Friday, April 23rd, 2010—Bar 103

Day 103—Thursday, April 22nd
Rye House (Originally scheduled for the Chat ‘n’ Chew, then Rosa Mexicano, some days aren’t easy on this bar crawl!)
First off, once more I need to thank Michael Heaton, Cleveland’s Minister of Culture. Not only was he a great and fun host while I was there, he wrote a column about 365 Bars and you can read it here:

365 Bars in Minister of Culture

There’s also a video in the Plain Dealer that you can watch right here:

Micheal Heaton Interview

Thanks again Michael, I owe you mucho beers the next time we crawl together, my friend!

Okay, this is going to go up super early tomorrow morning because the 365 Bar Crawl is on the road again! I’m flying out to Peoria tomorrow and then at the end of the week I’m going to be in Chicago for two days. So while I will be posting every day, times may be erratic. I have my trusty laptop, but there’s no internet at my folks house (I love that!) and I’m hoping to be able to tap in to my brother Tom’s internet at his apartment. So be patient for the next week, but there will be a daily update, it just may not occur around the noon hour like it usually does.

So today I’m off work and I’m going out early in the afternoon to a restaurant down the street called the Chat ‘n’ Chew. It’s a fun place and I’ve gone there for years. They have a little bar in the front and I thought I’d have an early dinner and drinks there and then come home and pack. So are you ready to chat and chew? Then let’s make tracks!

Okay, I went to the Chat 'n' Chew and was told the manager had to okay photos. So I asked to talk to the manager and she said it was her last day and she couldn't approve it. They were nice about it, but I thought, "If it's your last day, let's go nuts!" I guess not everyone thinks my way, so I left.

So I went to this place which is a block away, Rosa Mexucana. At night the bar here is always packed and the margaritas and food are great. However, when I asked the waitress if I could do the bar crawl thing here, she said I'd have to talk to a manager. So I did. He told me I would have to call the corporate offices and schedule an appointment. Well, I think I'll call their corporate offices right now: Hey corporate offices, sorry I tried to give you free advertising, assholes!

By now I was getting a little reluctant of restaurant bars, but I knew of one a block away, BLT Fish, so I headed in that direction, but lo and behold, on the way there I see a bar I've never seen before. Let's go here!

It looks nice in here, let's see if I can do my bar crawl thing in Rye House.

And before you know it, bartender Aleksy is handing me a beer.

Hooray, the bar crawl is under way at last!

This is just part of the massive whiskey selection available at Rye House.

And when I say massive I mean massive, here's two pages of whiskey and bourbon selections available.

And if you're not a whiskey person, there's plenty of draft and bottled beers to be had.

Tables and booths line the walls opposite the bar.

There's a long communal table in the back.

There's also leather banquettes for private drinking and dining.

They've only been open for six months, but have already won food awards from Time Out New York Magazine.

Speaking of food, here's my dinner, the Pittsburgh Sandwich. It's a sausage sandwich with french fries and cole slaw packed right inside. It was delicious!

Fire! (It never gets old for me! Goodnight everybody, see you in Peoria!)

Review

Rye House is a new whiskey bar in the Flatiron section of Manhattan, they just opened six months ago. The bar is elegant art deco  yet comfortable all at the same time. The front granite bar is impressive and the long communal table in the back guarantees lively converstations with friends old and new. Wooden tables and chairs line the walls for those that want to have a private party or date.

The name is Rye House, so naturally whiskey and bourbon are the stars of the show in this bar. There was too many for me to count on the menu, suffice to say, if you like whiskey, you need to check this place out. Beer and wine drinkers aren’t left out either. There’s a good selection of bottled and draft beers to be had and the wine list is stellar. The food menu isn’t huge, but filled with eclectic delights like: Truffle grilled cheese, Greek pita, the Rye House Burger and drunken mussels. I had the Pittsburgh sandwich and it’s grilled andouille sausage, provolone, slaw and fries. And it’s all stuffed in between grilled rye bread and it is delicious!

Okay, now I’m off to Peoria! Sneeze you all sometime tomorrow.

Rye House
11. W. 17th St.
212-255-7260