I used to work on 38th and 8th and I always found it a bit of a struggle to find a good, decently priced bar for happy hour that wasn’t filled with tourists clamoring to get to Times Square. Look no further than the Smithfield Hall on West 25th street. I have willingly taken the 13 block walk to attend happy hour here and have not yet been disappointed. This bar is fantastic for anyone working in mid-town west that has no desire to travel downtown at rush hour.
Almost all house drinks, beers, and wines are $5 at happy hour. This is a nice break from the typical $8 I pay for a glass of Pinot Grigio. Couple that price with a friendly and attentive bar-staff and you have a deal. I had inadvertently ordered a non-house wine one day while I was there and was charged full price. The bartender willingly adjusted the price of the wine for me.
Another great aspect about this bar is the numerous flat screens they have. This is a traditional soccer or “football” bar so be warned it will get crowded during the soccer season. Even so, they do a great job of showing all sports, I’ve watched a few basketball and American football games there as well. Not only do they have their downstairs bar, but they also have a huge upstairs area with a large bar as well.
Now, let’s talk food. When you think of a salad you may think boring, snooze, not filling. The Smithfield has without a doubt the best, and most filling, deconstructed Caesar salad I have ever had. They also include an 8 minute-egg and bread with the salad. This lettuce is always perfectly crunchy and the dressing is creamy with a little bit of tang that completes the dish.
My next food recommendation is the Pizza Roma. It’s not quite a thin crust pizza but it’s not thick crust either. My favorite part about it is the tomatoes. They don’t just use a regular old tomato chopped up, they are oven-roasted tomatoes. If you are a Mediterranean Foodie like me, you know that oven-roasted tomatoes are the sweetest and juiciest tomatoes around. It’s the perfect combo of cheese, tomato, and bread.
Check out their website below for weekly specials and menus!
