Thursday, August 12th, 2010—Bar 214

Day 214—Wednesday, August 11th, 2010
Overlook
Tonight I’m going to go to a bar that was suggested by 365 commentator Al Rizo. Al lives in Miami but has hung out in many New York bars. A while back he suggested I check out the Overlook Bar, which is located a little to the East Side of Times Square. The bar has a big roooftop patio outside and from their website the bar itself looks nice. So let’s go check out Al’s pick of the night.

Here we are at the Overlook. Let's check it out.

Looks nice and plenty of room at the bar, let's settle in.

Friendly bartender Carlo was quick to serve up an ice-cold Corona.

Harry put the lime in the coconut, I'm just trying to get one in my beer.

Ornaments hang from the ceiling giving the place a festive feeling every day of the year.

One section of the bar.

Let's go see who Carlo is talkng to.

And like magic shots appear and are drunk. From left: Yours fooly, Carlo, Stacie, Katy and Lisa.

There's a pool table in the back room.

Also in the back room is a mural that knocked my motherfucking socks off.

According to the owner, from 1976 to 1979, comic book artists collaborated on this mural in bar and it remains intact. (Read more about it in the review below.)

Dondi and Fred Flntstone among other legendary comic strip characters.

Legend has it that the bulk of this mural was drawn after a 1976 Cartoonist Society meeting. What I would've given to have been in the bar that night!

Check out Beetle Bailey with a cigarette, that wouldn't fly these P.C. days.

Nothin' up my sleeve!

A second mural hangs on the opposite wall. This was started in 2005 and finishd in 2009.

Mary Worth in a bar? I knew she was a secret boozer!

Irony at its finest moment.

Meanwhile back at the bar...

Paul and Joe were enjoying themselves at the end of the bar.

Here's the upstairs lounge.

There's also a full bar up here.

And the outside rooftop patio.

It's 100% wood. Hello Kari!

Mariana is the lovely waitress up here.

Meanwhile downstairs...FIRE!

On my way out, who do I find taking a break, but Carlo with his cute friend, Sarah. Cheers and goodnight, everybody!

Review
The Overlook bar is a multilevel bar with a large wooden bar in front, a back room with booths and a pool table and nice wooden upper deck and full bar on the rooftop. Opposite the pool table in the back room orginal art is featured behind the booths from such comic book artists as Gil Kane (Spider-Man), Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey), Milton Caniff (Steve Canyon), Sergio Aragonés and Al Jaffee (Mad) and about 25 others. It’s worth the trip to the bar just to see this wonderful artwork from these legendary cartoon artists. The urban legend is that they all were in town for a meeting at the National Cartoonist Society and they all came in for dinner and drinks (back when it was called, the Pen & Ink Bar) and instead of paying their tab, they left this art on the wall. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it’s something every comic book lover should see.

There’s a full bar here and a selection of over 40 different draft and bottled beer. Happy Hour runs Monday through Friday from 2pm to 6pm with two for one drinks. There’s nightly drink specials (attention Biff: Tuesday’s Miller Lite’s are four bucks from 6pm to closing), and on NFL Sunday’s you can get a bucket of five beers for 17 bucks. There’s plenty of sports viewing in here with 24 flat panel screens and two projection screens out on the roof.

They have a decent sized food menu including a good selection of all the usual pub grub suspects: chicken wings, burgers, sandwiches and wraps. But there’s also some tasty surprises on the menu including: BBQ Salmon, Buttermilk Pecan Chicken, Cajun Fish & Chips and Exotic Asian Orange Chicken. Pomme Frittes are served in a cone and you have your choice of 11 dipping sauces. Brunch happens on Saturdays and Sundays till 4pm and if your sweet tooth is screamin,’ try the fried cheesecake. That’s right, fried cheesecake. Mmmm.

Overlook
225 E. 44th St. (Between Second & Third Ave.)
212-307-5835