Midtown Lunch

Since we (OK, I) don’t do a happy hour segment on the site, I don’t go to very many of the drinking establishments downtown. This is kind of a shame since we have some very dirty and very classy places that are probably serving good food. A few of these bars do lunch specials that fall in the ML price range and I also kind of forget about them unless I happen to repeatedly walk by a signboard advertising a decent lunch special and then actually go check it out. This was how I ended up at Jim Brady’s on Maiden Lane (btw. William & Gold). The bar specials had called out to me too many times to resist.

It’s weirdly difficult to find a bar in the Financial District that not only serves things like fish and chips, but does so under the $10 mark. Jim Brady’s has four bar lunch specials that you are required to eat at the bar. No take out is allowed, and I know this because I once tried to get the deal to go and was denied. So, a friend and I perched ourselves at the bar among the many middle-aged businessmen (seriously, we were the only two women in the place besides the host).

I went for the fish & chips ($9.95) and my friend got the shepherd’s pie ($9.95). I should have been tipped off of things to come when the bartender who took my order confirmed that I wanted the “bar portion.” That, my friends, is called foreshadowing.

What I got was a very artful plate of one piece of fish and some chips…and salad. I’m not sure greens have any place on a plate with greasy fish and potatoes. The good news is that the fish was pretty good, as were the chips. They weren’t all mushy like fat fries sometimes are.

My friend reported that the shepherds pie was pretty good and mostly consisted of a ground beef stew of sorts and some mashed potatoes on top. This is for those of you who don’t like your comfort food sullied with vegetables. It looked like it was maybe more filling than the fish. I saw the bartender carry a burger by and that looked like it may be the best value at $8.95.

If you’re looking to go eat in a somewhat classy bar you could do worse, but I was a little saddened by the portion size. You might also want to stick to water if you’re set on spending around $10. I almost choked when I saw that the soda I ordered cost a ridiculous $3. At that price you might as well just have a beer.

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

• It’s nice to eat in a classy bar for lunch every once in a while.
• They have fish and chips for under $10 – a FiDi rarity.

THE — (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• The portions are what you might call skimpy.
• $3 for a fountain soda?!
• I don’t like having to sit at a bar with a bunch of dudes to eat my lunch.

Jim Brady’s, 75 Maiden Lane (btw. William & Gold), (212) 425-1300