Tromping through the wilds of Madison, WI, these past few weeks, I have learned that, aside from cheese, polka, and “Don’t ya know,” Middle America is a hotbed of stellar draft beers. While savoring Maddy’s local suds with names like Fat Squirrel and Spotted Cow, I can’t help but miss the frothy goodness of my own bar-away-from-home’s original brew, The Gaf in NYC. The Irish Amber at the same-named Gaelic go-to is a sure bet for casual locals or adventurous newcomers.

Inspired by the Irish owners’ native tongue, the name translates to “home,” and, though it’s relatively new, the pub has become just that to its friendly regulars. Witness the sign on the wall: “We’re open from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. Do you really need an apartment?” Having frequented the spot for the past two years, I know that that offer is tempting for those who travel from, say, Coney Island to enjoy a pint and a spirited round of Golden Tee.

Unlike most fancy-schmancy Midtown spots, which require booty skirts, sky-high heels and $14 for a single drink, the only requisites for entrance to The Gaf are a dry throat and good aim—the dart games here are serious business. To view the league champions in action, Mondays and Tuesdays are the best nights to sidle up to the dark, dimly lit bar. On the other hand, skittish drinkers might prefer a casual Wednesday evening to fully embrace the low-key atmosphere in this boys’ club.

Before visions of Ted Nugent and Sammy Hagar start dancing through your heads, the mantastic environment has lots of draws for in-the-know ladies. Besides the uneven ratio of men to women and the overwhelming demand for drafts and darts, an even-handed song selection from the jukebox runs the gamut from Irish pop-rock standards like U2 to proto-emo groups including Coldplay and Dave Matthews Band; on more than one occasion, I’ve even heard the Indigo Girls.

Regardless of the day or the music, The Gaf’s bartenders are practically straight out of Cheers, except they’re more handsome than Coach, smarter than Woody, and less skeezy than Sam Malone. Ask for Kieron at the West Side location (48th St. & Ninth Ave.); to fit in with the East Siders (89th St. & First Ave.), get your drinks from Brian or John. If your experience is anything like mine, they’ll be welcoming you with open arms from day one, pouring creamy-sweet shots (or bitter Jameson when needed), and charming you with stories straight from the Emerald Isle.

Image Taken from NYmag.com

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 7th, 2006 at 12:42 pm and is filed under Personal, Friends, New York City, Beers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.