Thursday, February 25th, 2010—Bar 46
Day 46—Wednesday, February 24th
Café Charbon (Original Destination: Gallery Bar)
When I first heard of Gallery Bar, my mind immediately flashed to a mid-’70’s, cheap porno rag and I wondered if it was something like the Hustler Club. But upon further investigation, they mean Gallery as in Art Gallery. I guess I should get my mind out of the gutter, but that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Basically in the day this place is a working art gallery with art exhibitions and at night they throw booze into the mix and it becomes the Gallery Bar. While I admit I’m a little sad there won’t be any ‘70’s porn stars there, it still sounds like a cool concept, so let’s go check it out.
I walked past this place like three times because there's no sign outside. Already I'm a little wary of this joint.
As I walk inside I'm really wary of this joint, there's painted guys in their underwear everywhere. It's like a bad Jackson Pollock painting come to life.
It's hotter than fuck in here, there's no chairs, bad techno music is blaring at ear-shattering volume and there's painted guys drinking in their underwear. Auntie Em, we're not in Kansas anymore. Help!
I have to try and wade through these motherfucking painted guys in their underwear just to get a drink. I'm not that thirsty, maybe the downstairs bar will be a little better.
Holy Mother of Fuck! The bad techno music is just as bad down here and those that aren't covered in body paint and underwear look like real pretentious assholes. Hi Assholes! I think it's time to find someplace else for tonight's bar crawl. Exit, stage left!
I peeked in the window here and there are no painted underwear men and it looks like a nice place to soothe my jangled nerves. Hello Café Charbon!
It looks like a nice place to relax and booze it up in here.
The two bartenders on duty were really friendly. They are Michelle and Cyriaque.
Here's the beer list available at Café Charbon. A nice selection of drafts and bottled beer to be had here.
Here's Greg the manager who wanted super-cute Michelle to be included in the picture.
Since everybody else was getting to have their picture taken with Michelle, I decided to join in.
The draft beer selection at Café Charbon.
Seated next to me was Alan, who was enjoying a fresh glass of Stella Artois.
Some of the wine specials for the night, this is just a partial list.
They've got a whole freakin' wall of wine here!
Birger and Patricia were having a nice quiet time at the end of the bar.
Hey who's that tucked away in the corner of the back room?
It's Alex and Anna! Cheers!
Occasional bathroom mirror shot! Goodnight everybody!
Review
Café Charbon is a great French-themed, easy-going Lower East Side bar and café. The bar is low-lit, relaxing and roomy. There’s plenty of room at the spacious bar and comfortable well worn leather couches and tables surround it. The bartenders are friendly and it’s a nice chill bar scene.
The café menu is full of French delights including, Escargots a L Ail, Pate De Canard Aux Poivre, Jarret D'Agneau and Raviolis Aux Champignons. I of course was more interested in the bar and it has a large selection of bottled beers featuring Red Stripe, Tsing Tao and Negra Modelo. They have a huge wine list and there are eight martinis to choose from as well as a number of signature cocktails.
If you want to unwind after work, Café Charbon has a daily Happy Hour, Monday through Friday from five till eight. And best of all there’s no painted men in underwear to be found within blocks from the café!
Cafe Charbon
168 Orchard St. (@ Stanton St.)
212-420-7520
12 Comments
Reader Comments (12)
Goodness the folks at Cafe Charbon look so nice and friendly. That looks like a very cool place to hand out and enjoy a nice Stella like the one Alan was enjoying.
As for the Gallery Bar, I could not help but wish that I were a gay man with a lot of KY lube and a large penis.
You made the right move, bartender Michelle definitely is an improvement on the painted dudes! Tiki Bar Susie nailed it with her comment! LOL!
After seeing The Grateful Dead 194 times, painted men dont bother me so much. Its the gay vibe they are putting out that scares the shit out of me. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Ah, wild boys and their (prospective, hopeful, slightly pathetic) sugar daddies. That's New York for you! In Columbus, that only happens on the weekend.
Anyhoo, Cafe Charbon looks neat-o. I especially like the wooden ceilings. And what's up with all those soccer balls? Makes me wanna yell GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL!
Stella might just be one of my fave beers.. and on tap no less.. fuck ya:)
And everyone in this bar was fucking good looking... oh yea..
the other bar... nope.. not for me... not even if i was a gay man... i prefer my gay men a little less painted and naked...
So Stella and good looking people for me all the way....
And Marty once again I love pics where you look soooo happy:)
Ahahahahhahaah. AHAHHAHHAHAHAhhahahahaha.
Marty I am CRACKING UP. Just totally cracking up with laughter.
I can only imagine your expression upon entering the painted men, techo music, hell bar! I would have run out of there screaming!
Your experience at the Gallery bar reminds me of the very first time I saw the Rocky Horror Picture Show about a million years ago, or so it seems to me now. Back then, the Rocky Horror cult was just beginning and not everybody knew about it, I sure didn't. It had been showing at the Uptown Theatre for a few weeks at midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, and since the Uptown was famous in the area for showing cult B class horror movies, it was a great place to hang out when you were drunk or high on something, and back then I frequently was. That fateful night, my Buddie Douglas and I had gotten through a case or two of discount beer, and topped it off with a couple of hits of acid. We decided to go to the Uptown early that night so we'd be peaking when the movie began. Neither one of us had any idea what we were getting into, I thought it was going to be about some monster running amok in the rocky mountains or something (begin spooky ominous music at this point, ha ha haaaa!).As showtime approached, people in costumes began to show up and seat themselves...and they had shopping bags full of stuff with them (?!?!). Just before the movie began, and by this time the acid really had a grip on Douglas and I, two guys wearing capes and fright wigs climbed up on stage and dropped their capes (they were stark naked under the capes, by the way) and began making out while the audience cheered hysterically (!!!!?!?!?!!!) Then the movie began and Doug and I screamed and dove for the floor as a giant pair of lips came out of the screen apparently intent on eating us both alive, while the people around us screamed; "LIPS...LIPS...LIIIIPS!!" ant the top of their lungs. (!!!!!????!!!!) "What in the blue FUCK is going ON around here?" I said when I had recovered sufficiently from my apoplectic state. Doug just sat there with his mouth open, as he was still apoplectic at that point. The movie progressed, and shit began flying through the air. I was hit in the head by a roll of flying toilet paper and I was on my feet in a split second! I was ready to kill, but Doug just pulled me slowly back down and looked at me and shook his head. One of the strangest nights of my misspent youth, ever. This is a true story.
That Gallery Bar looks like a place where if you passed out , you will wake up in the bathroom butt naked , paint all over you & your butt hurting !!!!
The other seems super cool , will bring ZioumZioum there when she comes back to NYC .
I Miss My Queen , & my Beer doesn't taste the same when she not here .
ohhh ! you're cute My King !!!! :)
Yep !!! I want to go there!!! Perfect place for me!!! Yuuuum Escargot!!!! Yuuuuum Jarret d'agneau !!!!!! yuuum pinot noir wine !!!!!!!! EXCELLENT !!!! And people looks very friendly there !!
About the ... Naked Clown Art Gallery Bar... Jason, how do you know about what happens in bathroom? o_0 you should tell me the truth and ALL the TRUTH concerning your "spicy week ends" in NYC when I'm in France! BEFORE marriage! Jesus want the truth, It's write in the bible! Don't Fuck with Jesus's law!!! you know.... you have the right to like to be a Naked Painted Clown!! I will still love you even if you end.... In bathroom !!!!! HAHAHAHHAHAHHA
PS: I forgot to tell you but about the beer, uhhh I mean the taste... It doesn't tast the same because when I'm here..... uuuuuh.... I use to pee in your beer !!! It's why it tast better! you don't mine !!? HAHA :D ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiioum !!!!!!
I always wonder why I went to bathroom & came back my beer didn't look like I was drinking it .
yes... it's because when I was younger, my dad told me : war is bad, you should always do "piss and love" around you ..... So .... !
I wish I could have seen your face in that place. I am still laughing....Life I love you all is groovy