The space - designed by the team behind Penny Farthing and Corner Social - is stunning, with exposed brick walls, antiques salvaged from an old mansion in North Carolina and a high, mirrored ceiling dripping with exposed Edison bulbs. The best place to sit is in the back corner, where a wraparound red leather banquette offers a cozy spot to people-watch (or canoodle) while you eat. Of course, getting a table might not be easy. At 7 PM. on a Thursday night, the place was packed with an after-work drinking crowd, and there was a wait just to sit down at the bar. We imagine it's even harder to squeeze in on the weekends.
While the focus here is definitely drinking - and maybe watching the game while you're at it - there's also a decent menu of American pub food, including burgers, diver-seared scallops with bacon, wild mushroom risotto and steamed mussels. The burger - which we'd recommend ordering with Irish cheddar - is simple but classic, and comes with a side of some of the best French fries we've had recently (seriously). Crispy and herbed to perfection, those fries were the highlight of our meal.
Important to note: if you enjoy '90s music in addition to the East 90s bar scene, this is your place. During our evening there, we heard everything from "Everybody" by Backstreet Boys to "Don't Speak" by No Doubt, with some Notorious B.I.G., Sugar Ray and Spice Girls thrown in for good measure. Given the overall trendy vibe, the music felt out of place at first, but we have to say - we left with some ideas for our next karaoke venture.
The Details: 1679 Third Ave. (94th St.); 212-289-2005