We learned that a new spot called Social House is opening for business today, August 23, on Manhattan’s Upper West Side; located at 447 Amsterdam Avenue (between 81st and 82nd Streets). Social House looks like it’s half bar / half restaurant. We hope to visit Social House soon and have a review of it posted shortly thereafter. Here’s hoping that Social House will fit into one of the many Upper West Side themed NYC bar crawls!
All posts by deronc
A visit to SingleCut Brewery in Astoria, Queens
Located at 19-33 37th Street in Astoria, Singlecut brewery consists of a sizeable taproom area, along with the brewery in the back of the building. During our visit, the taproom offered ten of their own beers, most of which are named after famed guitarists. The taproom is open Wednesday through Sunday and tours are available on Saturday (3pm and 5pm) and Sunday (4pm). If you’re taking the N train to get to Singlecut, you will have nearly a mile-long walk from the Ditmars Blvd station. But don’t be discouraged. This brewery is worth going out of your way for.
A review of Brooklyn Crab in Red Hook, Brooklyn
Located at 24 Reed Street in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Crab isn’t really a bar (though it has a sizeable bar area), but we had such a great experience there, we want to review it anyway. In the good weather, Brooklyn Crab is a summertime, outdoor 3-level seafood restaurant/bar. It’s really not something you expect to find in Red Hook. Brooklyn Crab has several different sections, including two bars, two outdoor seating areas and a mini-golf course in back! The beer selection is so-so, but let’s face it, you’re not coming here for the beer selection, you’re coming here to eat. Do yourself a favor, when you’re done at Ikea/Fairway, get thee to Brooklyn Crab. Heck, you don’t even need Ikea/Fairway as an excuse to visit Brooklyn Crab. You can make it the only destination of your day.
Lake Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Next time you’re strolling along Manhattan Avenue, check out this relatively new hipster spot at 706 Manhattan Avenue.
A sunset photo for today
View of the sunset during a recent NYC pub crawl through the South Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.
The Flying Pig in Forest Hills, Queens
For a quality beer selection (36 taps of mostly craft beer!) and some gastropub fare, check out The Flying Pig at 70-28 Austin Street in Forest Hills, Queens.
A review of Lavender Lake in Brooklyn's Carroll Gardens
Located at 383 Carroll Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, Lavender Lake is another off-the-beaten path spot that you must visit. The feeling of the spot is slightly more Williamsburg than Carroll Gardens. Lavender Lake is mostly bar, but there is a small dining section as well. Also, a sizeable outdoor backyard. Beer selection is small-but-solid, with 8 quality tap beers. We look forward to returning.
NYC Bars on our to-visit list
We’ve spent a good portion of this summer exploring spots in Brooklyn and Queens and it’s been a great time. So now, we figure we need to show Manhattan a little love. Manhattan bars currently on our radar include Financial District’s Clinton Hall, Flatiron’s Flatiron Hall and East Village’s Maiden Lane. We gather that the first two are beer halls. Flatiron Hall is from the same folks behind Houston Hall. Maiden Lane takes over the spot where Life Cafe, a great East Village brunch spot, used to be. We are looking forward to visiting all three.
Seen recently outside of Racoon Lodge in Manhattan's Tribeca
A review of Open Door in Long Island City, Queens
Located at 10-09 50th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens, Open Door brings perhaps a first to NYC: a tapas/craft beer bar. Normally, tapas places are wine bars, if they are bars at all. Open Door offers nearly 20 tap beers and some offerings are from the newest that Queens has to offer, including Bridge and Tunnel, Rockaway and Singlecut. We were quite impressed at how many local offerings were available. The layout is bar in front half, dining area in back. Food offerings included a Naan pizza (think Italian-Indian fusion). This is definitely a spot we want to visit again.
