Fabulous Father's Day

Not being a father myself I decided to treat my self to a bit of a Father's Day celebration by doing what Bar Man does best, hitting a couple of bars.

570) Garvey’s



This bar is located at 279 West 45th Street on the corner of Eighth Avenue. It is actually associated with Milford Plaza Hotel but you can get into it through a separate entrance and it doesn’t in any way have a hotel bar feel to it. It is a very red bar, from the exterior to interior, all the to the red felt covered pool table. The lights throughout have green glass shades. A pleasant enough ambience and the bartenders were very friendly. They have quite a selection of draft beers, eighteen I believe. The bar has a nice copper front and top and there are pictures of horses and framed playbills on the walls. It seems to be a very comfortable place to hang out and hang out I did. I met a fellow from Atlanta named Chris Renaldo who is a fan of my blog. He was in town to participate in a triathlon and then go to a family father’s day celebration. He found time to stop by and meet me and present me with this nifty Hawaiian shirt from his extensive collection.



Either he realized how much I like these types of shirts based upon what I usually wear or he felt I needed to upgrade my wardrobe. Either way, the gift was much appreciated, Thanks again Chris.

I had a Brooklyn Lager and a shot of Jameson’s.

571) Sam’s



Sam’s is right in the heart of the Theatre District at 263 West 45th Street and is quite the place. Most accommodating, in fact I managed to get the friendly bartender Christine to write the review. This will probably be appreciated by some of my “fans” in Hong Kong who think my writing leaves a lot to be desired.

Christine doing my work for me.


Charming and cozy bar, cabaret, and restaurant with a friendly staff of performers closely resembling, possibly, your own dysfunctional family. It has a very comfortable feel right in the heart of New York City’s theatre district. Exposed brick walls with the original lighting fixtures and ceiling. This old fashioned establishment offers a combination of New York traditional and cool modern flair. The food is excellent, made fresh. Simple Italian and American menu, great pasta and the best hamburgers.

The staff is made up of a cast of quirky characters and performers ranging from stage actors, musicians, and country singers who make you feel like you are a part of Sam’s family.

Bar Man and Sam's Family


There is live music during dinner and open mic cabaret performances.

I was there during brunch and the piano playing and singing was quite good. It caught me a bit by surprise when the bartender, Christine, walked to the next room and started singing. The dining room is separated from the bar area by a wall with open windows and a window like mirror. Makes it a bit confusing, after a drink or two, trying to figure out if you are looking into the next room or at the people sitting next to you at the bar.

The Dining and Music Room


I had a Maker’s Mark Manhattan, two actually, and one of Christine’s specialties, an Orange-A Tini. This was a surprisingly refreshing and tasty drink. I lingered here a bit, while actually a lot, longer than I should have because everyone was so friendly.

That was two bars for the day bringing my total to date to 571 leaving 429 left to go.