Beer Town Is an Oasis Hidden Inside a Generic Midtown Deli

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 posts 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.

Last week, while drinking on Lucy’s rooftop and taking in the scenery that is TGI Friday’s, my friend Nina noticed an obnoxiously large ad on top of Roastown Coffee for Beer Town. A sports bar located on the second floor of a “healthy food bar?” Sounded like Midtown Lunch material to me!

Upon entering Roastown, it was not evident that a bar existed inside. In fact, I was so doubtful, I almost turned back around; that is, until I stumbled into a poster in the stairway alluding to beer upstairs.

Lined with flat screen televisions, tables for eating your downstairs deli grub and a decent-sized bar, I quickly became acquainted with a local – Chris. Apparently, just like my photos, this place is still hidden enough where it doesn’t get packed. Pro if you are like me and enjoy personal attention from the bartender (Jenny was mine), as well as quick, friendly service. Con, if you’re like some of my male and female companions who go to happy hour hoping to meet a love interest.

The only gripe I had with this place was the not-so-well-stocked bar.

Touting itself as a sports bar with a “dirty boy” special, I expected a larger beer selection (this place is called BEER Town, right?), and well, a “dirty boy” (which for those of you who don’t know know is Blue Moon topped with Guinness). Jenny did compromise though and created a comparable “dirty boy” utilizing Shock Top as a Blue Moon substitute – which ended up as a big win.

All in all, this is a great spot to come solo or with a crew. You’ve got inexpensive deli food downstairs, happy hour all day and room to breath, what more could you want with a happy hour spot?

Happy hour (subject o change) is all day, every day and includes $3 domestic and $5 imports.

Beer Town, 267 W 34th St. (btwn 7th & 8th Ave)

6 Comments

  • It’s not hidden when the banner on the outside is covering the whole building…

  • That screams MLHH.

  • Wow, I was sitting on Lucy’s rooftop 2 days ago (with a beergarita), saw the huge banner, also didn’t figure a bar would be in there (no windows?) so I didn’t check it out.

    Couple of questions: Are Shock Top and Blue Moon (accurately) considered $3 domestics? And how much was the dirty boy? That looks like a seriously nice pour! (Bonus points for anyone who can specifically answer why the Guinness floats on top–just saying “it’s lighter” doesn’t count!)

  • Easy -pour it last, slowly, down the side, and it isn’t dense enough to go under the Stock Top.

    That said, I could see taking the place over for a MLHH.

  • If you asked a bartender in Ireland to pour anything into a Guinness, he would throw you out on your arse.

  • Stopped in to Beertown pre-Rangers game Saturday. Pretty comfortable, good selection of beers. The only $e beers are all pisswater, tho: bud, coors, lite. But nice $5 options. Biggest tease was the Keegan’s Mother’s Milk–they haven’t served it for months but the tap handle was still there! :( That crushed me.

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