Blue and Gold, You Dirty Hipster!
People either love or hate this dive, but who could blame them? Known for bitchy bartenders, crowds of college kids, and disgusting bathrooms, there’s a lot of reason to hate the place. But with drink Combos like the Dirty Hipster (PBR and Shot of Jagermeister) or The Dude (an IPA and shot of Southern Comfort) for $5, or any top shelf liquor for $4-$5, there’s a lot of reason to love it. Call me a booze whore, but I put up with the bullshit for the price of the single malts.
Blue and Gold is of a decent size, but I warn you: at night drunks infiltrate the spot in massive contingents, and it’s common to pop in for a quickie and find yourself longing to sit in one of the booths or on a bar stool, or even stand without being touched by the person next to you.
Sound unpleasant? Well, it kind of is.
But what Blue and Gold is good at, it’s great at. For example: watching the bartender throw people out for taking too long to order, seeing Crazy LES loonies, hipsters and douchebags congregate, AND having a large selection of beers, top shelf liquors and beer & shot combos all for $5 or less. So, this may not be a wonderful place to hang out for hours, unless you get your kicks watching the bartender whiling, which is actually pretty entertaining – but for the price and quality of drink, it’s the top.
Blue and Gold Tavern
79 E. 7th St.
New York, NY 10003
Between 1st and 2nd Ave. [Lower East Side]
Image From NYMAG