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Where to Eat n’ Watch Uptown - NYC |
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Where to Eat n’ Watch Uptown - NYC February 19th, 2013
Every restaurant with a bar stool has a flat screen TV these days, but that doesn’t mean it’s a proper place to watch a game. You want be sure you can catch a glimpse of the match-up you’re looking for without resorting to fisticuffs—or having to check your taste buds at the door. Here are a few places on the Upper West Side where the sports fan and the foodie can be friends.
My newest fave is Five Lamps Tavern on 106th and Broadway. It’s airplane hangar huge with sidewalk seating out front and a beer garden out back that has me itching for spring. There are plenty of TVs to keep rabid fans from body-slamming their neighbors, the beer selection makes my beer snob friends smile, and the wine list is a surprise hit—sometimes even to the folks in charge. (Last visit, there was a run on the Riesling, but now that the wine lust is out of the bag, the manager promised to order accordingly henceforth.) The menu has something tasty for everyone, from chicken wings to a chicken breast sandwich with a balsamic drizzle that should make chicken sandwiches everywhere shrivel up in shame. Yes, there really is a five lantern lamp in the entryway. Yes, there are drink specials during games. No, Paul Revere is not tending bar.
2756 Broadway (106th St. & Broadway) (212) 663–0592
Mon - Wed: 11:30 am - 2:00 am Thu - Sat: 11:30 am - 4:00 am Sun: 11:30 am - 2:00 am
A little further downtown there’s Ditch Plains on 82nd at Columbus. It’s named after a Long Island beach and has an upscale fish shack feel that goes hand and hang ten with the ocean-sized space. There’s a steady stream of surfer flicks on at the bar, but there’s never a problem getting a sportscast on at game time. The staff’s always happy to show folks around their craft beer list, and like all the Benchmarc restaurants, Ditch has a special deal for wine lovers. No wine is served by the glass, but the half-bottles and bottles they have instead have the good sense to be high-quality and reasonably-priced. Lobster fans will want to check out their Sunday special and lobster roll. I’m partial to their Big Marc burger with spiked ketchup (with vodka and Sriracha), but I’ve seen folks mooning over the mac and cheese. Don’t let the stroller corral scare you away. There’s room enough for everybody. And salt water taffy after dinner if you behave.
100 West 82nd St. (Columbus Ave.) (212) 362-4815 Open 7 days a week 11am to 12am Breakfast + Lunch served until 4pm 7 days
St. James’ Gate is an old school Irish pub with a newfangled sense of style. On Amsterdam and 81nd, with its dim lights and candlelit tables it makes a snuggly date place. Just enough TVs to keep a discreet eye on the score without forgetting your companion entirely. The beer selection is on the skimpy, but as my beer-loving friend likes to remind me, when you pour a great pint of Guinness, you don’t need anything else. In winter the hot specialty drinks are a delicious way to defrost. But the food is the real surprise here. Try the Celtic Onion Soup and the Traditional Irish Beef & Guinness Stew. It comes with its own shot of the black and white! Yes, the accents are real. And the stairs to the rest rooms are steep. Hold on tight.
441 Amsterdam Avenue (at 81st St.) (212) 362-6202 Hours: Daily, 11am-4am
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