Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl: Saturday, November 20, 2010

MurphGuide reader Steve Grau invites you to his 10th annual Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl, which he organizes every year in honor of his friend Thomas J. Collins, who was murdered at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Saturday, November 20
Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl
The 10th Annual Hells Kitchen Benefit Pub Crawl will raise funds for the Thomas R Elsasser Fund.
$25 Donation Includes:
Your official custom made anniversary edition 2010 Hells Kitchen Pub Crawl hat
Pub ID badge (for reduced drink prices at each stop),
Full appetizer buffet at 1st stop and last stop,
Detailed map highlighting the crawl route and countless antics

New this year: At the first stop, every 10th crawler donating to the cause receives a free Guinness tee shirt. In addition, a limited number of custom made long sleeved tee shirts with the HKPC logo on the front and a list of the bars on the back will be available for purchase for $25. 100% of the proceeds from the shirts are donated to the fund in Tommy’s name.

All proceeds raised will be donated to the Thomas R Elsasser Fund in memory of Tommy Collins (9-11-01). This fund helps to support the families of firefighters who have died Non-Line of Duty due to accident or illness: ufanyc.org/funds/elsasser.php

The pub crawl will stop at 11 destinations
meeting at noon at the starting point:

Lansdowne Road
599 Tenth Ave.
(between 43rd & 44th St.)
Hell's Kitchen
(212) 239-8020
New York, NY
LansdowneRoadNYC.com


Steve did such a good job with the write-up for the crawl, that I am just going to post it here in its entirely:
OK, it’s time to get down to business. The 10th Anniversary Edition Hell’s Kitchen Pub Crawl is here. I’m going to do everyone a favor this year and keep this message to fewer than 5 pages. This year’s crawl will be making 11 stops throughout Hell’s Kitchen (or is it Chelsea North now). And if the turnout is similar to the last nine years, we should have a decent sized crowd. Once again, this year’s crawl route stretches from 43rd to 55th Streets and from 8th Ave. to 11th Ave. The early forecast calls for a nice day, so keep your fingers crossed.

Remember, there are two main goals for this crawl. First and foremost, is to have a great time (you know, the kind that goes along with a few gallons of Guinness) - and more importantly, to raise some serious money in Tommy’s name. I hoping to raise over $3,000 this year, so be sure to spread the word to all your friends. Maybe one of these days, I’ll get a website. We will be donating 100% of the proceeds raised this year to a NYC fighter fund, namely the Thomas R Elsasser Fund. This is a very popular fund for members of the FDNY. Thanks to Susie and Dan, there should be plenty of NY’s bravest on hand. For more info on the fund, click below:
http://www.ufanyc.org/funds/index.php

The UFA Thomas R. Elsasser Fund:
This fund helps to support the families of firefighters who have died Non-Line of Duty due to accident or illness

Raffles: The 50/50 raffle will be back this year, so be sure to hit the ATM before showing up. The last time we did this, someone walked away with over $600 in tax free cash.

Now, before we get to the crawl stops, how about some HK Pub Crawl trivia?

1. If you have made all 10 crawls, how many actual bar/pub stops (cumulative total) will you have made over the years?
2. Over the course of the past 10 years, how many different bars have we been to (assuming you make it to every stop this year)?
3. How many bars have made the cut every year? And which ones are they?
4. How many bars have been axed from the crawl for too lame?
5. Of all the bars in the crawl since 2001, how many are no longer is business?

If you know all the answers, maybe I’ll toss some extra shwag your way.

And now for my shameless plugs:

Remember, for all of your millinery needs be sure to visit Cha Cha’s House of Ill Repute at 68 Jay street in Dumbo (that’s in Brooklyn for you non residents). Feel free to email her at dina@chachashouse.com or you can visit www.chachashouse.com .

Also, do be kind to your bartenders on Saturday because they’re going to be kind to you (if nothing else, this little plug gets me free drinks all day).

And, as always, let me give a special thanks to the following people for their assistance in making this all possible: The Collins family, Dave Blask (swag), Dan McLaughin (Lansdowne Road), Tommy (owner of McQuaids), Suzie Seaman (PR) and all of the other bar owners/managers along the route who are choosing to play along (and discount their beer prices).

And a special thanks to Pete Cooper, who without his help, I could never pull this crawl off. He has designed the hats, shirts, badges, maps, etc each and every year. Thanks Pete.

Official 2010 Pub Crawl Destinations (listed in order):
All of the times listed below are approximate, so don’t think you have to stick with these. Feel free to go at your own pace. I say 30-45 minutes per bar, but who are we kidding, it’s usually longer than that. The deal at the last bar goes until closing. My preliminary plan is to do the 50/50 drawing right around 9:00 or 9:30pm, just don’t hold me to that.

(1) Lansdowne Road: 10th Ave b/t 43rd and 44th Street (west side of street) Noon– 2:00
lansdowneroadnyc.com/

Back for its 5th consecutive start, once again we will be kicking off at Lansdowne Road. If you have never been, you couldn’t ask for a better stop. It’s usually quite a challenge to get the crowd to leave.

There are HD plasma TV’s everywhere, and the draft beer is some of the best in the city. Great beer selection, huge selection of Irish whisky and scotch (should you feel the need to jump start your day), great food (did I mention the sliders), and the owner Dan knows how to run a bar. Check out the ice sculpture on the bar.
Drink Specials: $3 domestic, $3 micro beers, $4 imports, draft or bottle, $20 domestic and $25 import Tower of Power (120 oz glass tower of your favorite beer). The drafts are of the 20 oz imperial pint variety (as they should be). Admission also includes a complimentary app’s buffet, featuring NYC’s famous Scruffy Duffy’s wings (both medium and hot), chicken fingers, mozz sticks, mac-n cheese bites (really, who says no to that) and the best sliders (mini cheddar cheese burgers) in NYC. Some folks show up just for the sliders. The buffet will be stocked from 12:30-2, so bring an appetite.
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.0 – 5.0 minutes

(2) Landmark Tavern: SE corner of 46th Street and 11th Ave 2:00 – 2:45pm
thelandmarktavern.org

The Skinny: Back in its usual #2 slot, this place is a step back to old New York. I love this place. Philly needs more places like this. This is one of the oldest bars in all of Manhattan. Try to imagine walking out the front door of the bar and being right on the Hudson River. Because that’s the way it was back in the 1800s, when this place first opened it doors for all the dock workers and longshoreman. The original bar is still intact as is a majority of the original floor. This is a bit more upscale then we’re used to (its more of a place for a nice glass of scotch) hence it being stop #2 before things get real sloppy. All of the drafts are served in 20oz glasses and the Guinness pour here is second to none.
On a side note, the doors will not open til 1:00pm here, so don’t plan on getting here too early.
Drink specials: $1 off all beers; $4.50 domestic beers, $5.50 import beers
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 5.5 – 7.0 minutes




(3) Hibernia: 50th St b/t 9th and 10th Aves (closer to 9th) 2:45 – 3:30pm
hiberniabar.com
The Skinny: Back for its third year, you may recognize some of the owners from their days behind the bar at Scuffys (a moment of silence please). Already quite popular amongst the Hells Kitchen residents, this place is sure to be one of your favorites after the crawl this year. I make it a regular stop when I head up to the city. Plenty of quality draft to choose from here, but the Guinness is top notch. I guess Aidan’s days of keeping me off the wagon at Scruffys have taught him a thing or two. And they have tater tots!! And Aidan, it doesn’t matter how many Journey songs you play, I’m not getting on that bar!
Drink specials: All draft beers are $3, domestic or import beers (it’s tough to leave here)
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.5 – 5.0 minutes

(4) Coppersmith’s:
9th Ave. b/t 52nd & 53rd Streets (west side of street) 3:30 – 4:15pm
coppersmithsbar.com
The Skinny: Back in the day, this used to be the opening bar on the crawl. This is the 9th year in a row to boot. The owners (mostly members of the FDNY) are happy to have us back. This is a great after work bar for the late 20’s/early 30’s crowd. There’s plenty of space to relax. And it’s a good place to watch the NFL ticket on Sundays. It also has a wide range of light beers for those not so heavyweights out there.
Drink specials: $3 domestic’s and $4 imports (draft or bottle)
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.5 – 6.5 minutes

(5) Rumours: 8th Ave. b/t 55th & 56th (west side of street) 4:15 – 5:00pm
The Skinny: It’s the 7th year in a row for this Irish pub in upper Hells Kitchen. Real nice bar, great owner. Lots of dark wood, exposed brick. The bartenders know how to pour a pint here. The 20 oz imperial pints are the way to go here. The owner Garry is always extremely accommodating and he’s happy to have us back.
Drink specials: $3 domestic and $4 imports (drafts or bottles)
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 3.5 – 4.5 minutes

OK, we are almost half way there, time to suck it up for the second half…

(6) House of Brews:
51st Street b/t 8th & 9th Aves. (near 8th, south side of street) 5:00 – 5:45pm
houseofbrewsny.com
The Skinny: Based on the feedback I get, this has proven to be one of the more popular stops on the crawl each year. You may remember this as BB Doyles from years past. Back for its 10th consecutive year, and slightly off the beaten track, this cozy 2 level Irish pub is located just north of the theater district. If you’re looking for a beer that’s out of the ordinary, then you’ve come to
the right spot. The 100oz beer bongs are always fun, but the selection of beers (both imports and domestics) here is as good as it gets. Why not try something different.

Drink specials: $3.00 domestic (Bud, Bud light, Yling), $4 Hop Angel IPA, Blue Moon, Brooklyn lager, Harpoon Winter Warmer (drafts or bottles)
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 5.5 – 7.5 minutes

(7) Molloy’s: 737 Ninth Ave. ( beteen 49th and 50th St.) 5:45 – 6:45pm
The Skinny: The first newcomer on the crawl this year. She’s a nice little Irish pub in the heart of the Kitchen. This place just opened about a month ago. The new owners were all over the crawl. There’s an extra room in the back for more space if needed. I haven’t even had a pint here yet, but I’m guessing this will be a regular stop in the future.
Drink Specials: $3 domestic, $4 imports, (draft or bottle) $5 Guinness
Approximate crawling time to next bar: frightening too close (if it’s raining, you won’t get wet)

(8) Gossip: 733 Ninth Ave b/t 49th and 50th st 6:45 – 7:15pm
The Skinny: The 2nd newcomer to the crawl this year. It’s all about location. This place is right next door to Molloy’s, so free feel to interchange the two if one is too crowded. Again, I haven’t even had a pint here yet. This place is big, so there should be plenty of room. When the manger is from Ireland, how can you go wrong.
Drink Specials: $3 domestic drafts, $4 Harp, Smithwicks, Heineken
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.0 -5.5 minutes

(9) The Irish Rogue: 44th St b/t 8th & 9th Aves (near 9th, south side of street) 7:15 – 8:00pm
theirishrogue.com

The Skinny: Back for its 7th stint of the Crawl, this Irish pub (are you picking up on the Irish trend yet) has a large selection of beers to choose from. Whether you want to grab a bar stool, or kick back on a couch, this is a nice after-work type bar that’s always welcoming. The food is quite good as well. It’s a popular place for soccer and college football, so if you’re feeling a bit claustrophobic, there are two floors, so space shouldn’t be an issue.

Drink Specials: $3 domestic, $4 imports, draft or bottle (but it excludes Guinness, Smithwicks, Blue Moon, Bass, Hoegarden, Paulaner) Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.0 – 5.0 minutes


(10) The Pony Bar: SW corner of 45th St and 11th ave 8:00 – 8:30pm
theponybar.com

The Skinny: So you are 9 stops in at this point. You’re in the home stretch. And you’re thinking about some food, I get it. Consider this place optional. It’s an all American craft beer bar. I just wish this place was open when I lived three blocks away. By the time we there, it’s probably going to be crowded with regulars (for good reason). This comes to you from the same owners as Lansdowne Road and the old Scruffy’s. Pat and Dan know their business. If you like quality beer, then stop in. Otherwise, see you at the finale.

Drink Specials: none to speak of

Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.0 – 5.0 minutes (one block and one ave away)



And should you still have the ability to function, our 11th and final stop…

(11) McQuaids Pub: NW corner of 44th St and 11th Ave. 8:30ish – ???

The Skinny: It may be a little out of the way, but the owner’s hospitality makes it well worth it the trip. Absolutely no tourists here, this “off the beaten track” Irish pub caters to the real locals of Hell’s Kitchen. The owner, Tommy, couldn’t be happier to have us back this year. And this is only one of two spots to have made the cut all 10 years. Silly cheap drinks here. Think of it as an incentive to make it to the end. This stop includes a full buffet, so there should be plenty of food out for everyone to soak up some the booze. We will also be drawing the 50/50 raffle here, so remember not to lose those tickets that I know you’re going to buy.
Drink Specials: $2 domestic drafts, $3 imports drafts, Real simple and real cheap. If you can beat that price, I’d say go for it.
Some final words…
Is anyone still reading at this point… I hope so (sorry, I really did try to cut back this year)

It’s been nine long years since 9/11. In a small way, this crawl helps keeps Tommy Collins memory and spirit alive. So, on behalf of the Collins family, I want to thank everyone in advance for keeping that memory and spirit alive and well. Remember, this is one time you can feel good about over serving yourself.

For more info. contact: Steve Grau (917-751-7446)
sgraus666@yahoo.com