Midtown Lunch

If you like to eat, chances are you like to drink (read: a lot of you are freakin’ lushes), so I thought maybe it was time to introduce a happy hour column to the site. Every week, our Happy Hour Correspondent “Mamacita” will post about a different bar in Midtown that fits the Midtown Lunch mentality: unhealthy food, not lame (unless it’s lame in a cool way), and most importantly… cheap.

You’d have to be a blind drunk not to notice the multitude of Irish pubs in Midtown. There’s practically one on every corner and most of them do not rise up above the fray to distinguish themselves as a great ML hangout. This week we continue the Irish theme with Clancy’s Pub and Restaurant. Though I will make no claims that this is not just another generic pub, what did lure us in was a good happy hour that lasted till 8pm, where most on this block ended at 7pm.

Starting at 5pm through 8pm Clancy’s has changing drink specials, like $5 cosmos, apple-tinis and bottles of Bud, Amstel and Heineken. Well drinks were regular price at $5, but came with a good pour. A Guinness ($7) comes in a proper Imperial pint (20 ounces). Our bartender was a shy, rosy-cheeked Irish boy that eventually agreed to a photo for the ML ladies.

He was even kind enough to give us the rare 10-minute warning that happy hour was about to end. I can’t remember the last time a bartender was that considerate. The atmosphere was very mellow on the night we went. The bar was half full and most of the crowd seemed to be regulars. The food tends to be pretty typical of an Irish pub and sadly most lunch and all dinner options are out of the ML price range. Burgers and sandwiches run from $8-12, with entrees in the teens. However they do have an assortment of late night menu items like chicken fingers, satay chicken and spring rolls ($8) to mozzarella sticks ($7) and smoked salmon ($11). I can’t say any of these are a good deal or amazing. In fact a look at the whole menu proves to be nothing outside of the same ordinary pub grub you see duplicated throughout midtown.

Seems like Clancy’s is a bigger draw for their drinks and many large plasma screens providing coverage of all Irish sporting events and some American and European events. I could see myself coming here for a pint and to watch some football.. err.. I mean soccer, but probably not for dinner.

THE +

• It’s a longer happy hour than most bars in this area, so even if you are working late you can still score a cheap drink before the commute
• Late night menu for those with the munchies
• Good pours on the mixed drinks
• Bartenders are sweet and not too bad on the eyes

THE –

• All in all with such an excess of Irish bars in the area you might find another one that is just as good
• No solid happy hour, it changes every day and that is frustrating if you like a stable bar to have your usual drink at
• Menu is uninspired just like every other Irish pub, many boring American dishes (burgers, tuna melts, chicken wraps) with your typical Irish additions (fish and chips, shepherd’s pie)

Clancy’s, 978 Second Ave, 212-755-8383