Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010—Bar 249
Day 249—Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
Tortilla Flats
Okay, last night’s post was a little flat, because I was knocked-out flat from a bad night at work. But tonight’s another night so it’s onward, upward and Ward I’m worried about the Beaver.
I found a place called Tortilla Flats online that’s supposed to have great margaritas and it’s a kitschy place that kind of reminded me of the Trailer Park bar which was bar number 47. Hard to believe I went there over 200 nights ago when it was winter. It seems like its only been 199. Anyhoo, this place looks kind of festive and I could go for a margarita or six, so it’s off we go.
And through the magic of the internet, here we are.
The bar is crowded, but I spy a seat right there in the middle.
Wow, look at all the tinsel hanging from the ceiling. It's as if a Christmas tree threw up in here.
Leslie the friendly and cute bartender on duty serves up the first margarita of the evening.
Here's the bar with the bottles lit up at the bottom instead of the top.
Homemade Elvis art hangs amidst the tinsel and lights above the bar.
Prath and Ryan were seated next to me at the bar and wished me luck on my 365 journey. Thanks guys!
Margaritas and tequila shots are house favorites, but there's also a decent selection of beer to be had.
Kitschy and nostalgic art hangs on every square inch of the walls.
Here's Elvis with his very own security camera attached. Thank ya...thank ya very much!
Here's the infamous Ernest Borgnine wall.
Not to be outdone, Elvis has his own wall as well. Thank ya...thank ya...oh shit, I did that already. Never mind.
Wednesday is hula hoop night here. If you can spin a hula hoop for two minutes you win.
She started out with a bang...
But in the end the hula hoop won. Maybe next time!
The host for the evening's festivities is...
John, who's also the manager for the evening.
Here's Dries and Cristina relaxing at a back booth. Cristina had recently won the hula hoop challenge. Congratulations, Cristina!
Meanwhile, back at the bar I met Shawn, the other bartender on duty.
Shawn suggested a shot of tequila and who am I to say no?
Glasses are clinked...
And the shots are had. Cheers!
Ouch! Where's that pickle juice when I need it? Goodnight, everybody!
Review
Tortilla Flats bills itself as a West Village innovator in eclectic and eccentric New York life. And when you’ve had a night devoted to honoring Ernest Borgnine 18 years in a row, you have a right to make that claim. The bar area is tiny with a wooden bar festooned with homemade drawings of Elvis and light and tinsel hanging from it. The bartenders are friendly and the patrons are mainly tequila shot drinkers from the neighborhood. There’s booths opposite the bar and tables in the back. The decor is all kitsch and kaboodle, leaning heavy on equal parts Elvis and Ernest Borgnine.
There’s a full bar here with 10 different brands of tequila. Margaritas can be had by the pitcher and there’s a good selection of bottled beer. As expected the menu is Mexican (expect most of the crowd to be facebook devotees--somewhat private joke alert) and in addition to your standard tacos, burrtos and enchiladas, some of the specialities include: Carne Asada which is grilled sliced steak with a spicy rancheros sauce rolled into two burritos; Flautas Camarones are deep-fried shrimp filled tortilla flutes; New Mexican Short Stack which is three blue corn tortillas, stacked on top of each other, with layers of black beans, ancho chili salsa and your choice of beef, chicken or veggies and topped with jack cheese and Pollo Verde which has fresh tomatillo, serrano chili and garlic salsa atop grilled boneless chicken breast with melted cheese.
Monday and Tuesday nights there’s bingo at the bar, Wednesday is hula hoop night and on Friday’s you’re invited to wear your pajamas for V.I.P treatment. I gotta stop by here this year for the Ernest Borgnine night. My name is Marty after all!
Tortilla Flats
767 Washington St. (@12th St.)
212-243-1053
28 Comments
Reader Comments (28)
Ah, the Tort. Man, you are really bringing me back. I had a friend about 15+ years ago who spent pretty much every night in that place. The hazy hazy memories come flooding back.
It really DOES look like Christmas in there...the menu looks great, but I suppose that having an outdoor job might be a plus the day after having dined there! The manager John looks about as lit up as the bar itself...looks like a fun stop after yesterday Marty. Feliz Navidad, dude!
Nice one! Good to see you bounce back after the wretched work night the night before. Love the shot photos! Every bar should be required to have pickle juice!
Cool Place & looks very Fun !!! , Looks Like You Found Another Xmas Tree !!!
If I had to fuck a Man it would be Elvis .
Anyway Cheers
@JHwang: I never knew you were into man-corpse love, but whatever floats your boat! Have fun in France!
I LOVE Ernest Borgnine!
I joke up him in my chats sometime.. long running gag...
I want to go to this bar..
I had a resteraunt i ate at in SF called Tortilla Flats but it was never this fun...
The Elvis crap might make me puke though...
i cant stand THAT Elvis.. give me Costello anyday..
yea and they let me run the rockabilly show at the station LOL....
Martster i am soo glad you bounced back with this bar..
you improved my mood:)
@Gidget: Glad the post improved your mood, mine is much better today as well!
Great joint!
Nice to see Elvis has not left the building.
Also, Ernest Borgnine was Marty.
So it all connects.
I am IN LOVE with this bar. This looks like so much fun! Even of it does look like an xmas tree threw up on there. Because any place that gives you VIP treatment for wearing PAJAMAS is MY KIND OF PLACE! Oh, and I just love a good Margaritas and tequila shots!
ernest, elvis, tinsel and tequila a genius combination! glad you had a good night after the bad one!
Like the festive place,,,,Borgnine is 93,,, I liked his acting in Poseidon,,,,I used to hate margaritas now I like them if they make them from scratch. Those bottle mixes are terrible. John is like a Randy Quaid a la Vegas vacation,,,,,"Tour guide: this concludes the dam tour,,,any dam questions? Quaid: yeah,,,where can I get some dam bait?" lol
i don't know what to comment because i'm too drunk, but i'm glad to know that my future husband would love sodomize elvis !! MOUHAHAHAHA
Fun bar, i like the lights!!!
cheers!
Holy shit balls I'm up early today! Got a big ol' day ahead but thats cool. It should pass by fairly quickly.
@365: Nice bounce back my man. Awesome place. I was sold on the sign on the front window "WE DELIVER". I can only think of the episode of the Simpsons when Homer and Bart went white water rafting with Ernest Borgnine and Homer stole his swiss army knife....
As for the King?
Hey Elvis!? Wanna go get some lemonade?.....Lemmmonaaaade....that cool refreshing drink!
But to say this place is kitsch is a complete and utter understatement. Love it.
@Jhwang and Zioum Zioum: Don't worry....Elvis wont feel a thing!
A fitting tribute to the KING.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bojnqBFadz4
Wow what a cool looking place and the maragritas look amazing!!
@Zioum Zioum & Jason; you two would be absolutely terrifying if you weren't such a lovable couple! Mouahahahahaaaaa!
a 21 shot salute to tortilla flats...fourteen no thirteen more to go...viva 365...KOC
rr
twelve
@Tim Clack: I'll check out the tribute when I get home, YouTube is blocked here. Thanks for posting it in advance!
@raginrr: Glad you're keeping it under 40 shots, that's what did John Bonham in!
@marty, your work place really does suck, how dare they block youtube!!! wankers!
six more...but i have to dig up some more...didn't have a full thing when i started... i'm havin' mexican tonight ...liquid mexican...40..wow didn't know that tidbit...come to think of it...rough waters ahead...lady in red...casey better watch your speed...damn what the helll put all those other fuckers dowm...KOC
rr
five
@fitzi: They also block porn! Heartless bastards!
@raginrr: Cheers!
damn found sumthing under a bunch of papers that had sumthing about a clack...no no ...a clark and oj....a couple or 3 shots of 100 anjos....or like that...mi syght is fadeing...KOC
rr
four
@365: Jeez Marty, do let you breathe occasionally? Speaking of breathing. Your Bloomberg is banning smoking in Times Sq, Central park and Coney Island. I don't smoke so I shouldn't care but come on! it's outside!! Butt it and bin it and we've all kicked a goal!!
@Fitzy: If only your work could block Bazza's turd tube you'd be laughin'. I just read some school kids beat a Kangaroo to death on a school excursion! What is wrong with these kids?!?!?
@Raginrr: Plenty of Clarks out there. Not many Clacks that I know of. I don't even know where the name comes from.