Midtown Happy Hour: 1 2 3 Burger Shot Beer

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.

Midtown Happy Hour 1 2 3 Burger Shot Beer

1 2 3, Burger, Shot, Beer is out of bounds for anyone in Midtown East, but if you work on the Westside this is a popular spot to meet up with friends and enjoy one dollar mini burgers, two dollar mixed shots and you guessed it -three buck beers. The bar attracts a few local suits and neighborhood regulars but mostly younger bar-hoppers looking to get trashed and watch a game on the many large flat screens.

When navigating this bar it’s important to note the pricey things to avoid. First, steer clear of the shots. It’s a thimble sized shot and only comes in their pre-mixed girly drinks: Kamikaze, Lemon Drop, DoMeAgain, Screaming Orgasm… etc. Not worth it. I wouldn’t mess around with the $3 beers either- instead go with the Beer Tube! For $30.00 you get more bang for your buck plus it just seems right given the bright neon décor and cheap greasy food you will devour. In addition, it’s a hoot to see the petite Asian bartender (or any of their barely legal wait staff) fill up this huge beast.

That photo is after the jump…

Midtown Happy Hour 1 2 3 Burger Shot Beer

The mini burgers are better than White Castle but just as small, meaning you’ll need more than three (the minimum order) to fill up if you are hungry. The waffle fries and fried ravioli ($3) are just what you’d expect: greasy, crispy, salty, good. This is just what you need when taking down that enormous beer bong.

Midtown Happy Hour 1 2 3 Burger Shot Beer

1 2 3 also gets pretty packed. I scored a seat at the bar with my friends, so if you are that lucky just go hog wild and order more food than you think you want- chances are it will end up being just the right amount. With all the beer and drink pouring you’ll need that booze ballast!

Midtown Happy Hour 1 2 3 Burger Shot Beer

The thing with a lot of these gimmicky sport bar and grills is the they can often get packed with an obnoxious amount of people and the specials they offer never turn out to be what you hoped. 1 2 3 is similar in that respect. After a few drinks and cheap food you might think you scored, but when the fumes dissipate you realize you spent as much as you would have at any Midtown bar. Cocktail prices are reduced from 11am – 8pm, but you don’t get much. During happy hour $5-6 gets you a mixed drink, but if you miss the window a top shelf drink is going to cost you $8 to 9 dollars.

I came out of 1 2 3 thinking how much fun and cheap everything was, but when I really look back I realize everything came in small bites and pints and that’s is the way to trick a patron into buying more yet thinking they are swallowing less. All things considered- if you add in the $3 fries plus the 3+ burgers it can end up being just as pricey as a regular grill.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

  • Obviously $1 burgers, $2 shots, $3 beers plus a happy hour on cocktails
  • Lively atmosphere with many TV screens to watch the game
  • Back garden during the warmer months

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place will say)

  • Loud crowds and standing room only at times
  • Nasty sweet shots
  • You end up paying about the same for food in the end as you would at another place

1 2 3 Burger, Shot, Beer, 738 10th Ave (btw. 50+51st), 212-315-0123

Photos and post by Mamacita

17 Comments

  • I’ve got to point out one thing, I was there last week for Funday Sunday and we had the place basically to ourselves but that’s besides the point. My group was debating if the Beer tube is really “worth” it and our conclusion was NO.

    $3 beers are served in 10oz glasses
    $30 beer tube is 100oz

    So you end up paying for the ‘coolness’ factor of the beer tube(which on occasion I’m totally pro Beer Tube), but unless you can get your group to decide on one beer, I’d say go with individual glasses b/c they definitely have some decent beers on draft.

    P.S. go for the sweet potato fries, they have some amazing seasoning with a little bit of spice. Yummy!

  • I like the way the bartendress is handling that beer schlong

    Her small hands make it look even more threatening

  • buying more yet thinking they are swallowing less

    My work here is done.

  • How exactly do you drink the Beer Bong ? Do you put it on the floor ?

  • It is not technically a “Beer Bong” per se…Beer Tower would be more accurate. There is a tap (like on a water cooler) at the bottom where you can pour your own drafts. It typically is placed in the middle of ones table.

  • BenBen, the beer schlong has a small tap at the bottom. I don’t like them because the beer doesn’t stay cold.

  • This valiant knight is ready to assault the Beer Tower and vanquish its contents in order to rescue the imprisoned Maidien With The Small Hands

  • Wayne ……perter gabriel lyrics?….impressed

  • 1,2,3 but the douchebags are free.

  • Speaking of douchbags…
    Third pic, rear left : Bobby Flay drinks alone

  • I definitely agree that the $3 beers are more cost efficient than the $30 tube, the tube does not fill up as many glasses as it appears. They do offer a decent select of beers although the glasses are small.

    The deliciousness of those little burgers needs to be emphasized. They are the real reason I love this place, though the crowd is pretty terrible. The sweet potato fries are also quite good.

    Another point worth mentioning, the waitresses here basically wear black underwear… which is sometimes fun and sometimes not so much, depending on her BMI.

  • leave it to fressa to work some jewish accounting magic on the beer schlong

  • Wayne, what exactly is wrong with drinking alone?

  • It should be added that the bartenders were as nice as they are pretty. They were really attentive and you didn’t have to fight to get their attention.

  • tried to make this a regular haunt, but a couple of problems came up, so haven’t been since last year. first, place takes itself way too seriously with its “no hats” rule; it doesn’t do a thing to prevent the fratty atmosphere. also, only managers were empowered / knew how to change the channel on the tvs which often resulted in lengthy delays seeing the requested game. waitstaff generally friendly, pleasing eye candy.

  • Waffle fries…to confuse the fry theif

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    1 2 3 is great for cheap happy hour, but when you don’t feel like hanging out with the Frat boys that never grew up I wouldn’t go here. I did recently discover the happy hour at Brasserie Cognac. They serve 2 for 1 beer and wine from 5 to 7pm everyday. The food is on the expensive side, but sooo delicisous

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