New Yorkers- recommendations please

[mcspanner]

Hi, my best mate from Norther Ireland is visiting your city for a few days for the marathon. He'd like to experience some non touristy venues and is looking for ideas. So think "off the beaten track" not "might end up in the trunk of someone's car" and if you know any hidden gems let me know and I'll pass them on. Cheers.

 

[Kirkwooder]

Tell him to forget about the city altogether! Nothing there to see but crack heads and concrete. Upstate New York is where it's at. Absolutely beautiful scenery and a ton of craft breweries popping up every where. From the Hudson Valley to the Finger Lakes there is no place better on earth!

 

[mcspanner]

That sounds great, however your proposal is lightly outside of the brief. I'll pass on your recommendation but suspect he might reject it on grounds of practicality. Cheers!

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Your friend really shouldn't be from Northern Ireland. Why can't he be from Possom Cornhole Flats Arkansas? Now THATS the place to hail from!

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

The city is an incredibly safe place.Youll have no issues.Incredibly friendly too,contrary to the stereotype. If your doing a once in a lifetime type trip from Ireland Im not sure why you wouldn't want to hit some touristy type stuff,but The village is where I would go for some cool vibe bars and bands.When you get sick of paying top dollar for every beer $8 to $10 each.Go to Rudy's bar for $8-$10 pichers.By far the cheapest beer in NYC.I like the The Irish bars in the city,but Id think your buddy is looking to get as far away from that as possible

 

[mcspanner]

Your friend really shouldn't be from Northern Ireland. Why can't he be from Possom Cornhole Flats Arkansas? Now THATS the place to hail from!

He said he'll move there so he has a better back story next time.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

He said he'll move there so he has a better back story next time.

Wise man!

All saltiness aside, I like the village idea. Take a walk down St. Mark's place and be sure to hit the yakitori joint (or the dollar a slice pizza place if you are really drunk). Be sure to say hello to my ex-girlfriend.

Also, you didn't mention if either of you are foodies...

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Is Chinatown too close to touristy for you? If not, be sure to have lunch at least at Great New York Noodle Town on Bowery and Christie. Seriously, everything on the menu is killer, and you may understand why so many of us live in New York .

 

[mcspanner]

The city is an incredibly safe place.Youll have no issues.Incredibly friendly too,contrary to the stereotype. If your doing a once in a lifetime type trip from Ireland Im not sure why you wouldn't want to hit some touristy type stuff,but The village is where I would go for some cool vibe bars and bands.When you get sick of paying top dollar for every beer $8 to $10 each.Go to Rudy's bar for $8-$10 pichers.By far the cheapest beer in NYC.I like the The Irish bars in the city,but Id think your buddy is looking to get as far away from that as possible

Cheers, I've shared your suggestion and he said thanks. Is it this place? http://www.rudysbarnyc.com

As to why not do touristy stuff, I think because it's not once in a lifetime- he's been once before and is pretty much just there for the marathon and a little local flavour. He's like me (and I know this sounds clichéd) we'd rather be travellers than tourists.

Some of my best nights have been turning up in a strange town or country and walking the backstreets until I stumble on somewhere with no sign outside but music, laughter and conversation streaming out the door. It doesn't happen very often but when it does getting some small taste of a place in that sense is worth a million trips where you only see what everyone else with a tourist guide gets to see.

 

[mcspanner]

Wise man!



All saltiness aside, I like the village idea. Take a walk down St. Mark's place and be sure to hit the yakitori joint (or the dollar a slice pizza place if you are really drunk). Be sure to say hello to my ex-girlfriend.



Also, you didn't mention if either of you are foodies...

Both foodies, just a shame I'm not there too. He's just messaged me about some amazing falafel he found actually.

The American craft beer selection we get in the UK is quite limited so I expect he'll be trying to source some good beers (although probably not until after running on Sunday).

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Cheers, I've shared your suggestion and he said thanks. Is it this place? http://www.rudysbarnyc.com

As to why not do touristy stuff, I think because it's not once in a lifetime- he's been once before and is pretty much just there for the marathon and a little local flavour. He's like me (and I know this sounds clichéd) we'd rather be travellers than tourists.

Some of my best nights have been turning up in a strange town or country and walking the backstreets until I stumble on somewhere with no sign outside but music, laughter and conversation streaming out the door. It doesn't happen very often but when it does getting some small taste of a place in that sense is worth a million trips where you only see what everyone else with a tourist guide gets to see.

That's the place!! Duct tape booths cheap beer and a free hotdog .How can you say no
You could also try Mcsorleys.Two beers light and dark.They serve them 5 pints at a time in one hand.It was the last gentlemens club in NYS,they kept that sort of rustic vibe to it

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Oh and if he likes video games, wings, and craft beer have him check out Barcade in the village as well. If he isn't into arcade games the beer wont make up for that though...

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

If you need a cheap hotel look into the Riverside hotel(upper west side I think) $110 a night nothing in the city comes close to that cheap.Probably sold out though.Its a bed and a Sh*tter and nothing more.But for a late night crash out its perfect.

 

[mcspanner]

So proud of his achievement View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1446402309.340323.jpg thanks for the advice guys !

 

[whovous]

Both foodies, just a shame I'm not there too. He's just messaged me about some amazing falafel he found actually.

The American craft beer selection we get in the UK is quite limited so I expect he'll be trying to source some good beers (although probably not until after running on Sunday).

He should install the Craft Beer New York app on his smartphone:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=craft.beer.ny for Android, or,
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/craft-beer-new-york/id566523286?ls=1&mt=8 for the iPhone.

He does NOT need to have a US SIM card or data plan for it to work, as smart phone GPS is independent of data. I use their London app all the time. It makes finding craft beer absurdly easy, wherever you may be in NYC. It covers pubs, bottle stores, and breweries over an extremely wide area around the City, and not just the five boroughs.

 

[mcspanner]

He should install the Craft Beer New York app on his smartphone:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=craft.beer.ny for Android, or,

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/craft-beer-new-york/id566523286?ls=1&mt=8 for the iPhone.



He does NOT need to have a US SIM card or data plan for it to work, as smart phone GPS is independent of data. I use their London app all the time. It makes finding craft beer absurdly easy, wherever you may be in NYC. It covers pubs, bottle stores, and breweries over an extremely wide area around the City, and not just the five boroughs.

Cheers - he'll be on it tonight no doubt!

 

[IanJ]

If it's not too late, tell him to stop by Other Half Brewery (in Brooklyn), it's off the beaten path - though it can get crowded and the tasting room is small. But they do have great IPA's (but no food).

Some other great beer bars to look up (in Manhattan): Blind Tiger, The Pony Bar, Rattle N Hum

 

[mcspanner]

He's just messaged to say he's not far from The Pony Bar so will definitely be checking that out.