Neighborhood Focus: Hell's Kitchen

Hell's Kitchen refers to the area between 34th Street and 59th Street from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River. The neighborhood has been home to gangs and violence in the past but has transformed into a lively area frequented by actors and some of NYC's best bars. Irish immigrants settled in Hell's Kitchen in the mid-19th Century, falling victim of the Great Famine in their home country. These immigrants found work on the docks and railroads, but soon overpopulated this "land of opportunity" and the increasing poverty led to gang formation. It was around this time that the neighborhood was coined the name "Hell's Kitchen" even though it's exact origins are not known. Some claim Davey Crockett started the term when he used it to describe the Five Points slum, while others claim the name is traced back to particular tenements in the area. One thing is for certain, it did not have a positive connotation.
Gangs were on the rise through the next several few decades, with increased violence during Prohibition and the arrival of Puerto Rican immigrants in the 1950s. The hostility among the Puerto Rican, Irish, and Italian immigrants in the area is highlighted in the film West Side Story. The Irish-American gang, the Westies, who had violent tendencies and ties with the Gambino family, controlled Hell's Kitchen from the mid-1960's through the 1980's. In 1986, convictions under the Rackateer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act haltered the gang activity in Hell's Kitchen, and by the early 1990's, the neighborhood was in full swing of a gentrification.
With the prominent Midtown as its neighbor, Hell's Kitchen started to become more elite as Midtown continued to prosper. Young professionals and actors moved into this area and continue to enjoy the close proximity to the business district and Broadway theaters alike. Some celebrities that have lived in Hell's Kitchen include Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stalone, Jerry Seinfeld, Madonna, and Alicia Keys. Despite the increasing prominence of the neighborhood, we will never forget the famous gangsters like Owney Madden and James Coonan that dominated Hell's Kitchen before all that. The municipality, gentrifies, and real estate agents tend to refer to the area as "Clinton" to erase the reputation of the neighborhood's past, but Hell's Kitchen will always be Hell's Kitchen.To get a more in-depth and interactive history of Hell's Kitchen as well as enjoy a few beers at historic bars in the area, check out the Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl offered Wednesdays at 7:30 pm.

Bar Profile: Rudy's Bar and Grill

Rudy's Bar and grill, located in Hell's Kitchen, opened it's doors in 1933 by the Rudy family and was one of the first bars in New York City to receive a liquor license after prohibition had ended. Not much has changed since then including the original wooden front door which is still fully functional today. If you are lucky, you'll get to hear about this historical bar firsthand from the present owner Jack, who has been a regular at Rudy's since 1943. As you arrive at the entrance, you are greeted by a giant pig statue, which has become a landmark of the bar as well as a red neon sign displaying the bar's name. Inside, you see exactly what you'd expect from the winner of best dive bar by AOL-City Guide. Bar stools and tattered red banquettes up against beer stained tables furnish the bar for the most part. But just as you'd expect from a great dive bar, you also get cheap drinks, a great jukebox, and best of all FREE hot dogs.
Rudy's has 12 beers on tap including the house beer Rudy's red, which has a watered down taste but at $3 a pint you have to take what you can get. Other great deals include $7.50 PBR pitchers and McSorley's Ale cheaper than AT McSorley's! Catch the early bird special and pay only $4 for your cocktails and shots from 8am to 5pm. It's no wonder that Danny, a manager at the bar said “Rudy’s won’t match neighborhood Happy Hours. We refuse to raise our prices!” The jukebox, which blares all types of music from jazz to classic rock to mainstream music is also an attraction at Rudy's. To accompany your dirt-cheap drinks and good tunes you also have a complimentary hot dog which has lured in customers time and time again.During the warmer months the "backyard" (a tented concrete area) is open for fresh air and extra space. This does not prevent the bar from being extremely packed and noisy all the time so keep that in mind. Every Thursday the "Drinking Liberally" social group stops in at 7pm to discuss left-wing politics, which may intrigue/sway some of you away from stopping by the bar at that time depending on your political affiliation. Either way, Rudy's Bar and Grill is a historic landmark for bars in NYC and should be visited by all locals and tourists alike. With cheap prices and free hot dogs it's hard not to consider this a first-stop bar for the night.
To learn more about Rudy's Bar and Grill, be sure to check out their main site here.

For even more history, stories, and free drinks, dont forget to book the Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl with Uncle Sam's New York Tours today!

Bar Profile: White Horse Tavern

Located in the West Village at 567 Hudson street, this historic bar is frequented by tourists and locals wishing to sit in the same stool as famous artists of the past. The pub lives up to its name by displaying an overwhelming amount of white horses as the main decor. Go ahead and try to count the number of white horses in the bar, I dare you.The bar was founded in 1880, and you can certainly tell that some of the bar hasn't changed at all since then. This is definitely a cool aspect of the bar, making you feel just as Jim Morrison or Bob Dylan did, who saw this bar in a similar fashion years ago. In its early years, the bar was mainly frequented by longshoremen up until the 1950's where a Bohemian culture took over. The Clancy Brothers, Jack Kerouac, Norman Mailer, and James Baldwin are some of the other greats who enjoyed a drink here. Dylan Thomas, however, is the artist most associated with Whitehorse Tavern. The Welsh Poet enjoyed his whiskey at "the horse" and legend has it he took 18 shots one night which is linked to his death. There is a whole room dedicated to Dylan Thomas where you can admire the poet and try to match his 18 shot record, although we do not recommend it. The Catholic Workers spent time at this bar and the idea for the Village Voice was stumbled upon here as well. The White Horse enjoys a rich history that you can only truly appreciate by wetting your whistle here firsthand.
Check out what other people are saying about White Horse Tavern here.

Get the full experience of the history of White Horse Tavern and plenty other historic bars by taking the West Village Pub Crawl Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Bar Profile: Kenny's Castaways

Kenny's Castaways, located on 157 Bleecker Street, is a legendary bar that has been opening its doors to live music since 1967. Patrick Kenny, the founder of the bar, gave up and coming musicians their chance to shine up until his death in 2002. Patrick's legacy still continues today, however, and his son says "the visible traces of Kenny's history and my dad's presence are preserved in stories told on our bar stools and the smell of the whiskey soaked floors."

If you think rockstars start off selling shows in giant venues right off the bat, think again. Most spend their startups in small venues like Kenny's Castaways waiting to be heard. Kenny's itself has welcomed Aerosmith, Blues Travleler, Lynard Skynard, upon hundreds of over bands before they hit it big. In fact, Bruce Springsteen played his first gig here. Check out the flyer below and note the mispelling of his name. You can be certain that wouldn't happen today!The bar has a cozy feel to it and offers tons of live shows multiple times a day. The stage is quite small but the upstairs offers a great view performances when the downstairs is crowded, making it a great experience for everyone. It's a casual bar so no need to dress up. Let's face it, rockers play here so it's what you'd expect. The coolest part about this bar is the sign above the entrance to the stage area which reads "Through these portals, walk the famous." It's a great way to remember all the talent this bar has seen over the past 40+ years, and also a way support the talent of today.

The clip below features the band Relentless 7, formed in 2008 featuring Grammy award winner Ben Harper as the lead man. It's a great cover of the Led Zeppelin hit "Good Times, Bad Times" and shows the talent of today paying tribute to the past.



To reminiscent on the greats who started off here, grab a cold one, and maybe see the next big thing, book the West Village Pub Crawl today and explore other historic bars while you're at it.

Bar Profile: McSorley's Old Ale House

McSorley's Old Ale House, located in the East Village at 15 E. 7th Street, is a historic bar that has attracted locals and tourists for over 150 years. An Irish immigrant by the name of John McSorley opened up the bar after being driven out of his homeland shortly after the potato famine. The play "McSorley's Inflation" opened on Broadway in 1882 and essentially put the bar on the map. Since then, the bar has been an inspiration for the works of artists like John Sloan and writers such as E.E. Cummings and Joseph Mitchell.
If you come here to drink, you must like beer, and you must like McSorley's Ale because that is all they have. The good thing is that it's pretty damn good! The beer comes in 8 oz steins in two varieties, light and dark (very creative). When you order one you get two, not a bad deal right? The only catch is that you have to keep drinking. You'll be shown the door if you stop drinking as they don't take kindly to freeloaders. They even adopted the slogan "Be good or be gone" as their motto.

McSorley's, has welcomed many celebrities over the years including Teddy Roosevelt, John Lennon and the New York Rangers who drank McSorley's Ale from the Stanley Cup after their victory. The bar is also home to priceless decor including the last photo of Babe Ruth, an original invitation to the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge, and an original Wanted sign for John Wilkes Booth. One cannot walk into McSorley's without noticing the incredibly dusty ancient gas lamp up above. Supposedly, soldiers hung wishbones on this lamp before heading off to war only to be removed if they returned. It now serves as a memorial and a sign of respect.The bottom line with McSorley's Ale House is that it's a old fashioned bar with rich history. It's not a place for a nice meal, cocktail, or quiet conversation. The forms of payment is still primitive, accepting only cash and the urinals in the Men's bathroom hasn't been renovated since 1911. Can you tell? It's nonetheless a historic New York City bar where one can enjoy the game, the unique decor, and a damn good beer. It is clearly a must-see in New York.
For more on McSorley's Ale House be sure to check out Sean Parnell's article with the Chicago Bar Project.

To LIVE the history of this bar as well as others in the East Village, book the East Village Pub Crawl with Uncle Sam's New York today!

NY SKYRIDE - "Feel the Sights"

Travmedia.com just posted a cool article on our tours with NY SKYRIDE so make sure you check it our here.

The NY SKYRIDE, which offers virtual New York sightseeing tours from the comfort of an Empire State Building theater, is a great way to see the attractions of the city and has been a hit for years. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that Uncle Sam's New York has teamed up with the company to create an even better for our guests. Visitors can enjoy the heights and sights with the “New York From Up Down and Sideways” tour, ideal for families. This tour runs Fridays & Sundays at 2pm and offers a comprehensive intro to New York City including the virtual tour of NY SKYRIDE, views from the cloud level observation deck of the Empire State Building and plenty escorted attractions of the city. For more information on this tour click here.

Uncle Sam's New York also offers the "Empire State Pub Crawl" 5:30pm every Saturday, where tourists are taken back in time to the1930s to explore the majestic art deco Empire State Building. The Pub Crawl includes the NY SKYRIDE and FAST TRACK express passage to the observation deck and guides of three historical bars where guests receive free drinks. For the full scoop click here.

With the NY SKYRIDE you don't just see the sights of New York City you "Feel them" so don't miss out!

The #1 Site for New York Visitors recaps the Empire State Pub Crawl

Kristopher Carpenter, a NYC official City Guide Magazine representative, recently took the Empire State Pub Crawl and we thought you should here about his experience.

Uncle Sam's New York - An Intoxicating Bit of History
May 31, 2009 - by Kristopher Carpenter

Welcome to New York -- you’ve survived the Disneyland-like taxi ride and found your way to the accommodations that you’ve provisioned for your trip. Perhaps you’re thinking of walking around Manhattan, planning on taking in a few of the sights, maybe stopping at a bar or two, and going to the top of the Empire State Building. With so many options and so much to see, why not kill a few birds with one stone? Uncle Sam’s New York Tours will take care of several of these desires at one time with their Empire State Pub Crawl -- offered every Saturday at 5:30pm. The meet up is Heartland Brewery’s fantastic location, actually in residence at 350 Fifth Avenue (better known as the Empire State Building). Heartland is a must for any visitor to NYC, especially if you enjoy good beer. Offering a great variety of signature and seasonal handcrafted ales -- from the award-winning Farmer John’s Oatmeal Stout to the Not Tonight Honey Porter -- and, in one of the funniest coincidences ever, upon reaching the bottom of the staircase, welcoming guests to the Empire State Bar Crawl is none other than Uncle Sam himself!Besides what will almost certainly prove to be a more rollicking experience than you might get on another tour, Uncle Sam’s also offers a significant value to their patrons. For the sticker price of $90, the Empire State Pub Crawl includes three cocktails, admission to the Empire State Building’s virtual rolle rcoaster -- NY SKYRIDE -- and fast-tracked access to the world famous observation deck, the highest land-bound vantage point in Manhattan. Individually, these components would set you back at least $70, so for an extra $20, spread out over 4.5 hours, you get your own private guide to the city and trust me: they know a lot about this town. Even a New Yorker can learn a slew of fun new facts about Manhattan. Here are a few that I picked up:

• Broadway is the oldest north-south thoroughfare in the city. So old, that it was in fact a trading route for Native Americans. It earned its nickname, “The Great White Way,” when nearly a mile of Broadway was illuminated in 1880 by Brush arc lamps, making it among the first electrically lighted streets in the United States.

• The Empire State Building commenced construction during the Great Depression, in 1929. Workers sometimes worked triple shifts with amazing efficiency, finishing the building in only 410 days, months ahead of schedule, and $5-$20 million under budget.

• In another odd coincidence, Henry Hudson, namesake of the Hudson River discovered Manhattan on September 11th, 1609 and made landfall within a mile of where the World Trade Centers stood.

Thirsty yet? I hope so boys and girls, because after the observation deck it’s just a stroll across 33rd Street to Jack Dempsey’s. In yet another interesting bit of NYC history, Jack Dempsey was a boxing legend, and from 1919-1926 he was the reigning world heavyweight champ before he opened his own restaurant and bar in 1935. After a few Guinness or maybe a spot of Jameson, head south under the banner of Uncle Sam’s as your tour guide entertains with amusing anecdotes, answers questions and leads everyone to the front of one of the best rooftop bars in town named, simply, 230 5th which happens to be the address. Jump in the elevator and take it to the top where a lounge and upstairs rooftop awaits. Be sure to look up while stepping onto the plush rooftop patio for one of the best, free views of the Empire State Building to be had. This is the decompression part of the evening, so gather round and socialize or huddle up with your tour guide for a few more history lessons. This trip is a one-of-a-kind journey covering about a mile amidst the imbibing of cocktails in exciting, historic, and exclusive locales.
The Empire Pub Crawl isn't the only option. For the theater buff, the Hell’s Kitchen Bar Crawl takes you through the Theatre District, to bars where famous stars and playwrights used to relax and talk shop. From there you’ll head west to the infamous headquarters of the Westies gang members. Discover the hidden stories that lurk beyond the pristine confines of Times Square in this classic Irish immigrant that earned this neighborhood the moniker "Hell's Kitchen." Or, if it’s the glam nightlife of the Meatpacking District that you’re craving, take the Marilyn Monroe Nightclub Tour with VIP admission and no lines included in the price of the tour. If you’re looking to really tear-up the town in style then it’s time for the good life with Frank Sinatra’s Limousine Tour. It's a 10-hour cruise in the lap of luxury like “Old Blue Eyes” used to do for just $160.

In addition to bar crawls and nightlife, Uncle Sam’s offers several walking tours sans alcohol daily. So if it’s a family vacation, take the kids on the Edgar Allen Poe Greenwich Village Tour and discover the myriad stories within the winding streets of New York’s hotbed for art and poetry. There are several other walking tour options, all priced at just $20 for adults and $16 for children. Private tours are also available for parties of ten or more, as are multilingual tour guides.

As their slogan says “Uncle Sam wants you to see the real New York” and not only do they deliver it in a unique and exciting way – the options are suited to serve every appetite and price range so take a look at www.unclesamsnewyork.com and book your way into the heart and soul of the city with good ol’ Uncle Sam.

Click here to check out the original article in the magazine and

Click here to book the Empire State Pub Crawl.

Don't take our word for it, listen to the experts!

Expert Traveler Gives Her Insight on Pub Crawl

Carly Blatt recently posted her descriptions and thoughts on our West Village pub crawl on JohnnyJet. Check it out!

Uncle Sam's New York West Village pub crawl
Explore New York's West Village through a historical pub crawl. By Carly Blatt

If you're looking to join a pub crawl with a dash of history, an Uncle Sam's New York tour might be just the right fit. Offering walking tours, pub crawls and nightlife tours throughout various neighborhoods in Manhattan, Uncle Sam's fits a niche for people looking for an enjoyable alternative to the double-decker bus tour experience.

Because the West Village is one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city, I decided to check out Uncle Sam's New York West Village pub crawl. Our tour began at the White Horse Tavern and consisted of a mixed group, comprised of both tourists and locals. Four of the guys were from England and had joined the tour simply because the word "pub" was in the name, while a couple from Queens signed up for the tour since they'd always been curious to know more about the West Village and thought it'd be a good way to play tourist in their own city.

WHITE HORSE TAVERN
Once everyone in the group had introduced themselves, Sam gave us a brief history of the White Horse Tavern, including how it began as a longshoreman's bar and later became a hangout for writers in the 50s. He talked about how the tavern played into the rumors surrounding Dylan Thomas' death and shared a few stories about Jack Kerouac's time at the famed bar.

After a few minutes of history, our group went inside to explore the tavern, see the white horse decorations inside and check out the old photographs adorning the walls. Sam bought beers for everyone and shared a few more stories about the pub and how his passion for history had gotten him into this business. He'd been in the army and lived all over the world and his enthusiasm for exploring cities has clearly spilled over into his tours.

Unlike many walking tours in which participants blindly follow a leader and rarely interact with each other, this experience was different: socializing with our fellow pub crawl members was as much a part of the tour as learning the history. Our group quickly transformed from an anonymous cluster of people into a collection of new friends who just happened to be on a pub crawl tour together.

KETTLE OF FISH
After about 40 minutes at the White Horse Tavern, Sam led us to our next stop: Kettle of Fish, another bar rich with literary history. Along the way, he talked about why the streets in the Village were so haphazardly placed and pointed out where the Stonewall Riots took place as well as how the Stonewall Inn got its name.


KENNY'S CASTAWAYS
The third and final stop was Kenny's Castaways on Bleecker Street, a venue that's hosted such artists as Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith and Blues Traveler. Sam arranged for our group to skip the cover charge and we were able to catch one of the musical acts. By the end of the tour, our group was having so much fun that we all ended up staying for another drink and listening to a few extra sets.

Uncle Sam's New York pub crawls are a good fit for history-loving visitors looking for a casual but organized way to check out some of New York's bars. Although you could easily go to each of the bars on your own, the fun of the tour lies in hearing the history and meeting new like-minded people.

The West Village pub crawl is $50 per person and includes three drinks. Uncle Sam's New York also offers an Empire State Pub Crawl, a Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl and an East Village Pub Crawl. If you prefer a regular walking tour, check out the Alexander Hamilton Financial District Tour, the Edgar Allan Poe Greenwich Village Tour or the George M. Cohan Theater District Tour. Nightlife fans can try the Chelsea Night Club Tour. Walking tours are $20 per person and nightlife tours range from $35 to $45.

If you have a New York Pass, you'll receive $20 off the cost of a pub crawl and you can attend any of the walking tours for free.

Carly really enjoyed our historic pub crawl and was able to meet some really cool people in the process. Not a bad way to spend your evening!
Click here to reserve your spot on the next West Village pub crawl.