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.

Like many great journalistic endeavors, ML began with a mission statement, “Finding Lunch in the Food Wasteland that is NYC’s Midtown.” This being the case I dare you to find me a better example of all we stand against then the flashing, glittering, craptastic nexus of overpriced tourist eye candy mediocrity that is Times Square. Seriously, it’s enough to drive a girl to drink. And drink I did! The new TSQ caught my eye and so did their happy hour, so I dived in.

The former Maxie’s Delicatessen recently renovated and is now strutting its new neon signage as TSQ Brasserie. Meat n’ potatoes have been transformed to steak frites. So you get the French accent and the corresponding price increase. A roasted chicken sandwich will run you $19 and a burger will pick your pocket to the tune of $16 bucks. That ain’t how we roll at Midtown Lunch.

However, TSQ redeems itself with its all day happy hour. $3 domestic drafts include Blue Moon, Brooklyn Lager, Stella, Sam Adams, Bud and Coors.

$4 well drinks are served by a lovely bartender who didn’t mind sharing stories and advice to a couple of tourists who had sadly just had their bags stolen at a previous bar.

Is it legitimately a happy hour if it runs almost 24/7? That’s a fool’s question, any time is a good time when drinks are cheap and the glasses are clean. I feel dirty saying it, but there are worse places to find yourself then at TSQ after work. As the bartender rightly noted, “We have the cheapest happy hour in Times Square” and I’m not one to argue with a blonde serving me drinks.

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

• The all day happy hour is about as good as it gets in Times Square
• Talkative, friendly bartender
• Excellent people-watcing opportunities: There are two floors with clear views of bustling crowds

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

• The bar is small so claim a seat fast (there is an second floor bar, but it’s only open during full capacity nights)
• Filled with mostly tourists
• No affordable bar food

TSQ Brasserie, 723 7th Ave at 48th St, (212-398-1118)