They seem to change the items listed on the menu from time to time, but here’s an example of some of the deals you’ll find. (make sure you’re sitting down for these, which I’m assuming you are unless you enjoy standing while surfing the net)

$1 Oysters and Clams

$1.95
Blackened Fish Taco
French Fried Potatoes w/ Truffle Butter
Spinach and Artichoke Dip

$2.95 (by far the craziest deal here)
1/2lb Cheeseburger and fries

$3.95
Buffalo Wings
Mac and Cheese w/ Bacon and Chipotle
Garlic Knots w/ Marinara Sauce
Red Curry Steamed Mussels w/ Tomato Concasse and Basil Chiffonade

$4.95
Peel and Eat Shrimp
Spicy Ahi Tuna Roll w/ Soy Sauce, Wasabi and Pickled Ginger
Chicken BBQ sliders w/ Cajun Chips

Full Happy Hour Menu

I know you are saying to yourself, “Self, how could a fine restaurant like this, serve a gourmet 1/2lb cheeseburger with fries for $2.95?!” All I can say is it’s true. You just have to spend at least $3.50 on drinks to get the food!

The only issue is there’s not any great drink deals during the happy hour. You can definitely get a beer, and have an early dinner all for around $10.

Here’s the weekly $5 drink deals:
Apple Martinis – Monday
Well Drinks – Tuesday
Blue Moon – Wednesday
Glass of Wine of the Day – Thursday

All I can say is get there early if you want a table, it fills up fast.

Cherin Sushi is one of my favorite sushi places in NYC. I was turned on to this place by my girlfriend who is a sushi-holic like myself. Located in the East Village (306 E 6th Street just off 2nd ave.), you’ll be hard pressed to find a sushi deal like this. If you go before 8pm, you can get 3 rolls for $9.95 or 4 rolls for $11.95. The selection of rolls includes almost all of the rolls on their menu. Be warned, they are on the smaller side, but that’s just because they don’t use a ton of rice which I consider to be a good thing. It allows you to really taste all the ingredients and not struggle to fit it in your mouth. If you go at a time without the deal, the rolls are still really cheap. Check out the menu here.

If that’s not a big enough draw to get you in there, did I mention it’s also BYOB? If you want super cheap wine, take the NRQW down to 8th street where the stop lets you off at a wine warehouse with outlandishly low prices. For the beer lovers, the bodega on the corner of 2nd ave and 6th street has a nice selection of craft beers to choose from.

The one and only downside to Cherin is their reservation policy; there really isn’t one. You can call up and make a reservation, but I’ve shown up before 10 minutes before my reservation only to find a packed house with groups already waiting to be seated. Make sure that if you call they actually take your name down, then you’ll at least have some power to try to get seated before the  walk-ins. Most of the time though, getting there before 8pm you’ll be OK.

So give it a shot if you’re a sushi fan, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

The one I’d like to start with has become one of my recent favorites: Dogfish Head 90-minute IPA.

It has a definite hoppy flavor and aroma to it, but it’s not overpoweringly bitter. At 9% ABV and 90 IBUs, you’d expect it to be alot rougher to drink. It is extremely complex, yet perfectly balanced. This is a great beer to have with a burger or a steak, not something you’d want with a fish or lighter style dish.

Here’s what they have to say about it on the Dogfish site:

“Esquire Magazine calls our 90 Minute IPA., “perhaps the best I.P.A. in America.” An Imperial I.P.A. brewed to be savored from a snifter. A big beer with a great malt backbone that stands up to the extreme hopping rate.

90 Minute IPA was our first continually-hopped beer, which is a method of hopping that allows for a pungent, but not crushing hop flavor. Since introducing the world to the continual-hopping method with our 90 Minute IPA, we’ve since released a continually-hopped 60 Minute IPA, 120 Minute IPA and even a 75 Minute IPA (a cask-conditioned blend of 60 & 90 Minute IPAs).

In addition to the continual-hopping 90 Minute IPA receives during the boil, we also utilize our ‘Me So Hoppy’ device to dry-hop the beer during conditioning (check it out in the video below).”

Overall, I give this beer a rating of 9/10. It’s absolutely delicious. I suggest you go buy a 4-pack immediately.

The Stumble Inn, located on the Upper East Side on 76th and 2nd Ave, is one of my favorite places for cheap drinks, good food, and lots of HDTV’s. It’s a fairly big bar for the area, and unless there’s a huge game on, even on a Friday or Saturday night, you won’t be stuffed in there like sardines. The main draw for this bar, as well as its sister bars (Down the Hatch, Off the Wagon, Gin Mill and Jake’s Dilemma) are the drink deals. The other bars have similar deals, but the below ones are specific to Stumble Inn.

Happy Hour Monday – Friday
11:30 am — 7 pm
Whole Bar 1/2 Price

Monday — Friday
11:30 am til 4 pm
Free Draft Beer Or Soda With Any Stuffed Burger

Monday 7 pm til Close
$1.00 Drafts  &  $8.00 Pitchers $4.00 Stella & Sam Light Bottles

Tuesday 7 pm til Close
$4.00 You Call It: Mixed Drinks, Drafts, Bottles, & Shots

Wednesday 7 pm til Close
Ladies Night
$2.00 Pints
$8.00 & $12.00 Pitchers
$3 Shots Of Soco Lime & Lemon Drops For Everyone

Thursday 7 pm til Close
$12.00 Domestic Buckets Of Beer (5) and 1/2 Price Bombs

Saturday 11:30 am til 7 pm
Whole Bar 1/2 Price

Sunday 11:30 am til Close
All Beer 1/2 Price

They also have REALLY good bar food. The best of the best are their Stuffed Burgers, served with either french fries, onion rings, or ridiculous tater tots. The burgers are super juicy and stuffed with such things as cheese, peppers, onions and bacon. A must have if you are getting something other than appetizers.

So if you’re looking for some good deals or some good ‘ole fashioned day drinking, hit up the Stumble Inn.

It’s located on the second floor, near gate 230. You can’t miss the pretentious bouncer standing outside with velvet ropes and an earpiece, keeping out the riff-raff. Once you walk inside, you’ll completely forget that you’re in an outdated bus terminal in midtown Manhattan and think you entered a chic LA nightclub. The decor is super trendy, with mood lighting, good music and cocktail waitresses. They have a dress code, so make sure you’re not wearing super baggy clothes, ripped up jeans, or headgear (they made me take my hat off).

Everything about the place was enjoyable. They had a good system for scoring, music videos playing on screens above you, good waitress service, etc. They have a full bar available, albeit a bit pricey. Food is available with a decent selection of items you’d find at a bowling alley but with a slightly gourmet twist. Most are priced around $9-10 each. For the prices they charge however, they serve everything on cheap black plastic plates with plastic forks and knives, which tarnishes the upscale feel.

They have some deals depending on the time, day of the week, or if you’re with a big group. I went on Saturday afternoon, when they have an amazing deal all day. For a minimum of 4 people, you get 2 hours of bowling, shoe rental, a beer tower (11 pints which normally costs $55) and it includes taxes, all for $29 a person. What you are getting is well worth it.

Compared to other bowling alleys I’ve been to in NYC (Lucky Strike Lanes for example), Leisure Time is just as nice and just as fun. The upside is if you can score a deal, it will be alot cheaper than the other choices. Give it a shot.

As you read through this blog, you’ll notice a trend. I love beer. And I love it even more, when I find a great bar with an even BETTER selection of beer. I recently found out that the owner of Lansdowne Road (another bar with a nice beer selection over on 10th Ave.), opened up a bar called, The Pony Bar. It’s located on the corner of 45th and 10th Ave.  They specialize in American Craft beers, and you’ll find a thirst quenching 20 of these on tap, including 2 fresh, hand-drawn cask ales. The best part about it? All the beers are $5. That’s right, $5. Most are served in their 14oz. blue label glass. Other specialty & high ABV beers are served in their 8 oz. red label pony glass.

The website always lists what is on tap, in real time. Check it out here.

The atmosphere is laid back and casual, with none of the usual “frat-boy” fare you’ll often find in other bars in the city. There’s not alot of seating, but the tables are big, and you can always jump on the end and make new friends. The bartenders are nice, and can answer your questions about the beers on tap, should any arise. Another cool perk? Join their “All American” club. When you go in, ask for a score sheet, and each time you have a beer, write the name and rate it. Once you hit 100 beers, you get a free shirt! They even keep the sheet on file, so you don’t have to worry about running home to get it before you go.

There’s food to be had, including some gourmet sandwiches, cheese plates and homemade potato chips. Everything is under $10 bucks, so you’ll have extra cash left over for another beer. If you’re looking for the typical pub fare of nachos and wings, look elsewhere.

Overall, I highly recommend The Pony Bar for anyone looking to try some absolutely delicious, usually locally brewed beers, in a casual environment.

You’ll see more posts from me about other beer bars that I visit, so check back if you want to find out where the best beer is flowing in the NYC area.

So sit back. Relax. And enjoy the ride. (no flash photography please)