Cornerstone Tavern

Sports bar · Midtown East

Cornerstone Tavern

Sports bar · Midtown East

2

961 2nd Ave (At, E 51st St, New York, NY 10022

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Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by Noah Devereaux
Cornerstone Tavern by Noah Devereaux
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null
Cornerstone Tavern by null

Highlights

Sports bar with karaoke, trivia, craft brews & full menu  

Featured in The Infatuation
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961 2nd Ave (At, E 51st St, New York, NY 10022 Get directions

cornerstonetavern.com
@nyc_cornerstone

$10–20 · Menu

Reserve

Information

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961 2nd Ave (At, E 51st St, New York, NY 10022 Get directions

+1 212 888 7403
cornerstonetavern.com
@nyc_cornerstone

$10–20 · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Aug 8, 2025

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14 Normal Bars In Midtown

"If you work in Midtown East, Cornerstone is a good place to know about for casual drinks after work. The long bar and high four-tops fill up around 5pm, but the second floor has more seating and another bar. If your co-workers frown on watching soccer or baseball at your desk, you can also come to Cornerstone for a burger and beer at lunch and watch in peace." - matt tervooren

https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/guides/normal-midtown-bars
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@infatuation

Cornerstone - Review - Midtown - New York - The Infatuation

"If you work in Midtown East, Cornerstone is a good place to know about for casual drinks after work. The long bar and high four-tops fill up around 5pm, but the second floor has more seating and another bar. If your co-workers frown on watching soccer or baseball at your desk, you can also come to Cornerstone for a burger and beer at lunch ($11) and watch in peace." - Matt Tervooren

https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/cornerstone
View Postcard for Cornerstone Tavern

Chance Lester

Google
Wholly welcoming environment no matter where you come from. I've never felt more comfortable buying a beer in NYC.

Sean Scully

Google
Corey is the best! Super friendly, fast, and makes a great drink every time. He’s the kind of bartender who remembers your name and makes you feel right at home. Always a great vibe when he’s behind the bar at Cornerstone.

Jay White

Google
Cool little tavern in Midtown. Definitely a good hangout spot for drinks. Not the best place for a family, especially with stool-type seating and a bit of a draft floating through. Food was very good though; between the loaded fries, quesadillas, pulled pork sliders and nachos. Homemade lemonade was great too! Would recommend for non-families.

Ammar Hussain

Google
Door is great. But bartenders upstairs are constantly less about service and more about “chilling”. Once again I left with a big group without order any drinks after 20 min of waiting. Owners are losing money.

Daniel

Google
We visited in the afternoon for the Happy Hour to enjoy a few drinks and were greeted with a very friendly welcome. The service was quick and attentive, and the entire staff was extremely nice. The location is simply fantastic – a perfect atmosphere to relax. Thank you for the wonderful experience!

Connie Kwok

Google
A local beighborhood sports bar, (that definitely smells like a bar) with plenty of TVs and spacious with lots of seating at bars and high tops. Decent food menu, we enjoyed the truffle fries and the pulled pork nachos. Cocktails were just OK, lots of beers to choose from. Bartenders are attentive.

wsldave

Google
A hard bar not to mention when talking about Midtown's standout bars. Great buzz both during and after work hours, with an easygoing atmosphere and a cast of recurring characters & longtime patrons.

Settle Myer

Google
Omg I come for the karaoke but stay for Corey. He’s book boyfriend material! Swoopy hair, broody, and he knows how to make a killer drink. 10/10 would recommend.
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Pratima M.

Yelp
A fun spot for NFL Sunday -- the staff is really nice and changed the TVs near us so we could watch the 9ers! They also had a fun DJ with a raffle giveaway, which kept the bar lively. I'd recommend getting a beer tower to share, didn't feel too strongly about the fries or onion dip.
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Sierra S.

Yelp
Nice time here! Fast service, good volume on the TV makes it a good spot for watching sporting events.
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Terry K.

Yelp
Came here for drag brunch and it was so fun! Insanely affordable, the bottomless was an amazing deal, and the chicken sandwich I had was an INSANE portion. So so filling and some of the best fries I've ever had. Plus - the queen was so funny and fun. A little more quiet and lowkey than other drag brunches, but for the price and quality I think it's such a deal. Bringing my family here next time they visit!
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Josh F.

Yelp
Will and Corey hold this spot down, especially for karaoke ... I've been to a lot of those in the city but this one is off the charts. Good energy, reasonably-priced drinks and good people.
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Zoe D.

Yelp
Took my good friend to the drag brunch they have at Cornerstone every other Saturday this past weekend- it was my first time coming here, but it was a great experience! We were seated in the upstairs area for the show, and the bartender working up there was very attentive and nice. Only the brunch menu was available at the time, so I got the shakshuka- one of my favorite dishes. It was amazing- especially when there was warm and crispy garlic pita bread to dip in the sauce. The fries were also really good too, perfectly seasoned and crispy. Will definitely come here again!
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Nora F.

Yelp
It's a college bar. We came for the karaoke. Be prepared to wait in line and fight the regulars for a spot to sing. The bartenders cater to the regulars, which is fine, but don't treat new customers like crap! One person went to the bathroom and when she came back, the bartender bumped her song up to the front of the line again! Another guy rolled his eyes at us when we asked for another beer, scoffing as if the three feet he had to walk back to grab a beer inconvenienced him. But a highlight - we found this painting of a depressed Taylor Swift!
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Christina O.

Yelp
Came to Cornerstone for their Pride Brunch, and wow how much fun! I'm used to Miami Drag Brunches where queens are doing flips, so this was different for me but still fun! The bartenders were attentive always making sure our mimosas were full. The food was delicious. Great time!
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Ron M.

Yelp
Came for happy hour. Had a beer and cocktail, a few apps. Very average. Fried Artichokes were TOO breaded. Cocktails were weak.

Krish P.

Yelp
Krispy Reviews Cornerstone Tavern Peanut Butter Espresso Martini: 8 out of 10. Great deals on beer towers as well.
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Josiah C.

Yelp
This is the go-to lunch and happy hour spot around the office. Spacious. Very kind staff. Great food decently priced drinks. Kind regulars.
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Monicka C.

Yelp
A great place in Midtown to get drinks after a long day at work. They are offering outdoor dining, but per Governor Cuomo's regulations, you must also order food to get drinks. Apparently it wasn't enough to just get their popcorn, so we order two appetizers. Order: - Chicken fingers (3/5) - Truffled popcorn (4/5) - Strawberry lemonade (5/5) - Al Fresca (3/5) Pros: - Great drink menu - Large portions - Quick and kind service Cons: - Typical bar food ~ not the most delicious thing you'll have, but it'll hit the spot while drinking Overall: Don't expect a 5 star experience. This bar is a great place for Friday nights after work to blow off some steam
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Melinda W.

Yelp
Nah. Been here a few times. I was probably drunk, as I thought this was a good place. Butttt... This is a place for diplomats or trust fund babies. Bc I was given half a martini and charged full price. And holy! These ppl get DRUNK. But they definitely got drunk beforehand and stumbled in. So the karaoke is good, when drunk. Drink beforehand. And THEN the bartender tried to mansplain what a martini is. Ha. Ok, blonde man babe. It's 2 Oz of vodka and...I stopped him. I'm upset. It's good the customer will always be wrong here. So come drunk. Cuz this ain't the place to get drunk.

Brian F.

Yelp
Wednesday 4:35 pm. Bar was very busy. The young beautiful bartender was doing her best to keep up with all the customers. She was doing a wonderful job, keeping up with all of the patrons at the bar. She even handled an irate customer very carefully. He was going on and on about spending several hundred dollars when his friends get here but it seemed like he was just desperate for her attention. Either way she was very cordial and professional when dealing with him. When he left I noticed he only left a dollar.... So much for spending several hundreds. He gave off LDE but the bartender was amazing. I'll be back just for her!
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Michele S.

Yelp
We stopped in because we wanted to get a quick bite- we asked if we added more veggies to our burgers if there was an extra charge ( the prices on the menu are already expensive), the waitress said no but when the bill came we were charged $6 more and when we asked about it the waitress basically said oops and didn't remove the charge . The food was just ok- we asked for the salad dressing on the side but our salads came drenched. It wasn't busy so it was either the waitress doesn't listen to the customer or the cooks disregard reading special requests. I liked the vibe - I recommend going in for watching sports and having a drink and I bet the karaoke is fun.
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Tobin H.

Yelp
My nocturnal home-away-from-home whenever I'm in town for business. Karaoke every night, great KJs, cheap drinks (if that's your thing) and a great atmosphere/vibe. If you're in the area i recommend
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Claire T.

Yelp
OK FIRST OFF.... if ur trying to just get a meal don't come here bro. Also if ur tryna have a bunch don't come here. Placed filled w sports fans. We have no silver ware still as I'm typing this. The service is ass bro like dead asss.

David C.

Yelp
Paid with my phone; dude was trying to look in my phone when I gave it to him to pay.
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Jacky C.

Yelp
Came here with a couple of friends to have a few drinks. Around 9pm, an hour before they had to close because of the new executive order (thanks Cuomo). We ordered a plate of fries because food is required to be purchased (also thanks Cuomo). They were surprisingly really good and I couldn't stop myself from consuming half of the plate. Really good drink selections. I found that they had the Left Hand Milk Stout and ordered that without hesitation. Would come back again!
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Sabrina P.

Yelp
I live in the neighborhood so I've been here 2-3 times, and it gets the job done. Would typically give this a 4-star review given the amount of times I have been here, but going with 3 this time around as I was here this past week and the service was so slow and unattentive. I had to flag down the waiter by waiting by the cashier and walking around just trying to find someone, anyone who worked there so that we could leave. Unfortunately, a disappointing experience.

J N.

Yelp
Football Sunday could not have been better! We were immediately greeted by a very welcoming host David. No better place to be for Bottomless Brunch mimosas, sports-intellectual clientele, and Sunday brunch. Our meal was exceptional, and every plate we saw coming from the kitchen looked to-die-for. And excellent staff, most excellent service, friendly and professional. HUGE Shout out to bartender EMMY; you exemplify perfection, and we are so grateful for you very awesome service! You gave us an awesome day!

Robert B.

Yelp
Wednesday 4:30pm. Not many people at all. Bartender (blonde female) was incredibly excited to keep up with her nonsensical convo with the regulars who were probably there since opening, but not so much with doing her job. Yup. Nobody else at bar but me and took almost 10 minutes for her zero personality to order a drink. It was like bizarro world. Want another drink? I guess the four other people who cycled through the back of the bar couldn't care less either. Got one more, the check, and texted the other 7 guys from work who were going to meet me here for food and drinks. Guess these jokers can afford to let several hundred dollars walk out the door. Stay classy Cornerstone. We will just go around the corner and have a good time. And to be clear, the $1.05 I left you for the tip was definitely not for the hospitality, but rather I didn't want to wait for the change. Ugh....
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Mark S.

Yelp
Found this place by accident as the original target was packed. Cozy setting, lots of TVs, (more on that later) the bartender and staff were polite and very helpful. The place gets bigger as you wander around ( ok , look for the bathroom) with 3 levels and outdoor seating as well. We split a Buffalo Chicken sammy with carmelized onions, yummy! Good vibes from the staff and regulars, including but not limited to, a 6'5' guy in drag wandering up to the bar and nobody seemed to bat an eye! Lots of specials and entertainment, our go to place Midtown on the East Side ( about 2 blocks from the UN)
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Julie F.

Yelp
This is a good spot to grab food and drinks on a weekend and watch sports without having to wait in line forever. The Buffalo chicken sandwich is massive (could feed two people) and really good and our server was super attentive and friendly. There's quite a bit of space between the main bar area, upstairs + back room, and outdoor seating so good for bigger groups, plus there are enough TVs to view from pretty much any table inside. We didn't order brunch but it's a really good deal for bottomless mimosas or bloody Mary's ($20 + entree). Good neighborhood spot if you're in the Midtown East area.
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Bryhan A.

Yelp
Nice late night bar. Good cocktails, cheap drinks and actually pretty good food. I even came for happy hour and liked the sliders they had for like $3.
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Sara M.

Yelp
Great service, good food! Came here for Sunday brunch and I would say it's pretty good. There's a lot of other options in the area but this one seemed the most no-frill. Portion sizes are pretty big and the drinks were good too
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Sherilyn D.

Yelp
My go-to, always has been and always will be. I love singing karaoke and playing trivia there and really enjoy all the friends I have made there. Shoutout to Corey and Will!
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Nora F.

Yelp
It's a good place to go for some snacks and karaoke after. The food was ok but our waitress was wonderful! She also could sing very well. I came here with my friend after our evening event at Lotte. We decided to share a quesadilla. She ordered some truffle fries. I tried a bit of both and didn't finish the food. We were there for less than an hour. While waiting for Uber the bouncer told me that the karaoke session was about to start. What? I can sing here too? Cool! Now that I know about karaoke here I can come and sing anytime. Well, not really anytime. Karaoke starts after 10.

A T.

Yelp
I came in for brunch close to the 4 PM time. I asked the hostess if I could still get brunch. She said no problem and I could sit anywhere. So I talked to the bartender who pulled out his cellphone and showed me it was 4:01 PM. So they were no longer serving brunch. That is too funny to be true. I was rejected from being served? Kind of right?...on Easter Sunday no less. I don't take it personally though. There was some big Golf Masters on. I don't even know. Just felt like I was in the way of something really important! And this place had no sunlight. It just felt like I was in some hole in the wall anyway. So I went to La Cava next block down instead. Perfect and thank you!

Joe S.

Yelp
Went to the Cornerstone to watch a specific game. I arrived about 40 minutes early and inquired with the hostess as to where I should sit in order to watch that game. She stated that the entire downstairs was going to be devoted to that game and suggested I take a table in the corner. Unfortunately, the table only had a view of one tv, but that was going to be fine. Met some other fans sitting nearby, watching the same tv. Game started, and just after tipoff, the tv was changed. We asked why and it was because some other patrons had requested a different game. We all complained as we had gone where we were told to go and had waited a long time. Now, all the other seats were taken downstairs. Manager said there was nothing to be done and made no attempt to fix the situation at all. I just walked out.
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Peter M.

Yelp
3.5 stars. literally on a corner. I would say this is your average bar. had to come here because the stag's head was packed and we needed a table for a group asap. you know, don't want any people complaining about the wait for craft beer (which btw is perfectly logical). decent $6 drafts and bottle specials, but lacking the selection of stag's head. on the plus side, they do show some ball games on reasonably sized screens. nachos were pretty good. average buffalo wings. but please consider the circumstances of my review given that a) I didn't really want to be here (lack of craft brews) and b) my dfs lineup failed me that night! has pretty stiff competition now that Clinton beer hall has opened next door. and again, stag's head...
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Jessica L.

Yelp
Very popular place for happy hour, expect a very packed bar. Fun vibe if you're looking for a lot of energy from a crowded bar.

Stacy F.

Yelp
If you want to feel like you are just taking up space, go here. I was hit to move from a table to the bar and it was rude another server came to correct the request apologize. Then I said I would leave and they acted like it was a victory.
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Chris W.

Yelp
Very strange experience here. We were served drinks that were clearly not made with the called alcohol. Casamigo drinks tasted like rubbing alcohol. Other tequila drinks tasted like they were made with watermelon vodka? We asked the bartender about these issues but he was dismissive. The manager came over and said she was sorry it was our "opinion" the liquor we were served did not taste right. She was gaslighting us. They are clearly filling top shelf bottles with plastic bottle quality spirits. I go to a lot of bars and will never go back here. Stay away!
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Thomas G.

Yelp
Excellent service. Good prices. We just had beer and nachos cheese. I have to have a certain number of characters to post this otherwise u can't post it. Here I go. Here's another and another

Marianne B.

Yelp
Really bad food and no healthy choices. Service person was very nice, but salads were really bad. A "Greek Salad" with no Feta cheese and about 4 tiny tomatoes, just really underwhelming.
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Scott T.

Yelp
Great little corner bar with an upstairs and a downstairs, solid drink menu and tasty food. Came here to watch the KU vs. Syracuse game while here on business--this is listed as an official gathering spot the the Univ. of Kansas games--and ended up sitting at the bar with several Syracuse fans (I'm the Jayhawk...) and had a great evening chatting with those folks. Fellow basketball enthusiasts, we got on fine in spite of cheering on opposing teams. Bartenders were just right, service was spot on and I felt like they were attentive without being overly so. Whoever trained the young ladies, job well done. Can't say I was the greatest customer: single pint of Guinness and their hummus plate which was loaded with pita and carrots & celery which was more than I could put away. No complaints. For a really bustling area of town the place has a homey feel to it. The clientele seems to be relaxed and reasonably normal. ie., not guys in suits getting hammered and bragging about making their sales goals, something I've experienced enough of in the city over the years. Recommended for a nice night out for drinks and casual dining if you like a sports bar kind of experience. Thanks, Cornerstone. Had a great visit.
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Emily S.

Yelp
Truffle fries were awesome! Wine was good but pretty small portions :/ nice, covid safe outdoor seating!
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Chenée T.

Yelp
Great place in midtown that's the right mix of casual lunch place but also time to go out and drink and catch up with friends place. I was in town on a brief trip to the city and this was near the hotel, so I went twice. The waitresses were super helpful and chatty and welcoming which is rare in NYC! They were so attentive. Lunch prices were pretty standard for a meal in NYC and the chicken wrap and fries that I ordered were tasty and super filling. The tavern also has Karaoke every night so if you're in the mood for belting out songs at the top of your lungs while drunk, you're in luck! Would definitely recommend this low key pub!
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Monica A.

Yelp
Perfect happy hour bar to meet friends and enjoy delicious food with their happy hour drinks. The waitress was so accommodating since happy hour was ending soon she nicely brought us extra beverages to enjoy the happy hour price. The spinach dip was my fav!
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Lanni L.

Yelp
This is a great local bar. Great for corporate or residents. The specials are a no brainer and the vibe is fun. There is an upstairs that seems to host karaoke aficionados. Over all, come here for some fun!
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Natalia S.

Yelp
One word-MULE!!!! Get.the.mules. I literally just come here to drink and I only ever drink the Mules. Of you haven't already picked up on it-I'm a huge fan. I enjoy the atmosphere, it's great to see all the usually uptight, white-collar workers laying back and throwing back some drinks. It's a great place to network as well once the conversations start rolling or the drinks start coming, whichever comes first for you. All in all, bar is pretty solid. I could see myself being a regular whenever I'm in the city.
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Tony R.

Yelp
I've been here more times than I can count and finally came around to giving it a review. In all honesty this is your run-of-the-mill midtown bar, with below average service and always noisy. Prices are reasonable and I always end up here because it is so close to work and home. I may be wrong but I think they are affiliated with the Stag's Head (next door) with very similar menus. Great place to grab a quick drink and/or catch a game (lots of TVs) but nothing to rave about.
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Zachary M.

Yelp
Fun environment, solid cocktails, best beer deal in the area, and excellent fries. Only been here once but look forward to going back.
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Sheila R.

Yelp
This review is for outside early lunch on the weekend. They are pet friendly, so we were able to take the family and the dog on a nice summer day. Our server was super friendly and attentive. We ordered the veggie burger and chicken sandwiches. Both were great and fries were very good. It wasn't a long wait for food. Overall, a pleasant lunch. We'll be back.
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Jennifer L.

Yelp
This review is for trivia night upstairs! The servers were quick and attentive. . .especially Stephanie. They had cheap bud light specials but also plenty other choices on draft and in bottles. It was a fun vibe and a good number of available tables although they filled up quickly.
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Hannah M.

Yelp
This place definitely met expectations but didn't blow me away - came for Wednesday trivia night (begins at 8:00pm) last night. I'm not sure if it's a daily special or just on Wednesdays, but Bud Lights were $1 until midnight and were actually served cold and in glasses. It's a pretty hard-to-beat deal. Other drinks were priced pretty typical by Manhattan standards. The trivia was pretty challenging and categories ranged from literature, sports, art, etc. There are four rounds and you basically assign a point value to each of the four questions in a round (for the first two rounds for instance: 1, 3, 5 or 7) depending on how confident you are with your answer. There were a few special event type parts, like at one point they handed out sheets with 10 pictures from different movies and you had to identify the movie. I would have preferred less sports trivia but that's totally just me and my complete lack of knowledge in that area. The crowd was pleasant and friendly and the worker reading the questions was funny and entertaining. It was definitely a positive vibe. The bar was a little cramped but honestly not as bad as I would have expected. After the trivia ended around 10:30 or so the bar started karaoke. I would definitely come back in a heartbeat for a fun, cheap, and easy trivia night. I think between the three of us we maybe spent $15 total. Next time I'll be sure to bring along a guy who knows sports so I don't come in dead last again LOL. 1 star off for pretty dirty and unkempt restrooms. To quote my boyfriend after I commented that he was so fast there was no way he could have washed his hands: "Are you kidding? My hands were the cleanest thing in there!" Note: the bar has a $20 minimum on cards. Either bring cash or split a tab with your friends.

Assel T.

Yelp
I'm so glad this bar is still able to operate during Covid. This kitchen is American typical kitchen. It was outdoor. I had a brunch burger, and my husband got chicken and waffle sandwich. His food was good. Mine is not well, because of unsalted and fat free meat.

Sidney G.

Yelp
Showed up for a casual beer around after dinner and was denied entry. ID scanner said we were 17 however my friends and I are 23 years old and have valid proof/license. Bouncer was rude and unwilling to listen to us as well as the so called "manager" that looked no older than us. Unfortunate. Will never return.
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Zachary A.

Yelp
This review is for 3.5 stars. They have trivia which is a plus. Wednesday night and goes from 8-10:30. Upstairs only and plenty of TVs to pass the time if you're losing. Free WiFi and good beer specials like $1 bud light if you're into the macro. Service is horrible and you need to yell to get the attention of bartenders who ignore half the bar. For regular beer they had few ipa and few locals but mostly macro. $8 max for good high abv beer though which is solid. Food wasn't very good. Beyond burger was way over cooked and pretzel bun was stale. Chips and dip were good but bar food at most and nothing to write home about. If it want for trivia I don't think I would ever have come here but because of the trivia (and karaoke every night) seems like a passable neighborhood spot.