(the?) manhattans

Jack Krohn wrote: I stand by my statement, watchuwant and will not back off making any statements about him, his establishment or anything else!!!!!!!!! And there's NOTHING you or anyone else can do about it!

What- were you sticking your tongue out as you wrote that!??!?!?

I realize there's nothing I can do about someone who hides behind his avatar and talks shit online about people he doesn't know. I wouldn't even dare try- why bother when you've shown such great moral character! You're a real man's man.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

They had to cut their way in on Saturday night and change the locks, due to ongoing disagreement with the partner... but Tracy claimed they'd still be open next weekend.

doctorj wrote: They had to cut their way in on Saturday night and change the locks, due to ongoing disagreement with the partner... but Tracy claimed they'd still be open next weekend.

This makes me want to go there more.

DeeDee wrote: If this place closes it won't be any great loss. Bad beer selection and this ridiculous system of having to be buzzed in combined with newspaper on the windows makes it a very univiting place. Good riddance!

Let me see... an owner who opens the door for you, shakes your hand, and has a drink with you in a space that's comfortable, private, where you're not on display. Where the music can be chosen by consensus or via the jukebox, and the drinks mixed however you like. I guess people have very different ideas of what inviting means. Which is good, or this place would be more crowded.

doctorj wrote:

Let me see... an owner who opens the door for you, shakes your hand, and has a drink with you in a space that's comfortable, private, where you're not on display. Where the music can be chosen by consensus or via the jukebox, and the drinks mixed however you like. I guess people have very different ideas of what inviting means. Which is good, or this place would be more crowded.

Awesome!! That sounds like my kind of place.

I may have to add it to the itinerary. Hopefully it's still open next month.

Carnivore wrote: I agree with doctorj. Weather Up is still my favorite bar in the neighborhood, but I like Manhattans in a totally different way. They aren't going to mix you a perfect Manhattan (despite the name). But if you want to have a drink in a really comfortable spot that's open late 7 days a week, Manhattans is for you.

Rant: It was closed at 2:30am when I came by earlier tonight, even though the bartender had told me the night before that they were open until 4am every night.

Another place in the nabe that's also open till 4am 7 nights a week is Washington Commons, which, personally, I think has a way better beer selection. Then again, you can't complain about Manhattans' prices.

Too many bars in our neighborhood! I want a day spa.

RBG wrote: Too many bars in our neighborhood! I want a day spa.

I don't agree with the first sentiment - you can never have too many - but i whole-heartedly agree with the second part. the opening of 2 places for decent nails and whatnot on vanderbilt is nice, but i want something closer to the crown heights border. sure, there are lots of nail salons around, but none do real nails well -- i don't want tips or airbrushing or anything, just a solid mani/pedi. and i would love to get a facial or massage in my own neighborhood instead of going to park slope or the city.

The place that opened on Underhill last year didn't make it.

Carnivore wrote:
Rant: It was closed at 2:30am when I came by earlier tonight, even though the bartender had told me the night before that they were open until 4am every night.

Tracy mentioned it was unusually quiet Wednesday night, so they'd closed up early after there were no more patrons. Thursday night late is a better bet.

we went by last night and it was closed, but it was early - what time do they usually open? went to washington commons instead, which was ok, but too many dogs in there! i mean the barking kind. loud.

place rules was there again last night. anyone dots like gotta get deez all day

Lo Kee wrote: ]anyone dots like gotta get deez all day

:-k man, are you still drunk this morning? :P

doctorj wrote:
There are plenty of businesses in the area that do that. Doctors, dentists, anything where the owner is often out the back, anything run out of people's homes. No other public bar does that, but this is maybe closer to a private than public bar, and I see no reason why there can't be one of the former when there are so many of the latter.

Uh, this is obviously a little different than a dentist's office. Also, not all bars/places with locks on their doors are necessarily bad. I kinda think "private for whom?" is the question we should be asking here, because private implies an exclusion, right? So, who is getting excluded here? Is it only the gnarliest winos? Is it "cool" people that get in and "uncool" people that get locked out? Sorry, dudes, that isn't how I see it playing out, those aren't the lines I think this place is drawing. If y'all have ever been to Franklin Palace up in bedstuy, they've got a buzzer and locks on the doors, but I don't get a weird, suspicious feeling about it like I do at the Manhattans.

I still believe that this neighborhood *does not* need an "exclusive dive" and, in my estimation, will not really support it long-term, but who knows, maybe that is what the hood actually wants...different strokes...

washirv

PS. Also, JESUS, the bathroom smells like 100 shits. I used to volunteer at a farm in southern ohio, and the bathroom smells exactly like the wave of air that pounds into your face when you opened the door to the pigs' sty (hay, garbage, shit, blood, piss). The least they could do is just spray some bleach in the bathroom's general direction.

washingtonirving wrote:
I kinda think "private for whom?" is the question we should be asking here, because private implies an exclusion, right? So, who is getting excluded here?

Well, the owner lives there part time and opens only for guests. The bar is not always under close attention -- he can pop out for 5-10 mins to grab something to eat. He likes to welcome people personally. If it weren't locked, it'd be really easy to rip off. And finally, being behind a locked door makes some people feel safer, more at home, less under scrutiny, which can be more conducive to relaxing and having a good time. I don't think anyone who would want to be there to drink or hang out is being excluded -- 'private' can mean the privacy of participants from onlookers. More public than my loungeroom, more private than a fishbowl, less private than a members-only club. All makes sense to me. Not your thing? No problem.

Jack Krohn wrote:
Which medical or dental offices in the area do this?

The ones at GAP I'm familiar with do. The photo shop on Vanderbilt did too until they closed recently. There are many environments where people put a door and buzzer between themselves and the street, for reasons of security and/or privacy.