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Categories: Nightlife, Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: SoHoHouston St (1)
Spring St-6th Ave (C, E)
Canal-Church Sts (A, C, E)
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MY REVIEW OF THE EAR INN, REDACTED BY THE CIA:
A wise man once said XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX boiled potatoes? Loads of charm and XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX mother-in-law XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX only $7.50?! Loved the tuna melt, salad, and the mussels. Loved them so much that I XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX on the table and XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX twice after I got home. I want to bring my friends from Connecticut here the next time they visit. It's awesome and XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Area 51 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX weapons of mass destruction XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX circus clowns.
Stories. Life is full of 'em. Good or bad, they are our memories.
Me? I love a good story, and I love the places I visit to have a good story. This bar, allegedly the second-oldest in NYC, is full of stories, old and new. You can feel it in the decor, in the knowing eyes of the bartender...everywhere in this bar.
Case in point, exemplified by something that happened on our way TO the Ear Inn:
Man on the street: "Do you know what the best nation in the world is, starts with a 'D'?"
Me: Uuuhhh, Denmark??
MOTS: "DO-nation."
(Oh, this is but a taste of this persistent young man who followed us for close to 10 blocks trying to get a sale.)
My story that night involved a lovely dinner followed by a few random stops for after-dinner cocktails culminated by a very long walk to this bar (upon the insistence and subsequent direction of the sweetest man in the world). We were able to grab a few seats at the bar, enjoy a pint, and take it all in.
Later, on our long walk back home, I got a street rose that came all the way back to Chicago with me. Yes, that flower man was persistent, and he was right, "Generosity" is the best city.
Like the Ear, I now have my own story that makes me think of the night we ended up at the second oldest bar in New York. Love it.
NYC's second oldest bar.
This place is crawling with character and historic flavor. Great place to grab a drink and connect with friends. The food is good, nothing to write home about but it's hearty nature is reminiscent of home cooking and compliments the bar's vibe. The decor and ambiance are refreshing and authentic. There are many places built in the last decade that try to emulate the charm and charisma of this old-timey watering hole, but the Ear Inn is the real deal and not trying to be something it's not
Bike nights on Tuesdays for the motorcycle and gear heads. Seems to be mostly European bikes, moto guzzis, triumphs, ducatis, bmws, and the likes, but it's welcome to all.
I've never witnessed anything quite like this but tonight me and two of my girlfriends were looking to bar hop and found ourselves here at Ear Inn where some random old guy offered to buy first round. When carded by the bartender we all pulled out our NJ, NY, and FL state issued IDs. With our ages ranging from 25 to 27 we expected all to be well - however two of us were very rudely turned away. When asked what the problem was the tender said my ID was fine but pointed to my two friends saying their ID's were obviously fake, threatening to call the police. When we said "please do" he said "just leave, we don't want them here." Me being the only white person - "them" very clearly referred to my two black companions. Please do not patronize this place. No one should be treated this way.
GREAT PLACE FOR A DRINK
Complimentary Jazz on Sunday Nights
Not exactly a shipwreck, but the place has character and huge portions. It's literally packed to the brim on Sundays so if you want a seat you should get there a bit early. Great beer on tap, excellent cabbage (when they have it), always friendly, lots of neighborhood people.
Date Rating: 2
Pick up Scale: 3
Strong Suggestion: Come here when you're in a casual, unpretentious, relaxed mood and melt away.
Was there late on Friday. They were playing Neil Young's "On the Beach." I would give them six stars if I could.
In a city of uniformity on virtually every corner (New York, playing itself, with liposuction and a… Read more »
Best random place to watch crazy jazz.
Great food, and great prices! It was a little crammed and busy, and the waitress seemed to have a little bit of a "hurry up and order already" attitude, but other than that, I can't complain. This would make for a great place to meet up for drinks and dinner during the week... it looks like it could get super busy on the weekends. Very close to the Hudson, so probably nice for a date/stroll after dinner kind of place.
1. Bloody Marys... so good
2. The bread
3. The butter (cabot's salted) mmm mmm mmmmm
4. The pickles
Those are 4 things I think I could live my life on happily and if we were ever under attack I would flee to this bar.. it's been there since 1817, I think it could survive a martian or nuclear attack.
i swear to gawd there was a vampire sitting two tables over.
He interacted with nobody, sat alone, and had fangs.
turns out that he was part of the little jazz trio that started right about midnight.
I can't stand this place. It's for hipsters, and it gets super annoying. Everyone is sooo cool because they can stand outside and drink. Oooooh. Wow. People bring their dogs, and the condo building (which seems to have sales issues) tells you not to cross a certain line.
I'll give it an A for "alleged" historical character, but I'll give you an "F" if you fall for this place.
Mediocre, bland food. Nice old building, but it's not like New York is wanting for those.
"I shouldn't trust a single local opinion over checking Yelp," I thought as we ate here with a friend. But it looks like Yelp would have failed us, too.
Whether it's the proper pint up at the bar served up by Gary or a Tuesday special of a Chicken Pot Pie, or maybe a Black & Tan brought to you at your table by the proprietor, Martin, this place has the market cornered...
A true zone of antiquity in a rapidly desensitized Soho neighborhood, this Bar is flanked by some giant sterile glass apartment buildings that rival that of the dreaded Meyer Towers...
Forever a West Soho staple right up to the shoreline, this is a timeless place where the pints are always full and the plates are too. Reasonably priced, trusty food is the name of the game here, nothing too fancy. On Sunday's let the 'Earregulars' give you an earfull of Jazz while you grab a mouthful of their garlic shrimp or the pork chop.
Cute and quaint little place. I only had a glass of wine but I will be sure to visit again when I'm in the neighborhood. A great date spot.
Bike rack right in front!
cute little bar! good drinks... the "Michalada" was new to me, and really tasty! I'm from SoCal and have never heard of it (wierd).
Also, the women's restroom felt like the smallest bathroom in the world. :)
One of the oldest bars in New York (est. 1817), the Ear Inn is a nice place to get a beer, a table and some friends together and enjoy the evening. I was there on a Friday night. The service is really good, for one thing. After ordering at the bar, we had a waitress coming by every five minutes making sure we were ok. There's a standard selection of good beers on tap (Stella & Brooklyn Lager are the only two I can remember off hand). Flat screen TV for Yankee games. At some point well past midnight, it got really crowded and noisy, but in the Eleven o'clock hour it was moderately full.
For a (very) old school New York experience, visit the Ear Inn.
Friendly neighborhood bar frequented by local hip office crowds. Old but charming atmosphere. Decent food serviced with a smile -- the menu is limited though.
Recommendation: steak.
I went here last night for a going away get-together for a friend who was moving back to Europe. I probably would have never ventured to this place had it not been for her (it's quite far from my humble abode in Brooklyn), but I'm so happy I did! The Ear Inn is a little piece of history. When you walk into the place you can feel it. But it doesn't feel dirty or dated. And it's completely unpretentious!
Grab a table with some friends, get a beer (you'd be crazy to drink mixed drinks here), and relax. It is such a perfect winter spot to come in and escape the cold!
The pint glasses are HUGE. Imperial pints (568ml) of Guinness available for the same price that other rotten stinking cheater pubs charge you for 14-ounce ones (414ml). That's 37% more beer for the buck!
The waiters are AUTHENTIC. All Irish, all the time! H-1B's for everyone!
The history is LONG. Sure, ownership has changed a bit from decade to decade, but it's been around since 1817 and even has a ghost and its own coffee table book. Sit at the bar and you can put your finger in an indenture that was started by some random sailor back in the 1800s! When your grandchildren visit, maybe the indenture will have become a hole!
I like to use CAPITALS and exclamation marks!
This is a cool place to go.
I only had drinks there late at night but I loved the atmosphere. Not a fancy place and their customers are very laid back.
I didn't eat there but I heard that food there is pretty decent; maybe I will give a try next time.
Man...this place is sooooooooooooooo old. The building was built in 1817. It is also know as "The green door". Some people say the place is haunted.Boo!!!
Restrooms are ridiculously small.
It's nice that they are not afraid of reviews. If you go tho their website they have a link of lots of websites that review their place, like Yelp (which make me like them better!)
What else do you need??
Go there!
Anyway...It's a landmark!!!
everyone has an opinion. it's true! i mean, f*ck, i use yelp. of course i want you all to know what i think.
but, as far as i am concerned, i think the ear inn's burger is not good.
i like burgers; i eat them whenever they are available, especially if everyone raves. raves including but not limited to; best burger in new york, best burger ever, best burger on the west side, etc.
so, i came all the way from brooklyn to go to lunch here. it's WAY over on the west side, and contrary to what the map says, the ear inn is not technically INSIDE the holland tunnel.
i order the legendary burger and while i wait, i take in the old OLD bar, dusty ephemera and quite a few business lunch drinkers. i like the bar part. i love old things. dusty old man bar spaces.
burger came. man alive. dry. boring. NOT medium-rare (i.e. no bloody juice). i didn't finish it. that's saying something.
so, i guess people like this place, but i am not one of those people.
This is a great after work spot. Low key, good drinks, a "mind your own business" type of attitude which is a PLUS. Every now and then, they have a live band playing in the corner which can be entertaining when inebriated enough.
Only bad part about it is the very, VERY cramped spaces. They can't possibly expect drunken people to wiggle through between those tables unscathed do they?
A constant crowd of smokers outside suggests the Ear is packed on a Friday at 6:30, but quite the contrary. Inside, it's crowded, but there are plenty of tables available.
The burger is delicious, served with buttery oven-roasted potatoes and a slight salad. Top it with cheese, order a beer, and push through the crowd outside to take a mid-evening cigarette in.
Classic bar. Classic food. Classic booze.
Hear me?
Tis the season for reflecting upon what we are thankful for. In the holiday spirit - thank you Ear Inn. Thank you for a not awful Shiraz when I simply can't drink any more beer. Thank you for the crayons and butcher paper to let the world finally see my drunken stick-figure-drawing genius. Thank you for not being critical when I top my turkey burger with bacon, cheddar and avocado. Thank you for always keeping the heat on. Thank you for sparing me from the obnoxious overheard in NY conversations with your no cell phone policy. Thank you for all the nights I was having such a lovely time that I didn't even get upset when Peter Dinklage gave me death stares for an apparent reason.
Thank you & Happy Holidays.
The 2ND oldest bar in the city and, correct me if I'm wrong, it has also been designated as a landmark! But this is not the only attraction...
The laid back atmosphere, the great service, the secluded location, and the feel like you've traveled to a far away area, where every patron seems like distant family members, make this one of the must places to frequent in the city.
You walk towards it, and you look up at a sign which, to the naked eye, should say "bar inn" and half the lights of the letter B burned out. But that is not the case my friends, as it is done on purpose (I think with some sort of paint). Thus the name Ear Inn. When you walk in you know right away that this place has been standing forever. It's like walking into an antique shop. However, the beer and the food are anything but antique.
The burgers are great, and they make it anyway you like it. They also have a chalkboard with everyday specials. When they have it, their salmon burger and calamari are also great choices.
I'm seduced by nostalgia.
Any place with a history as long as Ear Inn's is gonna be an instant favorite of mine.
I could bypass the hoards of bankers who hang out here after work, but who am I to judge.
Friendly staff, cheap drinks, some outdoor seating - a trusted spot in that neighborhood.
If Ear Inn was any better, I might be dead today.
I went to this fine historic establishment last night for one of my many "last nights" out in NY with coworkers and I drank my face off. 7 (imperial) pints of Guinness and some fried dumplings for dinner, does not a good morning make. Although the dumplings were very tasty and probably saved me from uncertain death...
I had a wonderful time last night. The bartenders were all very nice. Buybacks are frequent. The atmosphere is lively, but not crazy. And although it's as old as they come, it didn't feel run down and decrepit!
I'd definitely go back and take friends, if I was staying in NY longer that is.
One of the many reasons I'll miss this amazing city.
my friend took me to this place we had a few beers and Shimp Scampi - i believe that's what it is called. It was really good: spicy and garlic shrimp with toasted bread. went well with the beers. thanks buddy!
Trying to complete my circuit of NYC's oldest bars, this place was a must hit being the city's 2nd oldest. I'll admit the place is really cool. When you walk in you can imagine a 19th century fisherman coming in here after a long day and saddling up the bar for a cold pint to celebrate the days catch or drown the sorrows of the one that got away. That was about it for me though. My friends and I ate in the backroom. I ordered up one of their burgers which I heard were suppose to be fantastic. It was just okay, nothing special. Then as I was finishing a giant rat...or was it a mouse? Some furry critter ran right underneath our table and under the nearby kichen door. Yep, that was enough for me to put down my half eaten burger. Bottom line: I would go back to this place for a pint, but would never eat here again. Check please!
A very good place to wet your whistle late at night. It's in the far west area of SoHo, so make sure you know how to get there because the surroundings can be vacant. They give you alot for your money. You can really get drunk quick in a nice atmosphere. I think the bartender was drunk when I came because I asked for a double shot and he gave me the equivalent of like 5 shots. Not alot of females when I went there, but a genuine Irish bar filled with people who love to drink.
Perfect spot for lunch in SoHo or TriBeCa. Especially if you're on Broadway with out of town friends or family (or hey, even locals) and want to escape the madness and find a bite to eat that's not some weird fashionista tourist thing (overplayed paninis, sad little salads, and the like).
Stepping in here feels like you've crossed over into another place (lonely one-horse town in the middle of nowhere, or hey, at least some godforsaken part of Queens), maybe even another time. Great food, plenty of good beers, though I always just order a Guinness.
I can see why this is my doppelganger's favorite bar!
It's charming through and through, from the friendly, laid-back, bar staff with their cute accents, to the patrons with their dogs and motorcycles who seem to co-exist peacefully while drinking Hooegaardens and Boddingtons on the sidewalk out front. Not an ounce of pretension detected here!
It's also a great place to view a New York sunset.
I didn't eat here, but sat at the bar drinking beer while my cousins eat. The 1st cousin had the beef stew which he raved about and the other cousin had the special bison/buffalo burger which he didn't like cause he's a dumb-ass & didn't realize that buffalo doesn't taste like beef ....
Wowever, the hoegaardens (beer) were very quaff-able the service was decent, the food smelled and looked great and seemed inexpensive for the quality/quanity. I must head back here next time I'm in this part of town to get something to eat.
The food ain't fancy, but it's darn good. How two guys in a kitchen the size of a closet can dish up such tasty bites is beyond me, but they do it. Great burgers but no fries. Most dishes including the burgers are served with a little salad and roasted red potatoes. Specials change everyday in a sort of regular rotation. Don't miss Shepard's Pie Thursday. The chicken pot pie is also a winner - flaky crust, big chunks of white meat chicken. The place itself is a history lesson in old NY. Believe it or not it was at one time right on the waterfront - now it's a good two blocks off it 'cause of all the landfill. Prices are good and the waitresses work as a team so you're never waiting long for anything including another ice -cold pint.
Wheelchair access: Getting in is easy. It's cramped, but the folks there are always nice and they'll get you seated no problem. The bathroom... hmmm... there's a Starbucks a few blocks up on Varick and Spring.
This place is chock full of architects during happy hour... so ladies and gentlemen.. if you've got a thing for archies, heres the place to pick them up!
I've never had food here, but I hear its pretty good.
What I like most about this place is that whenever I go during happy hour, theres always a ton of people there. I love sitting outside in the summer, and this is one of those places where you can drink your beer out on the sidewalk and not get arrested!
One of the Ear Inn's most important assets is the barstaff, who, as soon as you sit down, insist that you have a drink. This works well because with a small draft selection and the 5 bottle choices displayed, you should be able to make your decision in the amount of time necessary to order at McDonalds. Previous reviewers mention wine so I'll assume that's also an option, but the Ear Inn isn't really a wine-drinking kind of place.
While I know that food's on the menu and many reviewers have treated primarily as such, I still regard the Ear Inn as a drinking establishment cum restaurant, much along the lines of Melon's. It's similarly timeworn (to be fair, Much more so: it's been here since the 1817) and from what I can tell, attracts a similarly regular crowd. And it's in a gorgeous federal-style house.
As the Hudson is in plain sight outside the doors, there's a nautical theme. I gather that this was a sailor bar for most of its history and really does a remarkable job of maintaining this feel. The huge functional cleat outside the door bespeaks authenticity that's lacking at, say, the Rusty Knot or the Anchor. Notably, there's also a massive ear affixed to the wall.
On a somewhat tangential note, its seafaring proclivities didn't deter the crowd of bikers who, on a recent Tuesday, made the Ear Inn the only "biker bar" I've visited in Manhattan, and the only biker/sailor bar I've seen anywhere.
As a bar, it's a better choice than the other options in far-west Soho and worth a visit if you're near.
Named an Inn but really only a Bar. They claim to be one of the oldest bars in NYC but they really aren't at all. If you read their history (which is on the back of their menu) you'll see that they might be one of the oldest buildings in New York with a rich history but the bar actually hasn't been there all that long. If you want to go to the oldest bar in the city you'll have to go to McSorley's. Ear Inn is a smelly dirty dive bar with very few redeeming qualities. I haven't had any of their food but great food would have to be the only real reason to earn anything beyond 3 stars.
A couple really nice things about this place. Its on a great block, its really not a tucked away gem because there are about 4 other bar/restaurants on the same block, a hipster club, and another bar around the corner.
Its always full of a lively, mostly older crowd that's very warm and inviting. You remember the small scene where Helen Hunt and her mother in As Good As It Gets are walking to the bar after they have a little tif and emotional scene and they just need to go out? that bar that they walk into and they give hugs to their friends and the music twinkles in a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie of the week way? That's this bar right here. Simple.
Mighty impressive! Came here for lunch, so this is a food review. It's a small cozy place hidden amongst the towering buildings in the West Village. I had a burger and I must say it was very good. It was cooked a little more than I asked for, but it was still juicy. The homefries instead of normal fries is an interesting touch - but not a bad one at that.
A relaxed atmosphere for lunch in the city is something not to be overlooked.
say it isn't so................I was leaving sway the other night and could have sworn there is a new building built on top of the ear......just soo wierd to have this institution built in 1817 with a brand new condo residence on top of it?!?
You can feel the history at this bar.
Belly up for a beer - (don't even think about ordering a swanky cocktail here). Brunch is surprisingly good - get the irish breakfast.
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