Midtown Lunch

If 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.

Mamacita’s Journal: Day 1266

My quest for the ultimate NYC burger and beer special carries on. I had received promising intel regarding Van Diemens on 3rd Ave. (btw. 27+28th). Word on the street was VD gives you two for one on Tuesdays, plus two for one drinks as well. This pleased me, for like a bird, Mamacita cannot fly on one wing alone. I called in some back up and we headed over for an in depth investigation.

The main floor has a lengthy bar and dining seating, while the second floor is set in dimmer lighting and tailored more towards private parties. The music on the night I visited was mostly New Wave hits and the patrons were your average casually dressed locals. Food and drink specials run all week, but I was here to take advantage of the best one: Two for Tuesdays!

The beers on the two for one are only Bud and Coors Light and since life is too short for light beer, I suggest you opt for the well drinks or the house wines.

My rum and cokes rang up to $7 and a regular priced Sam Adams draft was $6. Two burgers came to $10.

My medium rare patty came exactly as ordered and bled delicious fatty juices on to the plate creating a dipping sauce for the hand cut, herb-peppered fries.

VD uses only fresh ground beef and the meat patty was thick and proved to be a mouthful to handle. Inside were red onion ribbons, and a forgettable slice of tomato and a leaf of lettuce. Harpooned through the top of the soft sesame bun was an abnormally large salty pickle. I’ll dare say this is up there with some of the best burgers I’ve had in this price range. Blarney Stone, you may have to up your game!

The Plus + (What someone who likes this place would say)

• Do the math: 2 for 1 well drinks means $3.50 a drink!
• Great service, laid back atmosphere
• Enormous burgers and fresh cut fries
• Tuesday burger special runs till 11pm

The Minus – (What someone who dislikes this place would say)

• Happy hour does not include good draft beer
• A bit of a trek for workers in Midtown proper
• Van Diemans claims to be an Australian pub but looks like an neon clad sports bar

Van Diemens, 383 3rd Ave, (btw. 27/28th St,) 212.532.1123