Located at 119 West 45th Street inside of the Merrion Row Hotel, the Merrion Row Public House is a small bar/restaurant just beyond the main lobby area on the first floor.  The beer selection offers a mix of imports and American craft beers, while the food menu includes Irish and American cuisine.  The layout and look is vastly different from many of the other Irish pubs in the immediate area.  An overall solid spot that we look forward to returning on our next NYC pub crawl through the neighborhood.

Located at 9 East 45th Street in Midtown Manhattan, MJ Smith’s picks up where Eamonn’s left off.  We found MJ Smith’s a visual upgrade of Eamonn’s, the former inhabitant of the space.  The layout is generally the same with a long bar in front and a small dining area in back.  The beer selection was slightly underwhelming, as it could have been similar to what you’d find in a midtown pub circa 2002 (ie, not many craft beer selections).  Still, the staff is friendly and the food menu looked intriguing.  MJ Smith’s is a good spot for after-work drinks or if you “miss” your metro-north train at nearby Grand Central Terminal.

Located at 45 West 45th Street in Midtown Manhattan, Valerie is a bi-level contemporary and spacious cocktail bar.   This is a great spot to visit for after-work drinks or if you want to impress some friends from out of town.  The cocktail offerings include both classics and intriguing house concoctions.  We look forward to returning here on our next bar crawl through the area.