Tuesday, December 7th, 2010—Bar 331
Day 331—Monday, December 6th, 2010
Ace Bar
Tonight I hand the wheel of the bar crawl over to my co-pilot in this journey, 365 commentator, Al Rizo. Al has been helping me find unique bars all along the way and I appreciate his help. Even though there’s thousands of bars in Manhattan, a good percentage of those are all the same and if I did the same type of bar every night it would get boring not only for me, but for the fine people who log on here everyday and read the blog. Last week Al found a bar in the East Village called Ace Bar that has vintage lunchboxes, a game room and best of all, inexpensive beer! So far Al has yet to pick a dud, let’s go check out this place.
And here we are at Ace bar, let's check it out, it's freezing out here.
Al always finds nice, dark bars and this is no exception.
At first bartender Jackie was a little shy about having her photo taken, but then Max said he'd join her and she agreed to the photo. Thanks for being good sports!
Wyatt was seated next to me at the bar and was showing a picture of his dog, Summer, who's back at his parents house in Texas. You can't see Summer here, so I zoomed in...
And got this shot. A cute doggie!
A shot of the tin ceiling overhead, always the mark of a good bar.
Some of the drafts available at the bar.
There's a vintage cash register behind the bar, always love that.
Some of the specials and beers available at the bar.
The bar in all its darkened glory.
Jackie said she wasn't sure who this painting was, bu that it's been hanging at the bar forever.
There's red leather banquettes to sit at opposite the bar.
There's Ace photos hanging over the banquettes on the brick walls. Here's the Ace Wheel & Rim.
And here's the Ace Motel. You can check out, but you can never leave.
Up front are tables and this amazing display of vintage lunch boxes.
Here's a Hee Haw lunchbox.
And another classic '70's show, Adam 12.
Sunday, Monday...Happy Days. God, I always hated that theme song and now it's stuck in my head for the day. Shit.
Peanuts, candy and Skittles!
The bar hosts dart leagues on Tuesday nights.
Two pool tables are nestled into the spacious back room.
And there's also not one, but two Skee-Ball machines.
Maddy, Arya and David were chilling out in the back room. David is visiting from Scotland and said he was enjoying New York and noted that, "New Yorkers like their beer." How true! Arya has a cool blog and you should check it out here: Just Press Play.
Meanwhile, back at the bar...
Duhnununununununuh...BATMAN!
Maddy, Arya, David ended up at the front bar with me and we had a nice conversation about New York, bars and the sad demise of Coney Island. Here's our parting shots. Cheers and goodnight, everybody!
Review
Ace Bar is dark and gamey in a good way. The front room has a pinball machine, a wooden bar and red leather banquettes and tables. There’s also tables up in the front and a glassed-in display of vintage lunchboxes from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. The back room has two state of the art dart boards, two pool tables and two Skee-Ball machines. All the games in the bar are imported from Coney Island, so you know it’s the real deal in here.
There’s a full bar here with a good selection of beers including: Stella Artois, Blue Moon, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Duvel. They have a happy hour that runs from 4pm to 7pm with draft beers and well drinks going for between three to six bucks a pop. There’s also nightly drink specials and on Sundays they pour their legendary Bloody Marys and pool is free till 6pm.
On the weekends the crowd gets younger and the place fills up with college kids and rowdies, so if you’re not into that scene, try it on a low-key weeknight, like I did.
Ace Bar
531 E. 5th St. (Near Ave. A)
212-979-8476
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Thanks, as always to my co-pilot Al for the suggestion! (Al artwork by "Boris")
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Bonus Video
365 commentator raginrr sent me a story about a traffic sign that flips the bird and I found this video of it on YouTube. That’s my kind of traffic signal! Here it is, thanks for the hat tip, raginrr!
Bonus Video Part II
And now, for Terry and all of you, the Batman video extra. I found not only a Catwoman clip, but a whole freaking documentary on her. Enjoy!
59 References
Reader Comments (33)
I only see one TV in here :(
@GENE: There's a big screen in the back, I just didn't take a picture of it, you'll have to see it in person the next on the next BBC NYC bar crawl.
Looks like a cool place, and the lunch box display is a nice touch. And Skittles! LOL!
The picture with the vintage cash register came out perfect,,,with the red light under the register and the amber, blue and green bottles, the midnight blue glow on the register and the soft light of the clock,,,,a great bar shot. (Another pic worthy of your book) Thanks again for hitting this place. I can see this place becoming a "six flags" on the weekends,,,crowded,,,,you picked the right night. And Peanut M and M's,,,I like it.
I think you need to develop a 365 Bars lunchbox Marty...complete with a LARGE thermos! Tell Boris to get to work on the design...I can already picture a cartoon version of you on the front!
@Al: Thanks for another great find!
@groovyrick: Great idea! I need to work on that one!
loved the lunchbox wall! and skeeball rules! yay! and the bonus video is hilarious! LOL!
I looooooooooove lunchbox's
i have a muppet one on my desk:)
I hide my candy in there:)
this place is very very cool..
i'd feel at home here..
Skee-Ball! I love Skee-Ball. I'm not that good, but its the only carnival type game I like. Love the lunch boxes. I think mine was Snoopy. I hate those damn candy machines because every time we walk by one my son is convinced we need to get some. But as far as the bar goes, another nice dark pic by Al.
How much is that doggie in the I-pod....(ARF ARF) the one with the waaaagely tail...(ARF ARF).
The picture in the bar looks a little like Betty Davis, don't you think?
@Ragnirr; after ten years of running a hack, I've got to say...that's my kind of street sign!
@Jaws: She does appear to have Bette Davis eyes indeed! And I agree with you on that street sign, nice find by raginrr!
Can't go wrong with a bar that still has pinball. Pool tables are nice too. And Skee-Ball! Like Kari, I'm not very good at it either, but - as with putt-putt golf, bowling, tennis, darts, pool, the dunk tank, Swedish fishing, and a variety of other sporting events - that doesn't stop me from loving it! And speaking of Skittles, I actually have a vintage wooden game called Skittles! I'll have to dig through the basement to find it and send a pic your way. Anyhoo, Ace bar looks like aces to me! Lunchboxes rule (as does your HeeHaw pic with the neon/teevee reflection. And I think that lady in the painting is my grandma.
P.S. Nice banquettes! A girl could feel like Frank Sinatra in one of those.
P.P.S. I just realized that's not a teevee reflection - it's the pinball machine! TO PINBALL! Also, Summer's adorable - GOOD DOG, SUMMER! And that bird-flipping signal rocks.
POW! ZAP! ZING! BAM!
Holy Cow! I didn't know it was Aunt Harriet's birthday.
@Biff: I was pissed because I forgot to take a shot of the pinball machine, but it looks like it made the cut anyway! Thanks, eagle-eyes!
@Terry: Ha ha ha! Nice trivia catch!
365: A blast from the past. It goes well with the lunch boxes.
That place is cool! I'd at least expect a picture of Ace Frehley or a KISS lunch box!! I didn't see the pinball machines though...
@365: Don't forget to rent a copy of the original Batman movie and watch it with commentary! Total hilarity. Adam West always had a stunt double. As for Burt Ward, he was just a kid so he had to do all of his own stunts! And his comment on the Bat poles is legendary.....
I just found the pinball!
@Biff: To Pinball!
@Clacky: I've got to see if Netflix has that, if not I'll find it online. I need to put up a Batman video tonight when I get home. Any requests?
The Julie Newmar "Cat Woman" WOW!
@Terry: You got it, check later tonight or early in the morning, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel!
Oh man, I love me some skee-ball. Must go to Ace Bar.
@Fat Al: I just read over at EV Grieve that the Mars Bar might be closing. Horrible fucking news. More later. I think I'll get bombed tonight.