SPOTLIGHT ON NEW YORK CITY: UWS E’S BAR
When I think “dive bar,” my feet get stuck to the floor and the smell of a fraternity house basement wafts through my nose’s memory banks. Immediately after, I think of the comfortable, relaxed environment, the engaging bartenders, the delicious food, and the never-ending supply of awesome music. And then I smile. Through my years of living in NYC, I have yearned for a place “where everybody knows my name.” A place I can come solo or with a gaggle of friends and still have the time of my life. I have found my haven in NYC’s Upper West Side e’s BAR. And though it enchantingly encompasses all the elements we love about the typical local watering hole, there is nothing “dive” about my new favorite joint (including the very aesthetically pleasing staff).
The brainchild of Erin Bellard and Ethan Hunt, e’s BAR is just what the neighborhood ordered, and what every neighborhood should order ASAP. Cheerfully nestled in the 80’s and Amsterdam Avenue, e’s BAR is perfectly designed with pops of color, sticker graffiti, and even Polaroids of the patrons that add warmth to an already cozy ambiance. Add in great signature cocktails, reasonably priced drafts and fabulous eats, and you have a winner! With its addictively casual, yet upscale atmosphere and eclectic mix of patrons all socializing beautifully, e’s Bar is the place you want to go to every night of the week.
The bartenders not only serve delicious cocktails, but they do so with a smile and often witty, side-splitting banter. Classic tunes pour out of the jukebox in the corner while bar-goers indulge in their own version of karaoke (no, I swear that is never me). The menu noshes are mouthwatering—Chef Paul
Gerard nailed the burger—and arrive faster than expected. My challenge for you once you arrive is to find the bathroom doors. Hopefully it won’t take you nearly as long as it took me. Once you do, you will be pleasantly surprised at the size and cleanliness of the loo.
Check them out for New Year’s Eve this year—they are planning fun-filled, no cover charge festivities to ring in 2016!
e’s BAR
511 Amsterdam Ave
between 84/85 streets
New York, NY 10024
Twitter & IG: @ebarnyc
WHO TO LOOK FOR WHEN YOU ARRIVE:
Marc or Shawn
WHO IS GOING TO WHIP UP A KILLER DRINK FOR YOU BEHIND THE BAR:
Ralph, Eric, Dan, John, or Rachel
HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS:
$8 Marc’s Sangria, $6 Shiner Bock, $8 ½ pound baby ribs, $7 per glass of wine, $8 e’s cocktails, $7 well drinks
BONUS:
Old-school board games (think drunken Jenga, Scrabble, and Cards Against Humanity)