Hibernia Brings The Pub, But Not the Grub On This Visit
f you like to eat, chances are you like to drink (read: a lot of you are freakin’ lushes), so 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.
I’ve often passed Hibernia Bar and Grill and noticed the bustling of people and the hum of conversations that seem to lend to a comfortable friendly atmosphere. With the end of warm summer days upon us, I felt it was time I took advantage of their sidewalk patio while I still could to sample their daily food and drink specials. That’s right people, hit up those roof decks, patios and beer gardens while you still can!
Hibernia started off a venture involving three friends: Sean and Aidan, who worked at Scruffy Duffy’s, and Mark who was tending next door at Kevin St. James. When both businesses failed closed, the unemployed threesome banded together and used their combined 30 years of bartending experience to start their own bar. Since 2008 they’ve been adding to the Irish flavor of the Hell’s Kitchen bar scene.
Happy hour is from 12 till 7pm. Drink specials change, so make sure to ask what is the deal of the day. On the night I visited Sam Adams, Yuengling and Coors were the chosen drafts for $4 a pint.
All the glass doors were open to the front patio and the cool Fall breeze encouraged groups to smoke outside and enjoy glass after glass while watching the commuters go by like busy ants.
Large flat-screen TVs line every wall. Western Pennsylvanians take note: This is a proud Steelers Bar and if the memorabilia doesn’t give it away the devoted game nights throughout the season surely will.
The dart board has its own hub of men gathered around it while oddly to the left corner of the bar there is an antique postal lock box with peoples names handwritten on in the individual boxes. Do regulars get their mail forwarded here?! If so, sign me up I’m sold.
Hibernia has rotating food specials that run all day, on this Thursday the two that caught my eye were sliders with chips or three tacos for $6. The Latina in me focused on the tacos but it turns out they were only soft shell tacos with ground beef. Excuse me if I decline, I’d rather hit Taco Bell for my cheap Americanized Mexican.
I went with the sliders and you would expect when you order sliders with ‘chips’ in an Irish bar that you’d get what us Yanks call fries. Sadly that wasn’t true. I receive two little burger-lets with a handful of generic potato chips.
The meat was more then well done, and so dry I had a sneaking suspicion they had reheated it in the microwave along with the slice of American cheese. The bun was not toasted and verging on stale.
I was hungry, so I did something I never do. I added a big pour of ketchup all over it to help me get it down- and I don’t even like ketchup! Just a couple of avenues over at Smith’s Bar you can get delicious slider with flavorful fries not potato chips. Sadly, the chips were not touched and most of the bun was removed. Though this meal disappointed they have a lunch discount running right now with 25% off your bill that may be worth taking advantage of for some of their everyday menu items.
The Plus + (What someone who likes this place would say)
- Daily drink & food deals
- Steelers fan? Prime game-day destination
- Small patio area is ideal for people watchers and smokers
The Minus – (What someone who dislikes this place would say)
- Sliders are a complete waste, doesn’t bode well for the full burgers
- Small bar means get there early if you hope to grab any seat in the house
- Screw the Steelers!!
Hibernia Bar and Grill, 401 W 50th St (btw. 9/10th ave), (212) 969-9703
Posted by Mamacita at 3:00 pm, September 24th, 2010 under Midtown Happy Hour.
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The red haired waitress looks like she has a large tree growing out of her shirt.