy hour is 4-8p, 2-for-1 special. After 8p, its standard EV prices. Example: $4 PBR.
I love that they have Wildmer on tap. Air conditioning on nights hotter than 80F or so (red wine served at room temperature, so nights when it *is* 80F... ew).
Awesome upstairs, why I continue to bring people here, actually - great lounging area with a great view facing 2nd and A. The 2nd floor is also good to sit with a large group of people. Drunken people watching FTW. The music is kind of retro but acceptable.
