Saturday, July 31st, 2010—Bar 202

Day 202—Friday, July 30th, 2010
Landmark Tavern
Another day, another generous donation. This one’s an anonymous one, but you know who you are and I thank you very much for the more than generous donation of twenty dollars. Let me know when you get to Manhattan next and I’ll use part of it to buy you a beer, thanks!

And thanks to 365 commentator, Jaws for buying a shirt yesterday from the 365 Bar Store that “Boris” maintains. Jaws is going to send in a picture of himself modeling the shirt but till then he sent in this photo of the world’s largest woodpecker, behold:
Badooomp! Thanks, Jaws!

On the 200th bar post from Puffy’s, Fat Al, who’s one half of the blogging team that creates the fine and often humorous blog, The Half Empty Glass, I go to a landmark tavern coincidentally called, The Landmark Tavern. Fat Al is the one who clued me in about Fedora’s bar, so he knows his shit and I immediately put it on my list. I decided to go tonight because it’s located at the corner of 46th and 11th and is a bit off the beaten paths of all the other Hell’s Kitchen bars, so maybe it won’t be packed on a Friday night. Let’s go see.

My friend and co-worker Decker donated twenty bucks and said it was in honor of my Goodfellas night which wasn't cheap. Thanks Decker!

And now through the magic of Al Gore's internet, here we are at the Landmark Tavern.

So much for off the beaten path, it's jam-packed in here.

I manage to squeeze in at the bar and order a beer and Tom the bartender happily serves it up.

As I take my first sip I look up and see a tin ceiling, the sign of a classic bar. Fat Al did not steer us wrong tonight.

Here's a group of people, let's go bother them with the 365 camera.

They turned out to be nice people and wanted to take a photo with me. Here I am in super goofy-looking mode with Sue and Anup. Really nice people and supportive of the 365 idea.

This woman wanted in the picture as well, but ran out the door before I could get her name. Goodbye Mystery Woman!

I finally snagged a seat at the bar and here's my view from it.

It's a long bar with rows and rows of booze bottles for your drinking pleasure.

Here's Michael Younge one of the proprietors of the Landmark Tavern.

The bar is well-worn and has old-school classic New York charm.
Tom in action on a busy Friday night.

Honest Abe.

Here's Christina and Lisa who were seated next to me at the bar and had just downed a tequila shot.

There's tables opposite the bar.

Surprisingly on such a crowded night these window-side seats are empty. Hey, what's that on the tables...

FIRE!

Okay, a quick glance out the window and I'm on my way out the door. Goodnight, everybody!

Review
The Landmark Tavern certainly lives up to its name. It’s one of the oldest bars, not only in the Hell’s Kitchen area where it resides but in all of New York. It’s been open since 1868 and survived as a speakeasy in the prohibition years. The saloon still has its old-world charm with dark wooden walls and a long wooden bar and stools. The barkeeps are friendly and there’s a full dining area in the back.

There’s a full bar featuring a good selection of draft and bottled beers and over 16 different single malt whiskeys are available. There’s also a large wine list and specialty coffees including, Irish, French and Calypso. There’s a bar menu that features such offerings as: Irish Bangers And Mash, Popcorn Shrimp, Sirloin Steak Wrap and a Basket Of Fries with garlic mayonnaise. There’s also a full dining room in the back with entrees such as: Long Island Duck Breast, Fresh Herb Marinated Chicken Breast, Grilled Sirloin Steak and Lamb Shanks.

The bar is open early at 11:30 in the morning and doesn’t close till 3:00am the following morning, so there’s always time to fit the Landmark Tavern into your drinking schedule.

Landmark Tavern
626 Eleventh Ave. (@ 46th St.)
212-247-2562

Friday, July 30th, 2010—Bar 201

Day 201—Thursday, July 29th, 2010
Kennedy's Restaurant
The decision for tonight’s destination and donation bell have both struck at the same time. Just as i was trying to figure out a place to go to I checked my email and baboom, there was a generous donation of ten dollars from Jürgen Nennstiel who lives in Dortmund, Germany. The stated purpose on the PayPal receipt said: “Visit Kennedys Pub 327 W 57th St. and greet Conner from Germany :-)” Thank you so much for not only donating Jürgen, but for choosing the bar! Es ist zu Kennedys uns ausgeht!

I'm stuck behind some dreaded slow walkers on the street. I hate it when people fan out across the sidewalk and then move like fucking snails.

Okay, after a long walk up 8th Avenue I see something in the distance.

It's Kennedy's, time to stop in, get a pint of Guinness and find Conner.

Plenty of seats at the bar and it's a festive looking place.

Business may be a bit slow tonight, but bartender Hugh is quick on the draw with a Guinness. And if you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that can only lead to...

The traditional wearin' of the Guinness. Too rah loo rah loo!

There's a nice table upfront with a good view of 57th street. I wonder where Conner is?

The Kennedy coat of arms hangs proudly behind the bar.

Red banquettes and tables line the wall opposite the bar.

There's another full bar in the back dining area.

And Maurice is the man in charge of the back bar. He's New York's number one bartender. Just ask him and he'll tell you.

Here's some of the drafts available at the bar.

And as I gaze at the bar specials, I'm wondering, "Where the hell is this Conner guy?"

Here's a photo montage of some famous people who stop by Kennedy's when they're in town: 1. Rod the Mod Stewart; 2. Ian McLagan is a regular, here's a shot of him with his wife Kim; 3. Julian Lennon; 4. Julian Lennon and that guy from MTV's Real World. I don't remember the season, but he was the token English guy; 5. Ian McLagan, again; 6. Ian McLagan and Julian Lennon; 7. Ian McLagan, some guy with a huge moustache and Rod The Mod Stewart; 8. Actor Gene Hackman; 9. Another shot of Ian McLagan, this guy loves it in here! He even wrote about it in his book, "All The Rage." It's a great rock 'n' roll memoir about his days with the Small Faces, the Faces, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt and more. Ian's played with everyone in the rock 'n' roll world. You should check his book out.

Vintage photos line an entire wall of Kennedy's. I'm still looking for Conner!

And here he is, the elusive Conner! Conner says to stop back again soon, Jürgen, the Jägermeister sales have dropped sharply since you've gone back to Germany.

A parting shot of the three bartenders from Kennedy's. From left: Hugh, the elusive Conner and Maurice. Cheers guys and goodnight everybody!

Review
Kennedy’s is a warm and inviting midtown Irish pub and restaurant. The bartenders are some of the friendliest in town and treat you like a longtime regular from your first stop in. The front bar has Christmas lights, the Kennedy coat of arms and vintage pictures covering the walls. Tables and red leather banquettes line the wall opposite the bar and the patrons are a mix of tourists, business people enjoying a pint of Guinness and people enjoying a drink or three after an event at nearby Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall.

The bar has everything you would expect a genuine midtown Irish bar to have, lots of wood (hello, Kari!), Guinness on tap and friendly Irish barkeeps. The back dining room features another bar along with a nice dining area. Some of the entrees include: Old Fashioned Shepherds Pie,  Dublin Style Fish & Chips, Kennedy's Black Angus Sirloin Steak and a Home Style Chicken Pot Pie.

Kennedy’s is open 365 days of the year and they’re open till 4am, so stop by anytime to let your inner leprechaun loose.

Kennedy's Restaurant
327 W 57th St. (Between Eighth and Ninth Avenues)
212-759-4242

Thursday, July 29th, 2010—Bar 200

Day 200—Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
Puffy’s Tavern
Ding, ding, ding, the PayPal donation bell is ringing! Nick Beal who recommended yesterday’s bar and lost a loosely placed bet sent in a generous donation of 15 dollars and said in an email that it was: “To cover the bet and a little extra.” Thanks so much, Nick, the bet was a bit of a joke, but I appreciate the donation and look forward to having another drink with you on the bar crawl in the future.

Tonight’s a big night, the 200th motherfucking bar! I racked my brain on where to go and the problem is I’ve used up most of the iconic New York bars, like McSorley’s, Pete’s Tavern, Whitehorse, etc. I decided a fitting place for this night would just be a bar that’s just a bar. No beer pong, no DJ’s, no frat boys or girls, no hipsters, no Buck Hunter, no gimmicks, frills or bullshit, just a nice unpretentious bar to hang out in and celebrate the night. Well, these kinds of places are getting harder and harder to find. But I found one. It’s called Puffy’s Tavern and it looks like a nice old school joint, located in the Tribeca area. The bill themselves as “of the friendliest establishments you will find.” Let’s go see just how friendly they are.

Here we are, Puffy's Tavern in the heart of Tribeca.

Wow, nice, well worn bar.

And the ceiling is tin, you know this is the place for the 200th stop.

And Travis the bartender serves up an ice cold Red Stripe. Travis was a great bartender and I had a nice conversation with him with topics ranging from punk rock to writing to movies to the decay of our culture from the Jersey Shore people to Lindsay Lohan. Travis is the perfect bartender for this place. And he's also a graphic designer and artist. One of his talents is tattoo designs, so if you'd like a quote on a design, stop by Puffy's and discuss it with Travis.

Number 200! 165 to go.

Here's another look at the bar. I like the old school bar chairs.

Tables and a wooden banquette line the wall opposite the bar.

I like the art on the brick wall with the single illumination from the hanging bulb. It brings a nice bohemian flavor to the tavern.

A vintage checkerboard table goes along nicely with the mosaic tiled floor.

And it's a family affair night in Puffy's Tavern. Here's Travis with his brother Lionel, who was on the other side of the bar.

And to complete the picture, here's Travis and Lionel with their mom (I thought she was their sister) Tina. Tina is a personal chef specializing in vegetarian and therapeutic diets. She serves in Manhattan and Brooklyn and if you'd like more information, you can email her at: Tina Struble, Personal Chef.

Business Card Drop Box?

If I win you're all invited.

And here's the obligatory "Dan Smith Will Teach You Guitar" ad on the bulletin board. Hey, what's that drawing there?

It's a drawing of writer Nick Tosches by Travis. Nick stops by the bar occasionally and Travis did this fine portrait of him. Sorry for the fuzzy quality, but my camera's no good at close-up shots. My guess is that Nick would enjoy the fuzziness though.

There's a grade-A dart board in the back and the bar sponsors dart leagues.

I asked Travis for a special drink to commemorate the 200th stop of the 365 Bar Crawl and he mixed me up his original Bloody Mary.

Okay, this is the best and most unique Bloody Mary I've ever had. Lots of spices and heat and it's topped off with a shot of Guinness. Genius drink and a perfect way to cap off night 200.

A parting glance out the window before I leave and close out the 200th night. Cheers to Travis, his mom and brother and to all of you for following me on this journey! I appreciate you sticking with the 365 travelings! Goodnight, everybody!

Review
Sometimes you just want to go to a bar. No frills, no chills, no daffodils. Puffy’s Tavern is that place. It’s a joint, a place to enjoy a cold drink and not have to shout out the order because the DJ is blaring some ironic ‘80’s song that is shredding your ear drums and frat boys and girls are drinking sugary shot bombs in between beer pong. Happy hour can be a little crazy in here, but outside of that it’s a chill, old school joint that’s been on the block for years, with friendly bartenders and local cliental. You may recognize the bar upon entering as its been used in numerous TV shows and movies including Law and Order and State of Grace among others.

Puffy’s has a full bar and serves some specialty drinks that they serve with their own unique twist including a Gin Limonata, Passion Fruit Lemonade, a Mojito and I can recommend Travis’ Bloody Mary with the Guinness topper. If your tastes run towards the sudsier side of the bar, there’s a decent selection of draft and bottled beer including: Bass Ale, Hoegaarden, Stella and Guinness on tap. Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams Lager, Heineken and Theakston's Old Peculiar are four of the twelve bottled beers behind the bar. There’s also a decent wine list and well drinks go for seven bucks a pop. The happy hour runs from 11:30am to 8:00pm with various drink specials during different hours.

From 11:30am to 5:00pm they serve a dozen different Italian sandwiches served on your choice of bakery fresh bread. Some of the sandwiches include: the Pavarotti which is salami, smoked mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, artichokes and sweet peppers, the Fellini which consists of sopressata, fresh mozzarella, hot peppers, arugula and the Americano which is a nice combination of smoked chicken, sliced vine tomato, arugula, mayonnaise. The sandwiches run between seven to ten bucks and are a meal unto itself. There’s also bar snacks such as boneless chicken wings, pizza, onion rings and jalapeño and cheddar cheese poppers.

Pull  up a stool and enjoy one of the friendliest establishments you’ll ever find. They didn’t lie in their boast!

Puffy’s Tavern
81 Hudson St. (Near Harrison St.)
212-227-3912