Ginger Man, NYC

by David Preiser
(NY, USA)

The Ginger Man, NYC, NY, USA: one of the best bars in the city

The Ginger Man
NYC, USA

The Ginger Man in NYC is one of my favorite places to go for a beer session. They’ve got a huge selection, with plenty of varieties to be found.

There are over 40 beers on tap at any given time, including a couple of real cask-conditioned ales and about 150 bottles on the menu.

Probably what I like most about the place is the fact that I can go in there and find something new just about every other week.

The bar staff really know their stuff, which is a plus. I always like to learn about what I’m drinking – that’s part of the fun.

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It adds to the experience if you get served something you’ve never had before and they can tell you where it’s from. I always take time to check the taps and chalkboards for new stuff.

The selection just about covers it all. They’ve got beers from all over the world with a menu arranged by country. All the big names are covered and they offer a good range of interesting American brews too. Over the bar there are chalkboards which feature the latest beers and there’s always a specialty grouping going on.

For instance, they’ll have five different barley wines listed, all distinct from each other, so anyone can come in an just focus on one style for a while. I’ll take a group of friends here and it’s guaranteed we'll find something even novices will love.

The Ginger Man in NYC's interior is all wood, from floor to ceiling. Well-worn wooden tables run along the left side of the long main room and the equally long bar is ahead on your right as you walk in. To the immediate right are a few small round tables, plus there’s plenty of standing room when the place starts to jump, usually starting around 5:30 on weekdays and at least a couple hours earlier on weekends.

The usual beer posters and paraphernalia cover the walls, but it’s all done in a very tasteful, comfortable style. In fact, a main feature of The Ginger Man, NYC is just that: comfort. I can spend hours at the bar or at the long tables, or even better, sit in the back room which is furnished with a bunch of sofas, loveseats and comfy chairs.

The food is pretty good, although it’s not a huge menu, and the place does tend to get really crowded in the evenings, especially weekends (hey, it’s New York, what’d you expect?). The Ginger Man in NYC is definitely one of the best beer bars around, and one of the best I’ve ever been to.

See also: Ginger Man, Dallas, TX by Kate McKeon.