As we noted last week, there are a ton of World Cup specials in the city, so finding a drink or food deal isn’t the hardest part of watching the games at bars. The real difficulty comes in finding a spot that isn’t too crowded (or too empty, for that matter), creating the right atmosphere for watching the games with friends. There are plenty of secret gems, but today we’ll focus on one in the Upper East Side - Merrion Square.
Last weekend Lauren invited me to watch the US v England game at Merrion Square, and while I only made it for the tail end of the game, I was impressed with the bar. I wouldn’t have ventured up to 95th if she wasn’t already there, and as with Manny’s on Second, Merrion Square is hidden by the mess made from all of the subway construction. But I guess that’s sort of the best part. You only go there if you know about it already since it’s not likely that you’d stumble upon it or even see the bar facade a block or two away.
What I liked about it (besides the awesome skee ball machine and pool table) was the general atmosphere of the bar. A casual sports pub (I know, not exactly a rarity) run by a staff predominantly from Ireland (with those wonderful Irish accents). It was perfectly crowded, making it a fun place to watch the game, and yet I could still reach the bar and get a drink in under 5 minutes.
I was also happily surprised by their food and drink specials that are available on a regular basis, not just during the World Cup. Happy Hour runs from 4-7 pm on Monday - Wednesday and 10:30 am - 7 pm on Thursday and Friday, which means you can get domestic bottles for $3, import bottles for $3.50, drafts for $4 and wine and well liquor for $4. The South Hampton Alt bier is $3 all day, every day, and happy hour continues on Thursdays from 7 pm - 4 am with half-priced Brooklyn draft beers. Additionally, during the game on Saturday there were three beers available for under $4, including Yuengling drafts for $3.50.
On to the food: Lunch specials start at $6 (Thursday and Friday only) and every time you purchase a beer, you can get a free burger with it! This free-burger-with-a-drink deal rivals Crocodile Lounge’s free-pizza-with-a-drink deal, and from what I’ve heard about the quality of the food, Merrion Square is the clear winner. From the burgers to the salads, Lauren is a big fan of the food at Merrion Square, making this little neighborhood bar even that much more appealing.
So whether you’re looking to catch the World Cup games at a great spot or you’re low on cash and want cheap drink specials (and/or a free burger), then mosey on over to Merrion Square for a good time.
