Tortilla Flats

Vamos a Tortilla Flats!

If you're looking for some incredible Mexican food with a fun atmosphere of tequila, music, authentic decor, and fiesta fiesta fiesta this is the place for you! Located at 767 Washington Street at the intersection with 12th Street, this restaurant is in the heart of the West Village and perfect for dinner parties or even just for a few cocktails. Always lively and lots of fun (check out their events including Bingo, Hula Hooping, and Trivia nights) Tortilla Flats offers the perfect lively atmosphere you're looking for to jump start your night. Be sure to check out the margaritas as they are a must here! Don't forget to look out for celebrities such as Drew Barrymore and Justin Long who often drop by to check out the scene here at this party spot!

Tortilla Flats could get quite busy especially on the weekends so make sure to call your reservation in advance. It also can be pricey for those who are looking to budget so be sure to check out their website so you can see their menu ahead of time. The food is absolutely delicious and comes in huge portions so you must certainly get your money's worth.

Perfecto! Now cha cha your way over to the West Village and get your Tortilla Flats on!

767 Washington Street

New York, NY 10014

(212) 243-1053

http://www.tortillaflatsnyc.com/

Brother Jimmy's BBQ

"Put some South in yo' mouth" That about says it all. Straight out of the swamps of North Carolina comes this authentic homestyle, make you want to watch a North Carolina basketball game, BBQ joint. From corn bread to southern style ribs, Brother Jimmys does it right. For me personally its Northern style ribs all the way, but if ribs are your thing, make sure to ask about the different styles they serve.

Always a fun time, Brother Jimmys also has an incredible bar with great happy hour specials to help wash down those hush puppies and slaw. Their gator fish bowl is another great way to get the party started if you're partying with a group.

With 7 locations around Manhattan, Brother Jimmys is always around the corner.
*I'd suggest checking out their original location at 1485 2nd Ave (between 77th & 78th)

Check out their menu here at http://www.brotherjimmys.com/

The Spotted Pig

Looking for a swanky restaurant with a pub-like feel and and good eats in the heart of New York's most popular neighborhood? Well look no more, perfectly situated in the heart of the West Village, The Spotted Pig is your place. Tucked away on West 11th and Greenwich St., look for the tiny spotted pig over the doorway and you know you're in the right place. The Spotted Pig is well known throughout the city and due to the sometimes long wait, a great thing to consider is their 21st century approach to the waiting game. It's actually quite simple. Give you name and cell number at the door, and the hosts will call you when the table is ready. Genius right? Sure beats the hell out of staying within 200 ft of the host podium holding a stick and waiting for the thing to flash red and vibrate knowing that it will happen any second!! 

Okay Breathe. Now that your name is down and you're free of any excess baggage, go walk around the neighborhood and take in the beautiful sights and sounds of the West Village. (The White Horse Tavern is just up on the street. I'd highly recommend a quick drink there while waiting on your table. See WHITE HORSE TAVERN post.) The hosts at the Spotted Pig can provide you with maps of the area if necessary, and keep your eyes out for celebrities who live in the area and often stop in for a bite.  The best tables are of course along the windows which provide you with the best views of West Village life going on around you. The prices may seem a bit large but trust me the portions are larger. Their Chargrilled burger with Roquefort cheese and shoestring fries ($17) is one of their most popular dishes (and least expensive entree on the menu). I'd also recommend their pan-seared striped bass ($28). Don't forget to save room for dessert because  the walnut, chocolate, amaretto cake is incredible. 

The Spotted Pig is located at:

614 W. 11th Street

New York, New York 10014. 

They are open Monday thru Friday for lunch, Saturday and Sunday for brunch and every day for dinner. 

For all things Spotted PIg check out their website --> www.thespottedpig.com

Cafe Wha?

Moving slightly northwest over to my favorite neighborhood in New York is another must see, the club Cafe Wha? Located in Greenwich Village this music "club" (I add quotations because it is not really a club but more of a live music lounge) founded in the early 1960's has been home to various musicians and comedians such as Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Velvet Underground, Bill Cosby, and Richard Prior.

Today this place is hopping with live music played all night by a 8 piece band. They play covers of everything from Rock to to Reggae to Latin to Motown. Just to show you how popular this place is, the other night John Mayer popped in to play a few songs with the band. Drinks are relatively priced and the service is outstanding. Great place to come to with a small group or big group (if you make a reservation).

One of my favorite joints by far in Greenwich Village, The Cafe Wha? is located on MacDougal Street and Bleeker Street which both have tons of other bars, food, headshops, whatever you need for a fun night out! If you just walk around in this area for 2 minutes you'll find something fun to do.

The best time to come to this place is during the week as on the weekends the line can be very long to get in. If you are planning to come on the weekend you can make a reservation very easily by calling 212-254-3706.

Located: 115 MacDougal Street (between Bleeker Street and West 3rd Street)

Website: www.cafewha.com

IFC Center

Do you enjoy international/indie/documentary films? If yes, checking out the IFC Center located on 6th Avenue in the heart of the West Village is a must.

A landmark of the West Village with five state-of-the-art cinemas, the IFC shows new independent foreign films and documentary features, as well as weekend classics (Fridays-Sundays at 11AM), Waverly midnights (cult movies fri and sat at midnight), and short attention span cinema (short films screening before every feature).

Be sure to check out their Posteritati Gallery which exhibits vintage movie posters from around the globe. 

Check out their website to see what's playing now   ----->     http://www.ifccenter.com/

Address:
323 6th Avenue (@ West 3rd Street)
New York, NY 10014

(212) 924-7771


*To get there by subway: take the A,B,C,D,E,F, or M to the West 4th Street/Washington Square stop or the 1 to Christopher Street/Sheridan Square.

White Horse Tavern

Located in New York City's West Village, the White Horse Tavern is the perfect place for a quiet pint or drinks out with your mates. Conviently situated at Hudson Street and 11th Street, the White Horse Tavern is known for its role in 1950s and 1960s Bohemian culture. It is one of the few major gathering places for writers, poets, and artists from this period in Greenwich Village which still remains open.

Now the hang out for NYU students and locals, the tavern originally opened in 1880 and was known for years as a longshoremen's bar. The tavern gradually turned literary center when poet Dylan Thomas and other writers began to frequent the bar during the early 1950s. The tavern is perhaps most famous as the place where Dylan Thomas last drank and some say died right out front from too many whiskeys (legend has it Thomas holds the record with 18).

Other famous patrons include Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison, Norman Mailer, Ezra Pound, Hunter S. Thompson, Jack Kerouac, and Allen Ginsberg. Jack Kerouac is said to have been bounced from the tavern on several occasions and because of this writing can be seen on the bathroom wall saying "JACK GO HOME!"

For those out there who seek a little piece of the real historic NYC, the White Horse Tavern is a must-see! Stop in, have a pint, and relive the days of Greenwich Village bohemia in this truly unique and orignal establishment. 

For the New York Magazine write up on the White Horse Tavern click HERE

Address:
567 Hudson Street (@ 11th St.)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 989-3956

Nearest Subway Stops:
1 (red line) at Christopher St. - Sheridan Sq.
A,C,E (blue line) at 14th St.
L at 8th Avenue

MacDougal Street - West Village

This next post is dedicated to an entire street, yes an entire street, because it is just that incredible. MacDougal Street, located in the heart of the West Village is a hotbed of music, art, cafes, shops, bars and anything else hip you can think of. There is only one piece of advice I could think of..CHECK IT OUT! I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Walk up and down MacDougal and on the surrounding streets that make up the neighborhood and bask in all the wonderful culture that has made New York City famous. Throughout the 20's, 40's, 50's, 60's and beyond, the West Village has been the center of it all. Beatniks, jazz, literature, poetry, the beginnings of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, etc. Be sure to check out the famous Cafe Wha? (See post), Caffe Reggio, and my favorite falafel spot Mamouns! Washington Square Park is also right around the corner and is one of the most beautiful parks in New York where there is always something happening. The bars in this neighborhood are so much fun, be sure to crawl to them all!

This is by far one of my favorites streets in New York and I invite you all to enjoy!