When one
thinks of historic drinking establishments with character in New York City
Chumley's is sure to come to mind. In 1948 Simon de Beauvoir stated in America
Day by Day "The room is square, absolutely simple, with little tables set
against the walls which are decorated with old book jackets. It has that thing
rare in America: An Atmosphere!"
That is
for sure. Since 1922 Chumley's has had a atmosphere. And at times a lot more
than that. Chumley's was a speakeasy during Prohibition. It had a number of
exits and a pretty funky front door to hold off the cops when they came to raid
the place. The taps are along the back wall of the bar, so that a curtain could
be pulled over them.
Chumley's
has been a place to have a pint and let your creative juices flow for the likes
of Ernest Hemingway, e.e. cummings, F. Scott Fitzgerald, etc. The walls are decorated
with the dust covers of it's patron's books. For those folks that have been
around long enough to have heard the expression "eighty-six it",
Chumley's is where it came from.
Chumley's
has some of the freshest beer I have ever tasted. It rivals McSorley's for
sure. They have some 22 beers on tap. Their Iron Heart Stout is incredible as
well as their Honey Lager, they also have a great bitter. You can't go wrong
with a beer at Chumley's. If you go for lunch on Saturday you can get a burger
with everything you want on it, (I mean everything) with fries and a beer for
$13.00. That is a steal for NYC.
Chumley's
is located at 86 Bedford in the in New Yorks City's West Village and has no
sign, just as it has never has had a sign. Have fun finding it.
