The History and Stories of the Best Bars of New York

by Jef Klein (Text by), Cary Hazlegrove (Photographer)

Overview

WINNER of the USA Book News 2006 History: Media/Entertainment category!

Everything important that has ever happened in New York began or ended in the city's best bars. From the deep mahogany of downtown to the polished brass of uptown, The History and Stories of the Best Bars of New York recounts the drama, characters, and stories of the city's most important meeting places.

This book is about the people and events that have unfolded within these historic establishments, and demonstrates how each bar has served as a backdrop for both business deals and social gatherings, but also for private moments of reflection. Although their patrons have changed over the years, these bars have quietly remained a constant source of fellowship and conviviality from generation to generation.

Over thirty profiles containing vignettes of famous lore and little-known history are accented by stunning black-and-white images sure to intrigue both longtime New Yorkers and visitors to the city. The History and Stories of the Best Bars of New York provides a unique glimpse inside New York's foremost bars and how they came to be what they are today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684422623
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	07/01/2013
Series:	Historic Photos
Pages:	220
Sales rank:	960,447
Product dimensions:	8.75(w) x 8.75(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jef Klein worked in the restaurant industry in New York City and New Jersey for 14 years as a bartender, waitress, and union vice-president. Since 1988, she has been an editor and freelance writer working for Princeton University, City Harvest, the Museum of Television and Radio, inMotion.org, and was a contributing writer and bar reviewer for Shecky's Bar, Club, and Lounge Guide. Klein lives in Kendall Park, New Jersey, with her son Ellis, her daughter Simone, and her dog, Archie.

Cary Hazelgrove has pursued the photographic arts for more than thirty years. Her work has been published in two critically acclaimed books dedicated to her work (Nantucket: Seasons on the Island and Nantucket: The Quiet Season both with Chronicle Books). Her work has also been published in other publications, including the New York Times, the Boston Globe, Conde Nast Traveler, and Southern Accents. She lives in the village of Siasconset in Massachusetts with her family. 

Table of Contents

	'21' Club	13
	Bemelmans Bar	27
	Bridge Cafe	33
	Bull and Bear Steakhouse & Bar	41
	Cedar Tavern	47
	Chumley's	53
	Corner Bistro	61
	Dublin House	67
	Ear Inn	73
	Fanelli Cafe	79
	Fraunces Tavern	85
	J.G. Melon	91
	Keens Steakhouse	97
	King Cole Bar	105
	The Library	111
	Marion's Continental Restaurant & Lounge	117
	Peter McManus Cafe	123
	McSorley's Old Ale House	129
	Milano's Bar	137
	Molly's Pub and Restaurant, Shebeen	143
	The Oak Room	149
	Old Town Bar & Restaurant	157
	Onieal's Grand Street Bar	163
	P & G Cafe	169
	Paris Cafe	175
	Parkside Lounge	181
	Pete's Tavern	187
	P.J. Clarke's	193
	Spring Lounge	201
	White Horse Tavern	207
	Index	213

What People are Saying About This

Rick Lyke

"Did you ever wonder about the Prohibition history of New York's famed 21 Club? How about the origins of the legendary McSorley's Old Ale House? What about the power broker gathering spot at the Waldorf-Astoria, the Bull & Bear? Then you need to get a copy of The History and Stories of the Best Bars of New York by Jef Klein with photographs by Cary Hazlegrove. The book is loaded with black and white photographs of many of the most famous spots for throwing back a drink in New York City.It also tells the stories of the people who run these famous watering holes. Some, like Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel are pretty famous. Others, like the Bridge Cafe near South Street Seaport or the P&G Cafe on the Upper West Side, would be easy to miss unless you were a local. You could plan a drinking holiday in New York using the book, but even if you don't plan to travel to the Big Apple it is a nice catalog of places that are historic slices of the city's past."--(Rick Lyke, lyketodrink.com)

Editorial Reviews

Whether you are a drinker or not, this book will make you want to visit the bars listed in The History and Stories of the Best Bars of New York, just to soak up some history and atmosphere. Each bar is like a person, possessing it's own personality and quirks--and it is these trait that have contributed to each bar's success and longevity.

Author Jef Klein writes in a pleasing, easy-to-read style and the beautiful photos take you into the depths of each bar. The histories are fascinating--my favorite being the '21' Club. This account brings Prohibition alive and the ingenuity of the bar owners in their attempts to foil the mob, raids by the police and the Feds. New York's own personality as a city emerges as you read each of the bar descriptions and histories. Some of the bars a small hidden gems, and others are famous--known for celebrities that have continued to patronize them year after year. One thing the bars seem to have in common, is they are either family owned and operated, or they have staff that has been with them for years. They are steeped in history and stories that are memorable.

A trip to New York to sit and enjoy each of these establishments and take in the surroundings sounds like great fun. But, until you can make that trip, you can read The History and Stories of the Best Bars of New York, sit and reflect on each account--and of course, enjoy a drink or two. Another great historical account captured by words and photos, a Turner Publishing tradition.

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