NYC - any tips?

[WiredOut]

Apparently, I'm going to New York City for a week from the 20th of July.

Don't know bugger all about the place. I'm 27, but apparently everyone who looks under 30 gets ID'd in the States, bar-wise. What kind of ID is required to get served at a bar? I don't fancy the idea of carrying a passport around everywhere.

Any tips, my favourite cyber-siblings? About the aforementioned issue, or New York in general?

Mucho appreciato!

[Michael Wade]

I think any ID (that looks state issued) other than your passport will get you into a bar here. Also you could make some copies of you passport to bring with on a night out as a back up.

[Radish]

Go to Ben Bensons, awesome steaks! Can't remember where it is though.
And be prepared to strip everywhere, I set off every single metal detector in the city (Empire State, airport, all over the place) and had to take shoes, belt, socks, jacket, pretty much everything off no matter who was watching.
And the Stage Deli (I think that's what it was called) near Times Square serves the biggest sandwiches known to humanity.
And if you want to get nicely mullered on not so much money, go for cocktails. The bar staff generally don't bother measuring out the ingredients, so you almost always end up getting more than you should. Plus the beer is all generally weak as piss anyway. Oh, and I didn't notice until told (i.e. shouted at by other half) but some places automatically add a tip to the bill in the evening, but not during the day. I ended up accidentally tipping some bar staff about 25-30% after a few too many.
The subway is worth one ride for the experience, but I found that most places are walkable, gets a bit tiring but worth it. And go on the Staten Island Ferry, not worth getting off at the other end (i.e. just stay on for the return journey) but you get awesome views of the city and the Statue of Liberty, plus it's free.
Awesome place, you'll have a blinder...

[Andy]

Also going to NY too. Very much looking forward to it.

[Pauly]

Holy thread resurrection Batman.....

I'm going to NYC again in April, can anyone recommend a rock friendly bar or three? The last time I was there I was with family so didn't get time to seek out any such place.

So far the plan is to eat steaks here http://www.smithandwollensky.com/new_york.htm

Have the OHs birthday at Hooters

and thats it so far... any recommendations gratiously accepted

[lob]

I know I am a bit of a softie but the thing that made (one of) my days the first time I went was when I found myself in one of the little parks/playgrounds overlooking the East River just before the 51St Bridge. I leant on the wall looked at the bridge and from nowhere the Simon and Garfunkel song "51St Bridge song (feeling groovy)" jumped into my head. It was a cold but clear and sunny spring day and made me feel hugely alive, I then strolled down the hill towards the Chrysler building (you have to look at that) and found a neighbourhood Irish Bar and had a pint(s) and long chat with some honest to goodness native New Yorkers. Great day.

Personally I would say go, wander around, take in some of the sights, Central park, Greenwich Village etc but really just allow the place to happen around you, talk to people if you can - they aren't so fierce as they would like you to believe.

But, why ask us, Ginger is the man to ask I would have thought, if his Myspace postings are anything to go by.......

[vickyp]

I asked this question of a friend of mine and they sent me somewhere I never would have found on my own. Her directions:
"The bar with no name, down some seedy looking stairs on Rivington past Suffolk. It's nice inside - very, very dark, and has interesting people."
I figured she'd been too drunk to see the sign, but it really has no name and you will think twice upon seeing the entrance. Needed our passports to get in, like everywhere. Was a great find though, I'll be back there again.
Then we went on to find a load more good bars in the Lower East Side.
One of the best ones was Iggy's Keltic Lounge, 132 Ludlow St. This is an Irish Punk Pirate bar, and it was a lot of fun. Walked in and they played the Clash and Rancid within the first 5 minutes, so figured we'd stay for a bit. Scruffy as hell, toilets covered in graffiti (yet still clean) and a great friendly place to drink. (There's another Iggy's uptown but unconnected I believe).
We asked Iggy where we could go next, he sent us down the road to a Detroit themed bar (everything made out of cars, walls all black, music depressing). We didn't like that one much.
Best of all was Niagara bar http://www.niagarabar.com/contact.html - this is the one on the corner of Tompkins Square Park on Avenue A. You'll recognise it by the large Joe Strummer mural on the wall. It has great atmosphere, a wonderful selection of beers and single malts and best of all there is a downstairs 'Tiki lounge' where you can go dancing on a Friday and Saturday night. They play the Ramones (of course) and a whole mix of stuff. Then there's some more good bars on the way back up Avenue A to 1st Avenue Station.

Have a great time!

[wildsam6o]

theres a great bar just north from times square, its an old rock pub and they have a few bands on now and then, for the life of me i cant recall what it is called but trust me you will not miss it and best off all they didnt id me and i was 19 at the time

(walk past the m'n'm shop and keep going for about 5 mins its on your left)

[Pauly]

Lob... thats deep dude. You're right, just let the city happen around you

All, many thanks for the suggestions, they're noted

[lob]

I don't know about deep but it is something I like to do (if I have time) wherever I go and it really worked for me in New york and San Francisco too. I had some great conversations in SF one with an elderly (but very lively) black lady who had come to SF in the sixties from New Orleans and still lived in Haight Ashbury and another with a group of transvestite 'entertainers' in a restaurant in the Castro.

Another weird thing that works for me is that if I go to a new country there are four places I always visit; an outdoor market, a supermarket, a neighbourhood bar and a cemetary. It tells you so much about ordinary peoples lives, I went to Finland for the first time this year and got more insights to their history from half an hour in a small town cemetary than any amount of guidebooks.