Josh G.
Yelp
If the thought of putting hops into a glass of milk and downing the thing makes you cringe, then you're not alone. I mean, when you walk into this uniquely different beer spot, no one will actually suggest this to you (unless there's some experimental brew that's currently the craze). Nay, what you'll find at Milk & Hops is plenty of satisfying suds and some items that definitely fall into dairy.
I found this out firsthand when my girlfriend and one of my buddies visited my sister by her new digs down in Chelsea. Unbeknownst to my sibling, this place was almost right up the block from her apartment. It's a good thing I don't live near it because I'd be the Duke in a week! Why? Beer! Oh the beer.
You see, Milk & Hops takes the concept/idea of wine and cheese and alters it by offering alcohol of the ale and lager variety. We walked into this small yet comfortable spot to find ten beers on tap. They were a nice array of styles all from craft breweries, several within the boroughs of NYC (Shout out to Finback and Grimm). My beer of choice hailed from a LIC location, Fifth Hammer (Royalty Racket DIPA) while my buddy also grabbed a NY brew from Peekskill Brewery (You Had to Be There Coffee Stout).
If things stopped here, I'd probably still rate the place as awesome, but what makes M&H unique is the ability to grab a can from the multiple fridge doors and have them pop it open and pour it right there for you (the ladies chose this path). Beyond the taps, this can give you almost endless possibilities for drinkage. Plus, if you do happen to live nearby, they sell cans and bottles (and growlers for what's on tap) to go. It's like a beverage distributor that you can casually drink at!
So, why 4 stars after such glory? Well, technically we only indulged in half of what Milk & Hops has to offer (no cheese consumption took place). I checked out what was available and definitely had interest, but no one else was really feeling cheesiness (or looking to buy a small piece of something that wasn't entirely cheap). The other tiny piece was the staff. Hey, nobody was really rude or unfriendly, but those that worked there seemed to be doing their own thing. For a place of bodacious beer variety, I guess I expected some slightly more outgoing individuals.
But overall, this Milk & Hops is totally a beer haven of the Chelsea area (there's several other locations, FYI). By giving you terrific taps and an option to buy cans and bottles to drink there or later in the privacy of your abode, Milk & Hops has enough originality to rise above most bars. Throw in the opportunity for some interesting dairy as a sidekick and that should knock out any slight problems, making a final star totally possible (perhaps with future visits of the sister). So for now, join me in feeling safe knowing that your glass of milk will stay hop free when you're here (phew).