Midtown Lunch

If you like to eat, chances are you like to drink (read: a lot of you are freakin’ lushes), so every Friday afternoon 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.

A good thing can sometimes be found in an unexpected place. Commenter Adam told me about Pasta Lovers’  1/2 off special over a month ago (on 49th btw. 6+7th), but I hesitated because it smacked of an over priced, generic red-sauce Italian joint. However Pasta Lovers’ time has finally come and this week I spent a lazy afternoon taking full advantage of their happy hour, enjoying some conversation with strangers -and a cute bartender!

Pasta Lovers’ bar is located to the right immediately as you first enter, with some waiting room seating to the left and the dinning section further to the back. I’m a fan of this arrangement. It avoids the awkward moments when you need to cross a full restaurant only to explain to the waitresses that, no, you’re only there to grab a drink.

The bar itself is smallish, but the seating is comfortable and the sunlight pouring through the front glass made for a relaxing vibe. There’s no denying the fact you’re still in the office district and you’ll be chatting it up with businessmen and the local workforce.

Happy hour is 5 to 8pm with 1/2 off house wine, beers and well drinks making all drinks under $5. While there are no draft beers, the bottle selection includes both domestic and import and should satisfy most drinkers: Bud, Stella, Amstel, Corona.. etc. My Corona with lime came to $4.50 $3.50, not the best deal in midtown but not bad either. The full menu is available at the bar, though most pasta dishes are on the pricy side. If you are so inclined, the personal pizzas start at $10 and make for a serviceable snack to split with a friend while catching the game on the bar’s flat screens. I didn’t bother to check out the dining section and why would you, everything you need is cold and refreshing at the bar, and best of all, available till 8pm. Grab a seat early and settle in!

The + (What someone who likes this place would say)

• Great bartender
• I like my bars to be just a bar and not part of a fancy dinning area
• No matter what happy hour drink you order everything falls under $5!
• Extra long happy hour (till 8pm) means even you work late you can still take advantage of the deal before catching a train home

The – (What someone who dislikes this place would say)

• The bar seating is limited
• I don’t like bottled beer. I prefer microbrews and Guinness on draft
• If only the pizza’s or pasta dishes were just a little less. Add a bar snack menu Pasta Lovers

Pasta Lovers, 142 West 49th Street (btw 6th/7th), (212) 819-1155‎