It is always hard to lose a loved one and I shed an 80 proof tear when I heard the tragic news that the Subway Inn had apparently closed. Upon hearing that reports of its death had been greatly exaggerated, I breathed a mightily sigh of relief. However, all this did give me cause to reflect on just how desolate this particular area of Midtown is, especially for one with my refined taste in drinking establishments. But ladies and gents there is one other grimy flickering light raging against that vast sea of darkness. Friends, I give you The Carriage House.

Compared to its surroundings Carriage House has the charisma of a dark alley and that’s just the way we like it. Straddled by Bloomberg and Bloomingdale, and surrounded by designer furniture shops you almost certainly can’t afford, sits this humble Irish pub. No gilded chandeliers illuminates her, just the dim track lighting, jukebox glow, and an old yellow sign above the bar reading “Wines Beer Cafe Liquor.”

The pub dates all the way back to 1895 and was once one of the original Blarney Stones. Its incarnation as Carriage House began in 1992 and despite the fake pearls before real swine approach of the local establishments Carriage is not an artisanal, oenophile, ironic, retro…whatever lounge. No, this is a bar with all the common comforts you’d expect in your local watering hole like a pin ball machine, dart board, cigar-store Indian (al la Bull Moose Saloon) and yes, a pool table plus just enough TVs to satiate those in need of a football fix.

Though after hours are usually filled with local employees grabbing a burger and beer, day drinkers include your staple senior citizen soaking up some suds.

Weekly drink specials lean towards the saccharine sweet, like ‘raspberry beret’s for $5, and ‘soco lime’ or ‘apple bottom’ shots at $4. Regular happy hour is Monday to Friday, 3pm-7pm and later 12am-3am, with $1 off all drinks, and $3.50 pints of Bud and Bud Light.

Long story short, for the imbiber this part of town is a dessert and the watering holes are few and far between -with the ones you can trust even further. The Carriage House is one of them. Plus, if you warm up your seat long enough a sweet bartender might treat you to a tipple on the house.

THE + (what someone who likes this bar might say)

• An island in a sea of suckitude
• All the drinking entertainment a guy could ask for: pool table, darts, pin ball and sports TV
• Easy going and unpretentious crowd
• Standard pub grub

THE – (what someone who dislikes this bar might say)

• $3.50 Bud is a special??
• Of the 2, I’d pick Subway Inn
• I already spend too much time around here for work, I rather head downtown

Carriage House, 219 E 59th St., (btw. 2nd/3rd Ave.) (212) 838-9464

I have already written a ton on Chiyoda, not only about the actual store on 41st, but also about their super fantastic online bento ordering service, and their “delivery guy” who sells them on the street (50th St. btw. 6+7th) during lunch.  Well, Katagiri is now the third place in the area you can buy Chiyoda stuff, and is a great option for anyone working on the Upper west hand corner of Midtown.

Photos after the jump…

Because it is just a kiosk, the selection is obviously not going to be as large as Chiyoda itself, but they have some pretty tasty options…

The day I was there they had all sorts of goodies, ranging from tofu salad and soba noodle salad to tempura, sushi bento boxes and the fancy little sashimi boxes that set the actual store on 41st apart from its Japanese neighbors.  Some things can be a little pricey, but if you are looking for a higher quality of Japanese bentos, it is worth it.

For a complete +/-, check out the Original Post on Chiyoda… with two extra minuses:

• A lot of the food is not made on premise, so it’s not going to be as fresh as what you get at the Chiyoda on 41st. 
• The selection is not going to be as large.   

Other then that, it’s a keeper!

Chiyoda Sushi inside Katagiri Japanese Market, 224 E. 59th St. (btw. 2+3rd), 212-755-3556