LocalBozo.com correspondent Link Cromwell vowed to have a drink at every bar in Hoboken before running the 2011 New York City Marathon. With every bar visit in the “Sixth Borough” now completed along with a successful race now finished, it’s time to reel our reporting back toward the City. And as such, every single Friday we’ll be taking over where Link left off, showing you distinctive bars in each borough perhaps for the very first time, perhaps to refresh your memory of a fun place you’ve ducked into, or perhaps to suggest a new spot for you to check out. You can follow our travels as we approach each weekend on Friday mornings with LocalBozo.com’s “Drink Here Now.”

Donnybrook
35 Clinton St, Lower East Side, Manhattan
212-228-7733
Getting There: F to Delancey Street

The Lower East Side love is spreading wide friends! The “Drink Here Now” crew has taken up a temporary residency in this ever popular neighborhood to give you our best picks. The word “Donnybrook” has often been associated with fighting amongst wrestling fans and those who fancy classic English. But on the corner of Clinton Street, Donnybrook is the name of a popular and pleasantly laid-back watering hole. The cream white exterior and hand painted signage welcomes drinkers with open arms. The crew and I were planning on having dinner in the neighborhood on a recent weeknight and spotted this joint and knew we had to duck in for at least one beer solely on it’s exterior. Yes, we judged a book by it’s cover in a positive way.

We quickly entered through the large wooden door and knew that our first impressions were correct. The dimly lit space recreates the New York City of old with stunning accuracy. This alone was booze for the eyes. As we walked through the large space we spotted parties of various sizes sitting at long wooden communal tables that are actually made from reclaimed barn doors. Since it was only three of us on this night we opted to pony up to the long marble topped bar, knowing that on a future visit we had to hold down one of these tables for some Saturday or Sunday afternoon drinking. As we sat down at the bar we quickly scanned the beers on draft and their extensive stock of liquor. There’s a little something for every type of drinker here. Fortunately for us we arrived during Happy Hour where bottled beers will run you $3 and drafts just $4 till 8pm. The crew and I opted for drafts, going for frosty pints of Stella Artois and Newcastle.

Both beers were crisp and fresh which perfectly paired with how clean and classic this joint feels as a whole. I am not sure if they were playing any music at the time of our visit. If they were it was kept extremely low, making Donnybrook a perfect place to have an actual conversation where you can hear every laugh as you and your friends gulp down pints and bust on each other. Sometimes it’s all about the simple pleasures when you go out drinking and the team behind Donnybrook understands this conceptually.  We gladly raise a cold brew to their low-key approach to building a better bar.

The Rundown

Bar Type - Vintage-styled laid-back pub situated on one of the Lower East Side’s busiest corners.

When to Visit – Our visit was on a weeknight where it was quite low key and there was plenty of seating available. Weekend visits are rather different, as the bar’s long communal wooden tables will fill up by mid-afternoon.

Value – Brew fans will love their weekday Happy Hours where bottled beers will run you $3 and drafts just $4 till 8pm.

The Lowdown - If your night will be filled with raucous partying, spend your day at Donnybrook for a chilled out and lively pre-grame. Grab your friend or significant other and pony up to their classically designed marble topped bar or communal wooden barn door tables for some pleasant imbibing and people watching.