Day 245—Saturday, September 11th, 2010
8th Street Winecellar
Okay, if you’re a regular follower of this blog, you’ll remember last Thursday I tried to go to a wine bar on 8th Street called, 8th Street Winecellar. The joint was packed and I ended up at a nearby bar called Affair On Eighth. I met a fellow named Jonathan Kravetz who told me he had written a play that was being performed nearby at the Manhattan Theatre Source and the play is entitled, “Better Lucky Than Smart.” Tonight’s the last night of the play and I decided to get a ticket and check it out. And I’ve also decided to try the 8th Street Winecellar again and see if it’s less packed in the early evening hours. And so it’s off we go for a night of drinking, eating (it’s cheeseburger Satruday night) and theater.
It's a nice day out and a lot of people are out and about including these slow-walkers, which I'm trying to get around. Hate the slow-walkers!
You talkin' to me?
Hats!
And here we are at the 8th Street Winecellar once again. Let's travel down the stairs and see if it's a little less crowded than it was on Thursday night.
Plenty of seats at the bar tonight. Let cheeseburger Saturday night begin!
Super-cute and friendly bartender Nikki serves up a Negra Modelo. Yeah, I'm drinking beer at a wine bar, you got a problem with that?
Nikki took a shot of me with the beer and flashing the 365 colors. Check out this jersey and other 365 products at the 365 Bar Store, maintained by resident artist, "Boris."
A long line of wine bottles are above the full bar.
There's a small seating nook opposite the bar.
Here's a mirror shot of the bar from the eating nook.
There's leather banquettes and tables in the back of the brick-walled bar.
Michael Jackson isn't the only man in the mirror.
In addition to an impressive wine list, there's a good selection of bottled beers to be had including Coopers Pale Ale which I didn't see on the menu. Forgive me, Brooksy!
Here's the front of the bar with a nice view of 8th Street.
Meanwhile back at the bar, Nikki's busy taking care of business.
But not too busy to serve up a couple of mini sliders with homemade potato salad.
The little burger is delicious and housed in a bakery-fresh bun. But I was still hungry so I ordered a plate of pigs in a blanket.
And the lovely Katy serves them up with a beautiful smile.
Mmmmm, spicy mustard!
And in the end...hats! Goodnight, everybody!
Review
8th Street Winecellar is a true underground bar. Walk down the stairs to the somewhat clandestine wine cellar and you’ll find an inviting bar with friendly bartenders and an inviting staff. It’s an attitude-free place, so if you’re not a grape-head, feel free to ask for suggestions from the massive wine list. The L-shaped bar seats over a half dozen and there’s tables and chairs in the front and back and a dining nook behind the bar. At night it’s dark and lit mainly by candles, making this a perfect spot for a first date or a place to celebrate an anniversary.
The wine list here is huge and wine is sold by the glass, half bottle or bottle. Many bottles here are under $35 so you won’t go broke while sampling. In addition to the wine, there’s a full bar with martinis and a good selection of bottled beers including: Negra Modelo, Bluepoint Lager, Coopers Pale Ale and Bitburger Pils.
The kitchen has such offerings as small plates of cheeses, meats and oysters or if you’re a little hungrier you can sample Cellar Sirloin Sliders, Pigs In A Blanket and three varieties of grilled panini.
The 8th Street Winecellar’s motto is, “Wincellar isn’t the place where you can drink yourself under the table because you’re already under the floor.” I’ll drink to that!
8th Street Winecellar
28 W. 8th St. (Near Fifth Ave.)
212-260-9463
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Bonus Photos
After the fine time at 8th Street Winecellar, I went to the play, “Better Lucky Than Smart.” at the nearby Manhattan Theatre Source and it was great. I was lucky to have met Jonathan on Thursday because this was closing night and I scored a ticket before the play got sold out for the evening. Here’s a few shots from my evening at the theater.
Playwright Jonathan Kravetz.
Here's the theatre.
Hey, it looks like they knew I was coming!
Here's the set of the play.
And the theatre is soon filled up. It's the final night of the play and luckily I purchased a ticket in advance.
And the play begins. It's a humorous play that centers around people who's lives get entwined because of greed and stupidity. It had a nice surprise ending.
The final bows from the talented cast on closing night.
Hats!