Beverly’s

5/23/2013

I wanted to dislike this establishment (and still reserve the right to do so in the future). I worried that roving crowds of good looking, hipster artisanal HBO-quality humans would obstruct the sidewalks and increase noise levels by my apartment. And to some extent that has occurred. The LES is coming down to the LLES.

But - they have somebody manning the music and steering it well. E.g., non-EDM electro - to my taste. The 80's scarface chic and magenta neon signage that bathes the bar space feel right. They just need to put on some 80s synth and I'd feel like I'd just been born. The bartenders are reasonable, the Miller High Life is cold, and assuming Beverly's doesn't become convulsed with an obscene amount of artisanal humanoids, this will be a fine place to relax.

7/20/2014

I can't say I've ever had a Manhattan served to me in a whiskey glass before...until tonight.

I probably should do better research next time because on Yelp this place says it's a dive bar.

From the outside and even once you enter in, it is anything but a dive bar. Well lit but not overly bright except for the big pink neon sign that says "Beverly".  1 security guard checking I.D.s as if people would actually TRY to sneak in here.  There is another dive bar directly next door.  

No need for all that trouble.

Then you go in and check out the space and so drunk dude spills his what I would have to assume is a gin and tonic onto your white shirt.

Well...at least it wasn't spiked fruit punch I guess...

PROS :

1) Bartender was cordial but didn't really know how to mix anything as a Manhattan was the best he could have done.  He looked cool and his long hair reminded me of when I still had my long hair a couple of days ago.  But he seemed to be having a good time and as a result when people see this, others will too.

2) Well Lit - no under the table stuff in here.  It is too bright for that.

3) Semi-Cute clientele - Less than a handful but some were looking okay.  It could have just been a slow night.  On a Saturday though...that shoots off all kinds of red flags...

4) LIVE DJ - not much mixing but he did play some good hits.  I think he just pre-mixed his Itunes or something.

CONS :

1) The drinks - the menu on their website is pretty much for show as I couldn't order ANY of the drinks listed.  The beers might be still valid but you would have to check on the very top shelf above all the liquors to see what selections they have.  Simply beers nothing to get crazy about.

2) The drinks - it could be just a secluded area that no one frequents but I've seen MUCH better dive bars than this with bigger selections.  In Minnesota this bar might do VERY well.  In NYC, not so much.

Fortunately for me this was just a preview of the place and I didn't actually spend my entire night preparing to come here.

I wouldn't return but to each's own.

• 

  This is the Manhattan.

  This is the Manhattan.

7/15/2014

Beverly's is the mirror image fraternal twin to clockwork next door. It's just as narrow but well lit, all white and still kinda cheap. I say go to both on the back to back. It'll only set you out $10 anyways.

3/21/2013

First again! I'm on a roll tonight.

OK, so Essex between Hester and Canal has been bustling with excitement as of late. Laying pipe between the hipster barber shop Frank's Chop Shop to the south and Clockwork Bar to the north, Beverly's is the neon-signed, classy art bar that's sure to inject some fresh air into this slowly emerging area of Lower Manhattan.

Like its neighbor with the same address (Clockwork Bar, 21 Essex), it's long, has that new bar smell, and the scene is easy breezy. They have just one beer on tap to go along with several bottled beers that you'd expect from an artsy dive in LES. Modelo, High Life, Budweiser, et al. But one notable feature is their weekday happy hour that spans until 9:00pm. The specials range from $1 off a beer to a shot/beer combo that'll set you back $8. Your wallet will thank you.

As referenced quickly above, I'm a sucker for neon signs, and Beverly's has quite the little Betty out front. It's impossible to miss.

5/30/2014

If I had to choose between being electrocuted after 15 years of prison, or, spending another night at this bar, I would choose death by electrocution--instantly.

"The bartenders are complete schmucking assholes," said my friend, who also attended Beverly's, aka a narrow hallway of shallow, hollow pieces of human beings.

Enjoy!

10/17/2013

this bar made me hate french people more than using a condom on a one night stand.

if you know reuel alvarez, this bar is like being inserted into his body inner space style

i would rather blow my grandfather to completion than ever go back

2/14/2014

A hidden gem in Chinatown. Elegant, sophisticated crowd without being pretentious. Great music, good drinks, good times.

1/21/2014

The vibe is great here and it brings in a good crowd pretty consistently. It is a bit small and narrow but worth the squeeze in. They play good music and usually have some food you can purchase. They occasionally have skate video premieres too!

9/6/2013

I love love love this spot.  A great vibe, good music, and perfect drink prices.  I had my birthday party there and everyone was quite impressed by the place overall.  The bartenders are amazingly kind and fun.  The DJ was playing a perfect set of 90s rap. Everyone was dancing.  I plan on going back again very soon!

2/15/2014

I like this bar but I could never give it five stars as it's too damn narrow. I like some elbow room and at Beverly's once the crowd at the bar is one man deep it's hard to walk from one end of the bar to the other without being like "scuse me" "pardon me" and shoving your way past everybody. So it's a nice place to meet up with friends on a week night but I would steer clear on weekends, unless I manage to park myself at one of the lounging areas in the front or back (probably the back, since that's where the bathroom is and I will have to go there at some point anyway). But otherwise I like the design of the place. It's newly built but it's not slick or pretentious, yet at the same time it's not divey either--the furniture is in pretty good shape and it's clean. It strikes a nice balance, like an art gallery with concrete floors and some utilities showing but still neat enough for showing art. I make this analogy on purpose because Beverly's does display some art works. Up front there's a relief panel in styrofoam, backlit with blue and rose LCD bulbs. I'd seen the piece elsewhere and thought it had this effect of otherworldly alien menace yet in the bar context it evoked a timeless downtown neon coolness, with a strange twist--and I liked it more than I had before. The rear lounge area in the back has a giant backwards 2, hewn from wood, under a little canopy of icicle lights. The je ne sais quoi of art pieces like these makes Beverly's feel like a place where you should always be poised for an interesting, open-ended conversation.

6/10/2013

Love Beverly's! It's a cool vibe, and a great place to host an event or grab brunch on a Saturday. The owners are super friendly and laid back, which is exactly what you want in a local bar. Definitely would recommend Beverly's if you're in the mood for a cocktail or two. Especially since HH lasts from 5 - 9!