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Five NYC Bars To Freeze Out The Heat Wave
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jun 20, 2012
Modified Jun 20, 2012
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Jun 20, 2012
Modified Jun 20, 2012
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It is getting a bit toasty out there, eh? Almost hot enough to make a person eschew NYC's many lovely rooftop and waterfront spots in favor of some nice, dark, over-air conditioned bars. Preferably ones roughly the temperature of Cruella de Ville's heart. Or at least drinks in that temperature range. To that end, try these five spots on for size!
Mehanata: To really forget about the heat you need look no further than this LES Bulgarian bar's Ice Cage, a sub-zero drinking room. What's up with that? Well... You pay $10 bucks per group to open the door and then $20 bucks a head to enter a sub-zero drinking room where you have two minutes to pound back up to six shots of vodka from an ice-cold shot glass. Worried you'll get cold? Don't be—they've got Soviet military uniforms for you to wear.
113 Ludlow Street // 212-625-0981
Lansdowne Road: Oh, you like your drinks ice-cold but prefer to be a bit above freezing yourself? Well, at this sporty Hell's Kitchen beer hole they've got "the Ice Rail" which is "a frozen, color-shifting tube that runs along the entire length of the bar, through which beers are transported before hitting your glass" not to mention "the Cobra head, a sleek, white tap head maintained at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (for higher-alcohol-content beers)." Which is to say, yeah, they've got your cold drinks covered.
599 10th Avenue // 212-239-8020
O'Briens: And while we're on the topic of frozen things—the bar taps at this Midtown pub are frozen. As in covered in ice. Just don't touch your tongue to them on a dare, or the fire department will have to come peel you off.
134 West 46th Street // 212-391-1516
The Commodore: There quite a few reasons to enjoy this Williamsburg barstaurant (the fried chicken) but on a day like today there is only one. The namesake drink here, the Commodore. Basically a massive pina colada, it will cool you down and make you smile. And you'll have a song to sing for the rest of the night.
366 Metropolitian Avenue // 718-218-7632
Zombie Hut: There are lots of frozen drinks out there—and we like many of them!—but the Frozen Zombie at this Carroll Gardens tiki bar remain a favorite. Why? The secret is in the straw. Which is to say, when the bartender hands you your drink be careful not to immediately sip from the straw—they've filled it with a shot of straight booze. Or, suck away. We've yet to be able to drink just one and suspect you'll have the same "problem."
273 Smith Street // 718-875-3433
Those are just five places we like to get our cold drink on—where do you go?
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heat wave
Garth Johnston
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