Day 227—Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
Milano's Bar
Okay, tonight I’m off to a legendary New York City bar, Milano’s. It’s been in the back of my mind to go here since the beginning and 365 commentator Al Rizo, suggested it to me in an email last week and so now it’s time to go. It’s been on the block since 1880 (with a brief dry-spell during prohibition) and it is about as old-school as you can get. In fact, it’s so old school I wonder if they’ll let me do my 365 thing in there. But we’ll never know until we go, so it’s onwards and upwards...well, downwards because we’re going downtown...whatever. Let’s just get the fuck over there.
Okay, here we are, lots of neon in the window and look, an ATM for Joey D. in the background!
This is truly a dark bar. I tried a flashless photo and it turned out to be a black square.
Bartender Nicki was shy, so Alex jumped in and posed for the obligatory bartender shot. (Note: If you do want to see Nicki in person, she's opening her own bar with a partner in October in Brooklyn. It's going to be called MikNic Lounge and of course I'll be there. Check out their facebook page here: MikNic Lounge.
You could spend weeks just looking at all the vintage photos on the walls in this place.
There's lots of sports photos and art. Here's the '78 Yankess.
More photos from the walls.
A giant Coke button looms next to some original art on the walls.
JFK and a Frank Sinatra button hang below a picture of Humphrey Bogart.
And speaking of Frank, there's a Frank Sinatra bass drum hanging up behind the bar. Cheers to you, Blue Eyes!
A Daily News spread of the Mets in 1986 when they were the champs.
The bar at Milano's.
Pamela was seated next to me and pulls a face for the 365 camera.
Roger was in town from the West Coast. He doesn't live here, but his business brings him here often enough to make him a regular at Milano's.
And of course this place has a lovely, weathered tin ceiling.
A copy of the original food menu hangs on the wall.
Chips and pretzels are the only food available at the bar these days, but it's a nice varied selection.
There's well-worn tables and chairs in the back of the tavern.
People come in and sign this Irish flag.
When sports aren't playing, silent movies are screened on the TV's making you feel like you're drinking in another era.
Upon returning home I realized I fogot to get a shot of myself in the bar, so here's a homemade obligatory bathroom shot. Goodnight, everybody!
Review
Milano’s has been a fixture on this block since 1880. The cliental changes from the early morning shift of 8am boozers to the lunch crowd to the happy hour business people to the late niight shift. If you want to sample New York’s drinking community in almost all of its entirety, spend a day in this joint. The bar is long and narrow and dark. Vintage pictures are plastered all over, collage style and you could while away the night just perusing them. When sports aren’t playing on the old-school TV’s they show silent movies in the bar. This is a friendly joint where even if they don’t know your name, you’re treated like a regular.
They have a full bar, but I wouldn’t suggest ordering a Cosmopolitan or Mojito in this joint. Beer, stiff drinks and shots are what you’ll find on the counter of the well-worn, dark wooden bar. The only food here is pretzels and chips in bags behind the bar, but I’m sure they’re not opposed to you bringing in a slice from a nearby pizzeria or something from a nearby food truck. Happy hour runs from Monday to Friday, 4pm to 7pm with two buck Budweisers and a dollar off drinks.
And if you wake up early with a case of the shakes from last night’s booze-fueled shenanigan’s, they open the doors here at 8am sharp six days of the week. Sunday’s you have to wait till noon but they’re open open till 4:30am every single night...errr...morning of the week.
Milano's Bar
51 E. Houston St. (Between Mulberry & Mott St.)
212-226-8844