Champagne in a Can and other Luxuries at Heather’s Bar
The concept behind a bar is a pretty simple one, so it’s always surprising how so many establishments manage to suck at it. It’s a rare thing when a place manages to combine all the right elements into the perfect drinking spot. Heather’s Bar in the East Village has been around for awhile but it’s funny how many people still have not heard of it. Perhaps it’s the unassuming facade or lack of big screen TV’s, but it manages to keep the usual pop-collared crowd out of the mix. Despite the name, you won’t find any odes to blazers or croquet here. Just some cozy subway style tiling, tucked away tables and a rotating roster of DJ’s that are always spot-on.
Twice I’ve visited this establishment and half the patrons have been in costume. Once it was a drunken bunch of pirates passing through, and the other was a golf-themed drinking bar crawl. Like I said, a diverse crowd. The crowd tends to wax and wane with a flow of its own, so you’re never feel like you’re smashed up against your fellow New Yorkers waiting to be rescued by the jaws of life. My favorite part of all, is the Sofia Coppola Champagne, which is served up in a girly pink can with a straw. It makes me want to sit there with my toes dangling and spin around on my stool as if I were in a 50’s era soda shop. But be careful to enunciate, otherwise you’ll end up with a Sierra Nevada instead.
While Heather’s isn’t a dive, their drinks are usually cheap, and you can’t beat the oil painting in the back that eerily resembles D.J Conner from Rosanne. It really ties the place together.
Heather’s Bar
506 E 16th
B/T Ave A & B [East Village]
Photo Courtesy of: NY Times