Of course, no Manhattan dive round-up would be complete without the good old Blarney Cove on East 14th.
At the Blarney Cove, old men hook their canes to the lip at the edge of the bar before taking their seats. One of those old guys says “ha-ha” and “ha-ha-ha,” not laughing, just saying "ha." And if you're lucky, you might overhear a mature lady explaining to another gray-haired fella all about her dear mother’s “nice pair of tits.”
The Cove has a rough-and-tumble reputation, but it's a friendly place. The second time I ever sat at the bar, Matty the bartender asked me if I wanted “the usual.” Since I’d only been there once before, I figured he had me confused with someone else, but he knew exactly what I wanted and how I wanted it. After my second drink, he bought me one on the house. The Cove knows how to keep their customers.
They also put out a fine Christmas spread, so pencil it in to your calendars and get ready for some holiday cheer.
What's your favorite dive?
What movie was filmed inside there?
ReplyDeleteI know I have seen a movie where they shot a couple of scenes inside there but my mind is drawing a blank right now.
This makes me want to go there right now (as I'm typing this, it's near 8 am -- opening time!).
ReplyDeleteThe BC is on my top-10 list...the Holiday...Grassroots...Sophie's..Mars Bar...Joe's...the P&G...A lot depends on the time and day.
How about the Distinguished Wakamba Lounge on 8th Ave around 38th or 39th Street? It gets my vote for best name.
ReplyDeletei love the wakamba. used to be my after-work place long ago.
ReplyDeleteBrook's line up last week nailed it. He should print it up and hand out to tourists....ugh, maybe not...
ReplyDeleteNot sure if Otto's counts as a dive but that's my main spot. I've never been to BC but I spend a lot of time on this block, tentatively one of my favorites in EV.
ReplyDeleteYou also can't fuck with Lucy's.
The Blarney Cove is a great old hole in the wall. From what I understand it's relatively sedate nowadays but my dad (who grew up in Stuyvesant Town in the sixties) would always regale me with stories of how the place was a total bloodbath back in the day. Upon showing him a recent photo of the place he mentioned the exterior (and I suppose the interior, too) hasn't changed an iota since he was raising hell down there forty years ago, which in and of itself makes this place a precious diamond in the rough. I really need to get my ass down there to see it for myself.
ReplyDeleteI don't drink that much, but when I do, this is one of the three places I go.
ReplyDeleteOttos used to be one of the ones I liked (live music, not horrible prices, not so crowded), but they instituted a policy of scanning your drivers license upon entry, which I cannot tolerate.