Tuesday, February 9th, 2010—Bar 30

Day 30—Monday, February 8th, 2010

Welcome To The Johnsons

Okay, last night’s anti Superbowl night was fun, but it was a little pricey. Don’t get me wrong, it was worth every penny, but tonight I need to balance things out with a bar that has cheap drinks. So I Googled cheap drinks and one click led to another and soon I found a bar in the East Village that features two buck cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon all night long. I’m originally from Peoria, Illinois, where Pabst used to be brewed. In fact a friend of mine used to work there and whenever I’m drinking a can of Pabst I think about the stories he used to tell about pissing in the vats of beer while he worked there. It helps me cut down on my drinking.

Anyway, according to reviews,Welcome To The Johnsons is a dive bar decked out to look like a circa 1970’s rec-room. In fact some people call it “That 70’s Bar.” I just pray that Ashton Kutcher isn’t there. Come on, let’s go see if we’re welcomed at the Johnsons.

From the outside I thought it might be closed due to the lack of outside lighting.

But the door was open and the bar was full.

I found a seat at the bar and Jack the bartender served me up a two buck can of Pabst.

Here's my patented pointing at the cheap can of Pabst pose.

The retro furniture is covered in plasic in case you have too many Pabst's and an "accident" occurs.

Sitting next to me at the bar was Susie, who was enjoying a jello shot. Susie is origanlly from Cleveland, Ohio where her mom has a bar called. "Dolly's Place." Maybe we'll make it there on the 365 bar crawl.

Here's the vintage fridge that houses the cold cans of Pabst and other beers at Welcome to the Johnsons.

Holding up the far end of the bar is Pete and Marcel. Pete flashes the 365 card!

A well-worn pool table sits at the back of the bar.

Jack mans the cash register at the bar on this busy Monday night.

This guy was hovering over the Pac Man game and told me he goes by the name of Dr. Gonzo. Could this be the second coming of Hunter S. Thompson?

Here's the good doctor with his nurse Katrina flashing some sort of nimble-fingered gangland sign.

Credits roll on a TV from a keg party circa 1976.

This fellow didn't want his name published, but he was a master pool player.

Whoops, I fucked up this shot. I should learn to take the photos first and then start drinking.

Okay, take two, that's better. From left it's, James, Susie and Lilly!

It's Christmas every night of the year at Welcome to the Johnsons. Could that be Mr. Johnson on the left?

The jukebox at Welcome to the Johnsons is an eclectic treat of punk and rock and roll tunes.

There's no mirror on the wall in the bathroom for my obligatory bathroom shot, but there's plenty of graffiti. Goodnight everybody!

Review

If you’re on the lookout for cheap drinks and a comfortable divey atmosphere, then you should definitely welcome yourself to the Johnson’s. The rec-room bar is styled in early ‘70’s wreckless alcholism and is a great atmosphere to throw back cheap booze in. The kitsch and kaboodle inside this unending ‘70’s rec-room includes Christmas lights, faded family photos on the walls, genuine fake paneling, plastic covered chairs, a pool table, a vintage refrigerator cooling cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a flickering TV set from decades past.

The atmosphere in the bar is reminiscent of drunken high school parties, seven nights a week. There’s a six hour happy hour featuring $1.50 cans of Pabst, two buck well drinks and three dollar Budweisers. The jukebox is an eclectic delight featuring tunes from The Smiths, Blondie, Dead Kennedys, Cheap Trick, Rolling Stones and N.W.A. And the bar promises that if you come in and ask for a white wine spritzer or a Jack Johnson song you will get a Pabst poured on your head. Welcome to the Johnsons!

Welcome to the Johnsons
123 Rivington St. (Between Essex & Norfolk)
212.420.9911