Warren 77

When you think of sports bars you usually imagine cheap beer and heavy male dominated clientele. You rarely think of a sports bar owned by a dude that actually plays professional sports. Welcome to Warren 77 owned by probably the most hated man in the NHL Sean Avery.

Not just any sports bar with loud sound systems and flat draft beer, this Tribeca establishment takes cool to a new level. They decor is vintage (but classic) action shots from American sports history. Pull up to the reverse "L" shaped bar and check out their menu. I recommend the mussels and friends, which you can kind of see being made through this tiny window that just exposes the the chef's head making it look like he is trapped behind a wall with only a stove. Once you see it, you will understand exactly what I mean.
What really makes Avery's bar cool, other than the decor, furniture, food.....is the sit down 2 player Pacman machine. I have been dying to have one of these in my home for the last 14 years. It is the single greatest video game machine out there including a screen that flips when it is your friends turn as well as a built in cup holder for your beer. These things cost at a minimum $2,000 so I don't see one making it's way to my apartment anytime soon. The sit down Pacman has several other games but we know the little yellow dude is the only one that matters.

Make Warren 77 your next stop when you are trying to find a cool place to watch a game.

Warren 77

77 Warren St

New York, NY 10007
(212) 227-8994
http://www.warren77nyc.com/

dell'anima

Located in the heart of the West Village, this establishment is located just off Eighth Avenue and a stone's throw (assuming you didn't play soccer growing up) from Corner's Bistro which we all know as the most famous burger joint in the Big Apple. Be sure to have a reservation because even though dell'anima is relatively new, it has quickly become a hot spot and it's limited seating space makes walk-in dining essentially impossible. Partially owned by a former professional athlete & Ivy League grad (sup Joey B) the clientele is usually quite chic.

My recommendation is to get there about 10 minutes before your meal so you can have a drink at the bar which will be to your right as you enter. Also, as mentioned with the limited seating your reservation is almost never right on time so plan on a few glasses of wine while you wait. This is a great date spot although I don't recommend it as a first date spot because the menu is relatively complex and personally I think a place this nice for a first date is relatively cliche. Regardless of your purpose for dining the food is still delicious. If available, I like the bar to the back left where you can sit facing the 5 ft x 5ft kitchen and watch all the meals be prepared. I enjoyed the delicious Skirt Steak braised endive marmalata, salsa verde, orange, mint.

Good wine, better food, best ambiance makes for a delightful night out. It was my birthday on my most recent trip so that doesn't hurt the good time either.

dell'anima
38 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10014-1803
(212) 366-6633
http://www.dellanima.com/

Ace Bar

Skee ball is probably the best arcade game out there. Throw that in the mix with a dive bar that serves dirt cheap PBR and I'm good to go. Ace Bar has more than just skee ball to attract dumb guys like my friends and me. They have pool tables and a trio of Buckhunter machines.

Some of the so called "dive bars" in NYC are contrived and try too hard to be a dive. Ultimately resulting in an attitude that contradicts the entire premise of a dive bar. This East Village hang out stays true to it's roots with cheap specials and acting host to a skee ball league. My first venture at Ace Bar was a Sunday in the Spring and we left a perfectly sunny day to enter this very dark establishment only to return to pitch dark about 5 hours later.

I had heard plenty of this place but had to try it out myself and was pleasantly surprised. Go find Ace Bar for yourself and enjoy your PBR with a side of skee ball. Don't forget to check out the lunch box collection either.

Ace Bar
531 E 5th St
New York, NY 10009
(212) 979-8476
http://www.acebar.com/

Hill Country Barbecue Market

A famous man (really not famous) once said, "If I had three hands I'd kill myself." This man was referring to his passion for eating when a large delicious meal was siting in front of him. I love this man and owe him a lot so I wanted to start off mentioning DJU. He would love Hill Country in the Flatiron section of the city. See exhibit A to the right.

This eatery is ideal for gluttonous groups of men with big appetites. Before you get by the lady with the rope (once you go you'll know what I mean, right Gresh?), you have to decide whether the entire group is going to order from the menu or go with the All You Can Eat menu. What kind of sick challenge of manhood is this for six 28 year old former college athlete meat heads? Obvi AYCE was our decision. Upstairs seems like the place to be at first glance but the basement is where it's at. Long wooden tables make for the family style eating environment. At the end of the long room is a small stage where they have live music which I'm told brings some pretty good honky tonk acts. We saw no live music as it was a Fall Monday evening so football was on the big screen.

You MUST order the green bean casserole, the baked beans and the mac 'n' cheese. The corn bread is delicious too. Now, for the main platter it has chicken, huge ribs & my favorite, the brisket. Buckets of PBR went well with the meal as well. I walked out of there a good 10 pounds heavier. You really couldn't drink that much beer if you were planning on going to business on the food.

I had never heard of Hill Country, but I highly recommend you find this place for yourself and treat yourself to a night of guilty pleasures.

Hill Country Barbecue Market
30 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10010-2062
(212) 255-4544
http://www.hillcountryny.com/