Friday, July 9th, 2010—Bar 180
Day 180—Thursday, July 8th, 2010
Rodeo Bar
The blistering heat wave that hit New York has lightened up a bit, it “only” got up to 89 degrees today. All this heat has made me thirsty for a good margarita and I’ve been told they serve up decent ones at a bar called the Rodeo Bar on 27th and 3rd. It’s close enough to walk to and there’s live music every night of the week. So what the fuck? Let’s go!
Lots of neon here at the Rodeo Bar.
It's crowded but I see a little slice of the bar that I'm going to slide into and order a margarita.
And the friendly and super-cute bartender Amy Jo is more than happy to serve one up.
Here's a view from the end of the bar.
Peanuts!
(Which can only lead to) Shells on the floor!
I didn't write down all their names, so we'll just refer to this group as the Rodeo Bar Party People.
And here I am with the aforementioned Party People.
There's neon on the outside and neon on the inside at this roadhouse.
Some of the drink specials available.
Smile, Chris and Steph, you're on 365 camera!
The antler chandelier hangs over the bar.
Texas license plates cover the top of the long wooden bar in the front room.
There's tables for dining and drinking off to the side of the bar and in the back.
Ally and Alex were seated next to me at the bar and I found out they had just moved to New York and this was their first night. Welcome to the city ladies, you're a beautiful and welcome addition!
Amy Jo came round from the bar to pose with Ally and Alex.
The bar has an upstairs lounge area.
And here it is, a comfortable little hideaway.
Here's the room off from the bar where bands play seven nights a week.
And there's another bar in this room done up in true truck stop style.
The Fustics were onstage and they were a great band. They played songs ranging from Johnny Cash, to the Allman Brothers to The Band. Check them out on MySpace here: The Fustics.
And downstairs in the basement, there's ATM service for Joey D. Goodnight, everybody!
Review
When you step into the Rodeo Bar, you leave Manhattan and enter a Honky Tonk atmosphere that would do Texas proud. The atmosphere is pure roadhouse, from the peanut shells on the wooden floor to the indoor neon lights to the bar which is made up of Texas license plates. The bartenders are pretty and friendly and the crowd is a mix of locals and tourists checking out a slice of country in the big city. There’s live music, seven nights a week with no cover charge and the band plays in a separate room allowing for easy conversation in the front bar.
There’s a full bar with an impressive amount of bottled beers and several varieties of margaritas to quench your thirst. The kitchen is open late and the flavors here vary from Mexican, southwestern, barbecue, southern and soul food. It’s a large menu with an impressive appetizer list, a good variety of burgers, sandwiches, fajitas and slow-cooked Texas barbecue. If you’re really hungry try the 24 ounce Rodeo steak and let your inner Elvis loose by topping it off with the Fat Elvis dessert which is a deep fried banana chimichanga with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. There’s drink specials during the Happy Hour which runs from Monday through Saturday, 4pm to 9pm. There’s also a late night Happy Hour, midnight to 2am on Monday through Wednesday. Yeeha!
Rodeo Bar
375 Third Ave. (@27th St.)
212-683-6500
24 Comments
Reader Comments (24)
That peanut man's shoes are glowing! Rodeo Bar looks awesome - a totally festive and throw-your-cares-to-the-wind kinda place. I would love to have one of those Fat Elvises (that's what she said [at Graceland]). TO SHITKICKERS!
TO SHITKICKERS!
Why do they hide all the ATM action in the basement? Something as grandios as ATM should take center stage right next to the band.
You know, the moment I saw the picture of the sign out front, I envisioned Jake and Elwood Blues singing 'Stand By Your Man' behind chicken wire with beer bottles flying all over the place and shattering when they hit the walls or an amplifier or something. (There are a few bars almost that bad here where I live...no kidding!) But you're in New York, and I.Q.'s are a bit higher there, and behaviour standards are obviously a bit more stringent there. Nothing like a good friendly 'shells on the floor' bar to while away the evening in!
@Joey D: Not everyone is as public about ATM as you are. Maybe someday, it's something we can all work together and strive for!
That's a tall margarita for six bucks. Did they put enough Joe Cuervo in it? Rodeo does look like a roadhouse bar, and let's not forget Amy Jo, I love girls with simple double first names, she's real cute too.
@jaws... now i want to watch that movie again.. and i just watched it last week LOL.. I totally get that!!!!
Love it marty.. keep it up...
@Jaws and Gidget: I just added a video in both of your honors!
@Al: There was plenty of Jose in the margarita!
Marty you just rule!!!!!
@Gidget: Thanks and back atcha!
I love all the old rusted stuff. Goes well with old wood.
@kari: Woods of wisdom!
I agree with Gidget and Jaws about the Blues Brothers and you picked the best scene and song from the movie! Nice bar and cool that they have live music every night!
WOW! That's a bar for Squirrels!!!! wood & peanuts!!!!!
Marty, you should ask Jason if he want some peanuts !!! HAHAHAHA :D
@Zioum Zioum: It will be the first thing I ask him when I see him!
What a neat looking place Rodeo Bar is. It looks like such a fun place to hang out and the patrons look so friendly and fun loving. I hope that Ally and Alex enjoyed their first night living in NYC.
Great job Marty!
Rodeo Bar Rules!
what a fun spot! sure doesn't look like nyc in there!
Don't "Send in the Clowns" and it'll stay a cool joint!
Nice stop Daddio!
now thats my sorta pub!!!!
Enjoy your hot weather over there. It's bloody freezing in Adelaide!
gosh...no mechanical bull no urban cowboys no cow pies...peanuts what self respecting cowboy eats peanuts...all that aside looks to be a very interesting place...KOC
rr
@boris... the bit about "clowns" just registered...only about 30 or 40 minutes down the road...good one
rr