Authentic dive bars wreaking of mid 20th century charm provide me with joy and comfort. It bothers me to think that in almost 20 years of going out in the East Village I managed to surpass this gem before its renovation and upgrade to match the price tag of today’s EV drinking dens.
I am not a cocktail aficionado. If I never hear the word “mixologist” or am presented with a stupidly pretentious “cocktail programme” ever again, I would be a happy, happy lady. Growing up, cocktails were Tom Collins, Harvey Wallbangers, Long Island Iced Teas… predictable, dated standbys that made you feel a little bit special while safe in the knowledge that two more of those babies and you’re officially in drunkietown, USA. I cringe at the thought of paying $20 for a cocktail, but living in NYC means you will rarely escape this first world fate.
That being said, on a recent rainy Saturday afternoon, Timbo and dear friend Amy (fellow appreciator of all things throwback) decided to pull up a stool around the horseshoe shaped bar, under the twinkly-lit awning. We had already downed a few at Amy’s favorite Joseph Leonard, so what else was there to do but wile away the afternoon supping punch out of a giant copper pineapple?! While I enjoyed the deceptively boozy, tarty drink that kept on giving, I was more impressed with the tasteful preservation of the bar itself. It’s easy to sense that before the 2012 renovation, the floor gave off a pungent scent of matted cigarette smoke, atypical of East Village oldies. It didn’t take much to feel the nostalgia of this basement bar, when the outside world was a dicier, different place than 2018’s version.
All in all, kudos to the proprietors for retaining the simplicity of this bar and not giving into corny, modern design additions (ie mason jars and Edison bulbs) or trying to “Mad Men” up the joint. Amy was drawn to the harem-inspired mural that turned out to be discovered during renovations when the space was known as the Ali Baba Lounge. If you want to save a few bucks, head to the Holiday for happy hour M-F, or lay off the cocktails and stick to averagely-priced beers.
Ideal for: A romantic rendezvous (tuck away in the back room) or a group celebration.
Drink up: Large-format cocktails are a fun share, or kick it simple with a canned beer and take in the environment.
elbows on the table 