Sparky Kronkite
Spam Eater Extraordinare'
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2000
- Posts
- 8,921
It's not that a good neighborhood bar is hard to find in New York City. The fact is, that they are more prevalent here than nearly anywhere else - except maybe Baltimore. It's just that the plethora of food and beverage business in New York goes for the big score and that usually means "trendy." So I would venture the wild guess that for every real neighborhood bar in New York there are thirty, maybe more, of a wide variety of what is easiest for me to refer to, as non-neighborhood bars.
These non-neighborhood bars run the gambit from grownup type, nice family, mostly fair food, but with a decent bar, type of businesses - to very posh, great location, great view, fine food, gotta-have-some-bucks type of places. And they're all - okay.
But what I seek, especially here in New York where most of us, including the Shebabe and I, live in domiciles of less than a thousand square feet - is an "extended living room." And, one that is very convienent and doesn't cost a fortune to enjoy a couple of Budwiesers. I seek the ultimate neighborhood bar.
I just might have found "the" one.
Rief's - (that's pronounced Reef's) on the Upper East Side, on 92nd street between 1st and 2nd Avenue. It's on the south side of the street and just off the south-west corner of 2nd Ave.. Don't walk too fast or look for any big neon sign - you'll walk right by it.
The Shebabe and I discovered it while looking for apartments last weekend. We always attempt to check the neighborhood out before we actually get into see an apartment. The neighborhood and "what it has," is every bit at important as the apartment itself. Go figure, if it weren't, everybody'd live in New Jersey. That neighborhood, on that street, it's pretty damn good - mostly old brownstone's 4 and 5 stories, broken up in a nearly infinite variety of apartment spaces. There are a couple of auto repair joints and a cooking school too. A couple of restaurants, and just off either of the avenues are everything you need from video rentals, to dry cleaners, to groceries. So the neighborhood was fine but we still had a half-hour to kill before we could meet the agent. And then there was Rief's.
A hole in the wall for sure. Dark inside, on a warm sunny day outside. If the door wasn't wide open and the bar maid, Cynthia bored and sitting on the corner of the bar trying to will the sunlight into the place, we wouldn't have noticed it - or at least we'd have thought it closed. In we went. Cynthia was talking to her mom on the phone and said to her, "yeah(!), customers!" Two Bud's please. Joe DeMaggio was being enshrined up at Yankee Stadium on the 4 TV's. Cynthia, from Queens and who used to work up at Mantle's, is a Yankee fanatic - she knows everything about "the home team," as any good bartender in New York should.
The bar area at Rief's, just off the sidewalk is old and fairly typical, pretty small with about ten stools or so. If the front bar area were packed with, let's say thirty people, it could get a little crowed. But there is a big back room - with a pool table. And funky, old but comfortable looking furniture all around the edges of the room. And here's the kicker - there's a fairly large, could seat maybe forty folks - back yard patio. Cool! An ultra-rarity anywhere in New York let alone an old neighborhood bar that's just happened to have been in business for the past sixty years.
So, I discovered all the above "on tour" of the place and when I came back to the bar and told the Shebabe and Cynthia how neat I thought the place was, Cynthia asks, "Did you see the grill?" Damn how'd I missed that? "It's B.Y.O.M., bring-your-own-meat," she adds, "everybody grills out all the time. Only one rule - you've got to feed the bar tender." MAN!!!! I'm there! I'm in heaven! I've not only found my living room but it comes with a patio and barbecue too!
Well, it's been since last Sunday, this great discovery. And the Shebabe and I have walked the nearly twenty blocks north now two more times. We've met Hank the part owner and an interesting assortment of characters too. Most notably a deaf guy named Izzy who is lead around by a deaf dog - didn't get the dogs name though. I'll keep you posted. Last night we were there we met another dog - didn't get her name either but I've come to the earth shattering conclusion that I just can't stand a bar that doesn't allow dogs in. Yep - that's just the way I am I guess.
So, I'll keep you posted on Rief's. I signed up for their e-mail newsletter last night. It let's you know of upcoming grilling contests and the like. And, don't hesitate to try to come up and visit 'cause me and the Shebabe will take you up to Rief's for some grilled out steak and ribs. I can't wait.
Sparky.
These non-neighborhood bars run the gambit from grownup type, nice family, mostly fair food, but with a decent bar, type of businesses - to very posh, great location, great view, fine food, gotta-have-some-bucks type of places. And they're all - okay.
But what I seek, especially here in New York where most of us, including the Shebabe and I, live in domiciles of less than a thousand square feet - is an "extended living room." And, one that is very convienent and doesn't cost a fortune to enjoy a couple of Budwiesers. I seek the ultimate neighborhood bar.
I just might have found "the" one.
Rief's - (that's pronounced Reef's) on the Upper East Side, on 92nd street between 1st and 2nd Avenue. It's on the south side of the street and just off the south-west corner of 2nd Ave.. Don't walk too fast or look for any big neon sign - you'll walk right by it.
The Shebabe and I discovered it while looking for apartments last weekend. We always attempt to check the neighborhood out before we actually get into see an apartment. The neighborhood and "what it has," is every bit at important as the apartment itself. Go figure, if it weren't, everybody'd live in New Jersey. That neighborhood, on that street, it's pretty damn good - mostly old brownstone's 4 and 5 stories, broken up in a nearly infinite variety of apartment spaces. There are a couple of auto repair joints and a cooking school too. A couple of restaurants, and just off either of the avenues are everything you need from video rentals, to dry cleaners, to groceries. So the neighborhood was fine but we still had a half-hour to kill before we could meet the agent. And then there was Rief's.
A hole in the wall for sure. Dark inside, on a warm sunny day outside. If the door wasn't wide open and the bar maid, Cynthia bored and sitting on the corner of the bar trying to will the sunlight into the place, we wouldn't have noticed it - or at least we'd have thought it closed. In we went. Cynthia was talking to her mom on the phone and said to her, "yeah(!), customers!" Two Bud's please. Joe DeMaggio was being enshrined up at Yankee Stadium on the 4 TV's. Cynthia, from Queens and who used to work up at Mantle's, is a Yankee fanatic - she knows everything about "the home team," as any good bartender in New York should.
The bar area at Rief's, just off the sidewalk is old and fairly typical, pretty small with about ten stools or so. If the front bar area were packed with, let's say thirty people, it could get a little crowed. But there is a big back room - with a pool table. And funky, old but comfortable looking furniture all around the edges of the room. And here's the kicker - there's a fairly large, could seat maybe forty folks - back yard patio. Cool! An ultra-rarity anywhere in New York let alone an old neighborhood bar that's just happened to have been in business for the past sixty years.
So, I discovered all the above "on tour" of the place and when I came back to the bar and told the Shebabe and Cynthia how neat I thought the place was, Cynthia asks, "Did you see the grill?" Damn how'd I missed that? "It's B.Y.O.M., bring-your-own-meat," she adds, "everybody grills out all the time. Only one rule - you've got to feed the bar tender." MAN!!!! I'm there! I'm in heaven! I've not only found my living room but it comes with a patio and barbecue too!
Well, it's been since last Sunday, this great discovery. And the Shebabe and I have walked the nearly twenty blocks north now two more times. We've met Hank the part owner and an interesting assortment of characters too. Most notably a deaf guy named Izzy who is lead around by a deaf dog - didn't get the dogs name though. I'll keep you posted. Last night we were there we met another dog - didn't get her name either but I've come to the earth shattering conclusion that I just can't stand a bar that doesn't allow dogs in. Yep - that's just the way I am I guess.
So, I'll keep you posted on Rief's. I signed up for their e-mail newsletter last night. It let's you know of upcoming grilling contests and the like. And, don't hesitate to try to come up and visit 'cause me and the Shebabe will take you up to Rief's for some grilled out steak and ribs. I can't wait.
Sparky.
