Blind Tiger Ale House

Blind Tiger Ale HouseBlind Tiger Ale House
Blind Tiger Ale HouseBlind Tiger Ale House
Bar, Eatery

518 Hudson Street
New York, New York, 10014
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.32
Reviews:
69
Ratings:
69
pDev:
7.41%
View: Place Reviews
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Photo of goodbyeohio
Reviewed by goodbyeohio from Connecticut

4.51/5  rDev +4.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
made the pilgrimage, for the first and last time, last night. situated on a busy west village corner, this bar looks very unassuming from the exterior. typical nyc irish pub look from the outside, "knob creek" neon in the window.

walked into a pile of people as i entered through the door. five or six wooden box booths on the left, a long bar on the right, and a couple of tables in the back along with the doors to the fabled bathrooms. some support pillars scattered among the center 'standing area' with drink tables fashioned around them. medium sized, but lots of grungy, knicked dark cherry wood and beer neon. the walls are covered with framed beer ads and things of the like. place kinda smells a bit.. the smell of a bar that once allowed smoking and spills alot of beer on the floor. that smell. endearing, i guess.

above the bar is the tap list on a set of thin chalkboards.. all magnificent choices (20) and no bmc crap here. bottle list is also up on the chalkboard and boasted beauties like peche mortel, 2000 world wide stout and belgian winter beers. half of the people in here (on a pub crawl) were drinking amstel light. everyone at the bar was appreciating craft beer in a low-key yet social circle. sat next to an older gentleman with white hair and a beard who waxed poetic on his discovery of great new beers over the years during his visits here.

service was only one young lady, working harder than i've ever seen a bartender work at a beer bar. pouring 3 beers at a time nonstop, she still had a minute to crack a joke or shoot the shit with the bar regulars. initial beer was a bit tough, but once i got a seat at the bar, my glass was always full. didn't test her knowledge of beer, but i don't think this place needs a beer scholar behind it. she freely poured samples, and that's frankly all i need to know before i order something.

selection of drafts, as i said, was amazing with several rare choices including limited batches from southampton, goose island, dogfish head and brooklyn. vintage barleywine on tap! (gnarlywine 2003). i drank the three best beers i've had in a while here, and they were the only 3 things i ordered. beers were perhaps a little cold but served in proper glassware. oh, there was a handpump but i didn't drink the weird spruce beer they had on it.

food.. i dont think there is any. someone ordered a pizza and had it delivered here ala moan and dove. whatever.. there are tons of restaurants in the area within jumping distance.

a landmark.. now i see why. an isolated beer community in a large, crazy city. a beer bar for lovers of classic bars. an establishment that truly respects beer, and one that will surely be missed. i'd surely go again if the opportunity arises in the next couple weeks.
Dec 11, 2005
Photo of BillyB
Reviewed by BillyB from New Jersey

4.64/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
This is an excellent beer bar. I went on a weekday afternoon so it wasn't crowded. They had 24 different taps including; Victory Storm King, Weyerbacher, Anchor, Yuengling and Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA. They had Brooklyn Brown on hand-pulled cask. I tried the Stone IPA on tap. It was a very hoppy beer with a nice citrusy zest. I also tried the Penn St. Nick Bock on tap. This had a strong alcohol aroma and flavor with some dark fruit flavors. Very nice kick! I also tried the Ridgeway Santa's Butt Porter. This tasted more like a winter warmer with a spicyness and a warming alcohol effect. They had several Ridgeway winter beers on tap and a very impressive bottle selection as well. They offer 1/2 pints for $3.50 so if you want to sample a few different beers you won't get totally smashed(or broke).
Dec 07, 2005
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -4.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
Man, did coming in here on Sa, 03 December 2005 bring back memories. I used to make it in here a good bit and then my one friend moved to Brooklyn and suddenly, this place fell off of my radar. I felt compelled to come in one last time.

"Bring on da music, bring on da funk" should have been this place's motto. The funk in this place is prevasive and unique. The faux tin ceiling is deceptive, but definitely plastic. The space was so overcrowded as to have patrons spilling over one another.

The place is an inverted "V"-shape, culminating in a short fireplace and mantel, on which a carcass of bagels and cream cheese still rested that evening after having been put out at opening time. Yow! The right-hand of the V is created by the packed bar and the left-hand by an bank of rough-hewn wooden tables. Coming to think of rough-hewn, the whole place falls under that descriptor.

There are a couple of exposed ducts flanking the interior with one of them acting as the base for four nicotine-coated lamps hanging above the bar. Ugh. A deep breath later and I was feeling nauseous. This leads me to the faux pine shingles that pave the way down a steep fight of stairs into the one-banger that acts as the Men's. I think that I remember this bog in the movie, "Trainspotting."

Returning to the bar area, there is a big mirror to the left of the bar with a couple of chalkboards flanking it in the overhead. Twelve drafts, which is impressive. I took a gander into the entryway to the Womens' and noted a series of brass plaques commemorating who knows what and a Sherrif's Department jacket with no name, again denoting WTF.

Bukowski would have loved this place, but I am getting older and less enamored of such things. Cheers! It was nice knowing you and I hope that you are able to resurface elsewhere.
Dec 07, 2005
Photo of Nay
Reviewed by Nay from Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev -16.9%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Still stinky, after all these years. This most recent visit, my third visit spread out over five years at different days of the week and times of day, found Blind Tiger stinky as usual. I'm not complaining about the sour beer smell from the pints that fall off the wobbly, uneven tables, I mean the cleaning agents they use. Even on a crowded Saturday night it's the main stank in the place. The first two times I went the group I was with wouldn't even sit down in the place because of the stink. It's weird, the stink, because of all the bars I've been to, this is the worst smelling place. I guess the owner(s) have grown numb to it. Too bad.

And the anti-beeradvocate graffiti in the "bathroom" is really charming. I'll heed its advice and stay away from this place in the future. There are just too many other great beer bars nearby that don't stink to bother with BT.
Nov 13, 2005
Photo of Rumrunner
Reviewed by Rumrunner from California

4.44/5  rDev +2.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
The Blind Tiger is what it is and nothing that it is not. What it is is a great neighborhood beer bar.

We stopped in on a Tuesday night. The place was dimly lit but the lighting gives a warming glow that makes a patron feel welcome. A small wooden bar and wooden booths along the back wall are it for seating in this small tavern. Plenty of swag on the walls. Step carefully down the stairs to the 'unique' restrooms. Some might call this a dive bar. Not me. It is just a simple beer bar. A great neighborhood stop for a couple pints and some conversation with friends.

Service was good. Not being a crowded night we were well attended to. Our glasses were kept full and the bartenders were pleasant and knowledgable about beer.

The Blind Tiger may be a simple neighborhood bar but the beer list is very complex with plenty of variety. A very good mix on the taps and in the bottle from local, across the country to imported. They have a cask and what they call 'special guest beers.' I guess the special guest beers are hard to get beers. It sure was nice to try some east coast beers on tap. Weyerbacher being one and Southhampton being another.

Next time I am in New York I will definately stop by the Blind Tiger. A simple ale house without an ounce of pretention and a great selection of beers. A beer drinker can't go wrong here. If you don't like the atmosphere, blind fold yourself.
Nov 10, 2005
Photo of scooter231
Reviewed by scooter231 from New York

3.73/5  rDev -13.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4
I constantly have mixed feelings about this place. It's small, quite small. Tiny bar, a few wooden booths with tables that all seem to be wobbly- that's right, beware moving the table, your beer may suffer a fatal fall. Bathrooms are a bit scary- the guy's is down a flight of steep, narrow stairs- not good at all among drunks- and the girl's bathroom sort of doesn't lock, it's tiny, and often dirty.

The selection of beer itself is usually pretty good- not a lot of quantity, but the quality is always right up there. Service, however, is different. Always, always slow. And when I ask about certain beers, they seem to know what they're talking about- and then I taste the beer. And it's radically different. For instance- "it's a super sweet beer." No, it's not. It was bitter and hoppy. Incorrect information really annoys me.

The place is usually hopping, stuffed, on the weekend. But if you go on a quieter night, it's a pleasant place to sit and have a few. Wednesday they have good events going on- and cheese, good cheese- so it's worth checking out.

Ultimately, a good beer bar, but not one I want to frequent all the time.
Oct 28, 2005
Photo of GnomeKing
Reviewed by GnomeKing from Pennsylvania

4.36/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
I love this dump. Exposed wiring. Tables made of unvarnished wood. Beer signs that aren't working. Plywood covering parts of the walls. Two buckets sitting on the floor. A men's room that's tagged to hell with not only the usual bathroom messages (like the one endorsing a particular method of rocking out), but also with disses like "Anam Cara Sucks" and "'Anam Cara' means I want to be the Blind Tiger". Hey, Anam Cara is great, but it's all just for fun and I like the spirit of having a slam war between two beer bars in different cities. If you haven't been to the Blind Tiger, you can't appreciate that these elements of atmosphere are all good things and that the place makes you want to hang around all day. It's small and cozy, so you might end up making some new friends.

The beer selection isn't large, but size isn't everything. The taps are well-chosen and there's a great mix of styles. Some local stuff, some imports. The bottle list isn't extensive either, but it, too, offers nice variety and terrific quality.

The service was friendly, funny, and knowledgeable. Ask about a beer, and you'll get a spot-on description of its malt character.

There's no food here, but as my buddy said, "If they served food, would you eat it?" Dunno. There is a free bagel brunch on Saturday afternoons from 1-4, but don't expect much. I had a bagel just to fill my tummy so that I could absorb more beer, sweet beer.
Oct 24, 2005
Photo of beveragecaptain
Reviewed by beveragecaptain from New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
I seem to have more fun at the Blind Tiger than any other bar I go to. One of the reasons I love this place is the beer, of course. About 24 taps, and there is usually a beer on cask. Most of the taps are quite good, and none are bad. There are always several Brooklyn beers. Wednesdays often feature a theme, devoted to a brewery, style, region, etc. These events are always a lot of fun, and feature great beer. I especially enjoyed Southampton night. My most recent visit was shortly after a German beer event. I enjoyed several beers from Mahrs.

Another great aspect of the Blind Tiger is the atmosphere. It's dark and cozy. It's a great place to come with friends, sit at a dark table, and enjoy great beers for several hours. There's no food served, other than cheese at events and bagels on weekend afternoons. I think they let you bring your own food in.

The best place for beer in Manhattan.
Oct 17, 2005
Photo of Quaffer
Reviewed by Quaffer from Missouri

4.66/5  rDev +7.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
UPDATE 10-16-2005

I've made many visits to the BT since my first review and I still love the place. It has become a tradition of mine to head there immediately after I arrive in the City. The service is usually what I would call good, but on one particular visit, it was above and beyond exceptional. Therefore, I've upped the service rating. Also, I just don't think the selection is as great as it used to be. Still wonderful no doubt, but the last couple of times that I have been there nothing really jumped out and wow'd me. So, unfortunately, I'm dropping the selection rating a bit. All that said, as long as the Blind Tiger remains open, it will always be my first stop after I arrive in NYC.

10-07-2003

A friend of mine and I set out to find the Blind Tiger on the one day that I had to spend in the City. Of course, I remembered the address wrong so we ended up just walking down Hudson hoping to stumble across it. Just as I was starting to get frustrated, I turned and, lo and behold, I was standing right infront of it. That old, dark "Blind Tiger Ale House" sign shining like a beacon and calling me home.

This is definitely a cozy little bar. It's small and not much to look at in the light, but it is quaint and homey. Everyone is friendly and enjoying great beer, so the atmosphere is very nice. We shared our table with two seperate groups of patrons and had a great time. We met some really nice people.

Out of all the places that I visited while in New York, the selection here had me the most confused as to what to order next. There were so many great beers that I had a hell of a time making up my mind. Beers that I had only heard mentioned before from breweries that I had only read about, they were all there. And mine for the drinking! And like every other place that I went to while in New York, they were served in the appropriate glassware (I love that).

The service was good, but with the amount of people that were there, there could have been at least one more person behind the bar.

Nothing will be able to keep me away from the Blind Tiger on my next visit into the Village.
Oct 16, 2005
Photo of ommegangpbr
Reviewed by ommegangpbr from New York

4.14/5  rDev -4.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
I've been here a couple times now so I figured it's my duty to share what I've learned.
First off, avoid this place on weekend nights if at all possible. The place is very small relative to its popularity. Friday and Saturday nights the place is crazy crowded, often with people standing outside waiting to get in.
On quieter nights this is a cool place to go to.
The bathroom is a bit scary; down a flight of stairs, only one toilet per bathroom (no stall) and no lock on the men's room door.
A couple of the tables there are dangerously wobbly. There's no point in leaving your glass on the table... unless that point is to catapult your glass into someone's face.
There is almost a divy tinge to the atmosphere, which I happen to enjoy. This place is well worn in (eg, the ever so wobbly table). The music on the juke was good classic rock.
The beer selection is solid to quite good. You're apt to get some of the more unusual Brooklyn brews there and they often carry Southampton stuff on tap. Bottle selection is solid... the beers themselves were apparently stored properly with clean tap lines.
The service was good enough; the bartender was able to answer questions I posed, which is more than I can say for some other beer bars I've been to.
Overall a good place... nothing terribly stunning or impressive to me, but definately worth a try.
Sep 15, 2005
Photo of constantpain
Reviewed by constantpain from Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Blind Tiger was one of the places I was looking forward to trying on my trip to NYC. I went around 3pm-ish. So there was not many people and I think they had a special where it's $1 off draft.

When I first walked it, I didn't expect it to be that small, but that was alright. I sat at the bar and asked for the menu. The menu is great, having a description along with the selection. The bartender was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Since it wasn't that busy, he gave me a sample of a couple of beers and even gave me advice on what to stay away from, like the Sierra Nevada Crystal Wheat... yuck! Tasted like Bud!

I first wanted to try the Brooklyn Bitter from the hand drawn selection. Unfortunately they didn't have it and I didn't like the one he let me try. So I went from the Flying Dog's Gonzo's Imperial Porter. Unfortunately, that was from the bottle. It wasn't bad though. Most of the selection on tap was either from Sierra Nevada or Brooklyn. The next one I had was the Heavyweight Two Druids' Gruit Ale on tap. That wasn't bad.

I don't think they have a food menu, just typical bar stuff like nuts and pretzels. Overall the expensive was extremely pleasant. One of the better bars in NYC. What sold me on this place was definitely the friendly and helpful service. They even let me keep a copy of the menu! This place is a must try if you are in the area.
Sep 10, 2005
Photo of PatandDavid
Reviewed by PatandDavid from Massachusetts

4.64/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
I really liked the Blind Tiger. David and I went here twice when we visited NYC. This is what I liked:

Atmosphere: I hear it gets crowded on what, Friday-Sunday, but we visited on a Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, so it was not crowded at all. Small and pub sized, not fancy, pull up a bar stool, and the 'tender was there to take your order immediately. I liked the intimate and neighborhood feel. In fact, I started talking to some 'regulars' and by the time we left it was: see you tomorrow. And we did. So how cool was that for some out of towners. The second day we visited, we met up with fellow BA Davo and Afatty, which was cool as well.

Quality: Beers were tasty, fresh, I didn't notice any wild temperature fluctuations. I liked the fact that I could order half pints of different beers, and was charged accordingly. They had recently had a bunch of Southampton beers on, and there was at least 4-5 still on. Definite local emphasis (like Southhampton, Brooklyn, Diesel, Victory) when we visited, but bottles of Belgians available too.

Service: Service was immediate and friendly. We went 2 days in a row, saw the same friendly tenders who recognised us.

Selection: great, see quality above.

I would go here again, no problems. Great beer, friendly people, with a non-high-falutin' attitude, that's what I like.
Sep 01, 2005
Photo of whartontallboy
Reviewed by whartontallboy from New York

4.16/5  rDev -3.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
After living in NYC all summer, I finally made it to the Blind Tiger for the Brooklyn VSK night this past week. Needless to say, I was quite impressed.

Although a fair number of the taps were reserved for the special event this night, there were still a solid smattering of other tough-to-find micros and imports on tap, and the bottle list was enough to get me salivating, although I didn't try any.

The atmosphere is pleasant enough, fairly dark with cool older breweriana on the walls and a couple of big TVs that were showing the Yanks game. Only complaint in this department would be the lack of enough tables/space. It was pretty crowded for this event, and I could only imagine it getting more and more crowded on a weekend or for a bigger event.

Prices were very fair, I thought, especially for the city. Six bucks for a Brooklyn brewmaster's reserve? Sounds like a steal to me.

I hope to make it back in this week; that's the best endorsement I can give it.
Aug 21, 2005
Photo of bigjohn
Reviewed by bigjohn from New Jersey

4.24/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
First time at the Blind Tiger this weekend. My friends and I sampled a number of different beers from their healthy tap list. As an aside I was extremely disappointed in two of them, but not the Blind Tiger's fault.
A nice cozy bar, which unfortunately means it gets very crowded, very fast, but we were lucky enought to get a table, so it wasnt so bad.
Service was good, bartenders were friendly, fairly knowledgeable, but could not tell me what Lagunitas 10 was. Prices good, selection good, although it seemed limited in scope, mostly IPAs and Saisons, no stouts, porters, bocks, or barleywines, but I suppose they are out of season. Would have been nice to have one though. Still, great selection.
My complaint is with the crowdedness of the bar, and it seemed like every other person in there was drinking an amstel light bottle, at least around where we were sitting. People should drink what they like, but I cant believe how many people chose amstel light over the fine tap choices. Oh well.
The Blind Tiger is a fine establishment that I will return to, hopefully at a less crowded time.
Jul 11, 2005
Photo of quasimoto
Reviewed by quasimoto from Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -18.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4
Blind Tiger is the small out of the way beer bar for the beer lover. Great selection, not big but good beers. Not a single stable table in the house. All of them wobbled like they were on a tricycle. The atmosphere clearly made upfor it. Especialy if you have good friends around. Nice people, The staff was probably one of the best in the NYC area. They fall into the trap of loud talking = turn up the music. A calssic bar mistake, but they made up for it by playing good music. Overall, If you love good beer this is a place to experience.
Jun 15, 2005
Photo of JMH_
Reviewed by JMH_ from New Jersey

4.46/5  rDev +3.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Stopped into the Blind Tiger for the first time recently and I must say I wasn't disappointed.

As it was an weekday (early) afternoon, there was maybe a total of five customers the entire time (including me), but that was just fine by me. With good brews and the Stones, Zeppelin, Hendrix and Pearl Jam on the stereo the entire time, I'm certain that I'd enjoy the place at any time. Plus, it's simply a no-frills bar. There is no food offered, save for some chips and pretzels, and even the one television they have is fairly tiny.

No complaints about the service as, with hardly any customers to tend to, it was quick. Bartender knew what he was talking about too, which is always nice, of course.

Selection consisted of 24 taps with one hand pump and maybe 20-25 bottles or so. Taps seemed to be dedicated mostly to American micros while the bottles were primarily imports. It was also nice to see that the taps are rotated at a regular rate, as the last review about 2-3 weeks before my visit listed brews available at that time, and none were on tap during my visit, which had HW Hammer, Stone AB, SN Harvest, DFH 90 via Randall, HOTD '02 Doggie Claws and Hudson IPA on cask, amongst others, as the highlights this time.

Definitely a nice place to hit if you're in the city. The $1 off special/happy hour/whatever you want to call it on weekday afternoons is nice as well, making the prices more than reasonable. I can't wait to visit the BT again.
May 26, 2005
Photo of Shaw
Reviewed by Shaw from Florida

3.61/5  rDev -16.4%
vibe: 2 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
I went to the Blind Tiger during a visit to NYC for a friend's wedding. Got there around 6:30 on a Tuesday evening. It wasn't crowded when I got there but the place was picking up over the hour I was there. No food, but they did have a couple of pizzas for patrons, which was a nice touch.

The problem I had with the Blind Tiger was the noise. The place is pretty small and they had the sound system cranked up. You had to yell just to be heard. A pub is supposed to be a place for conversation. Blasting rock music doesn't help. I didn't think one aspect of the atmosphere could sour me so much but the noise made the place all but unbearable.

The service was good. The bartender seemed to know a bit about the beer, but a fellow patron was more helpful in making suggestions. I only dinged the service a half point because there is a $20 minimum on using credit cards. I like to use plastic a lot and carry little cash.

Their selection is pretty good, as are their prices, especially for Manhattan. They had a nice regional selection and a lot of strong beers on tap.

Overall the Blind Tiger was a disappointment. Maybe my hopes were too high, but I've been to many better beer bars. Oh well. If they would turn down the sound system I would greatly change my review.
Apr 29, 2005
Photo of saskguy
Reviewed by saskguy from Canada (SK)

4.36/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Was there on a nice Sunday afternoon. While they do not serve food, they did have bagels and spread for free....

Great small bar with lots of good beer and people. we tried a variety of different beers. All were in good shape. The one staff person was friendly and knew the beers (anytime a bartender gives you a free one, you have to like it). They also have a good scotch and burbon list. Plus some interesting wines by the glass. Good people watching!

I would put it up with the Liar Club in San Diego as a fav place.
Apr 19, 2005
Photo of blitheringidiot
Reviewed by blitheringidiot from Pennsylvania

4.36/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Beer bars are quite diverse, suffice to say. Some are fancy and some are cozy. Both are good. The Blind Tiger is extra cozy as in characteristically worn through beer appreciation. The place could be mistaken for "just another lower Big Apple joint, but it is far from it. The Blind Tiger is a staple of beerdom on the entire East Coast. From the dumpy bathrooms downstairs to the wooden tables, this joint is history in halls of beer.

Prices are actually reasonable for Manhatten, and the service and selection meet the expectations of any beer connoisuer. Usually, the bonus aspect of the Blind Tiger is gleaning the left overs on tap from a week's prior event like six different Sierra Nevada or Blue Point brews on six taps. That is what makes the Blind Tiger so cool.

A respectable booze and vino list will satiate anybody on your list.

Does it pass the "Could you take your Mother here test?" No way, but who cares! I wouldn't take Mom to NYC period! NYC is the original Sin City...let's keep it that way!
Apr 03, 2005
Photo of TheGipper
Reviewed by TheGipper from New York

4.06/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 5
I adore the Blind Tiger. The commitment to bringing in a wide variety quality beer makes it my favorite bar in NYC. The dark, vintage, wooden ambience—including the lovely smell of old wood saturated in suds (a smell only a beer geek could love!)—adds to my enjoyment, but the beer makes this bar. There are always several taps that I want to try, and usually one or two that I have never sampled, including cask ales and small batches that only come to the Tiger and maybe one or two more pubs in the city.

The bar is in a very popular part of Manhattan in the West Village, and it can get extremely crowded, especially during special events, such as the Wednesday night beer and cheese nights. An ideal time to go is the late afternoon, before the happy hour horde descends. Another negative is the relatively unknowledgable bartenders, for the most part. You will find them friendly, but don't ask too much about the beer.

Despite these limited drawbacks, I keep coming back to the Blind Tiger, where I am guaranteed to enjoy quality beer every time I go.
Mar 04, 2005
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Reviewed by ChowHound from New York

3.93/5  rDev -9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5
What this place lacks in food, it easily makes up for in old-style, grungy pub ambiance. Smallish bar, wooden tables and woody feel, I felt as if I were in a London pub from thats been around for years. Nothing fancy here, yet it drips with comfort. Too small to support a kitchen or servers, the only shortcoming was the service. On a busy evening getting the bartender to notice you isn't at all easy. The beer selection is quite good, with an excellent choice of draughts from many of the local breweries, with a paricularly large choice from Brooklyn, as well as national and regional classic craft breweries. The chalk boards tell it all. This is a real neighborhood place with those ruddy folks you find in that type of bar. Folks from every age-group and walk of life seem comfortable here, and it wasn't hard to get involved in interesting conversation. When in the West Village, one of New York's most elegant and beautiful neighborhoods, this is place you simply should not pass up.
Feb 17, 2005
Photo of Dithyramb
Reviewed by Dithyramb from Maryland

4.53/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
I was wandering around the Village on Saturday trying to find some sort of British store on Hudson when I accidentally walked into the Blind Tiger for directions. (the place was actually on Greenwich...)

Great atmosphere, actually reminds me of the Wharf Rat in Fells Point. Comfortable place, graffitti on the bathroom walls, friendly patrons. Although they looked a little swarthy outside (I'm so pumped that I can drink beer in NY and not smell like an ash tray later) they were talkative and helped me through some of the more rare finds to be had.

Fine selection of quality, fresh beers with a knowledgable staff. There is no food, but, being the Village, there are several places within short walking distance if you became hungry. There are bar snacks to hold you over. I was told that bagels are available for free on Sunday. I munched on munchies during my pint or two and eventually had fish and chips around the corner.

Well worth the trip, stop on down.
Feb 14, 2005
Photo of marburg
Reviewed by marburg from Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Apparently, I wouldn't know a fine woman if she defecated on my face.

Or so indicates the restroom scrawlings penned by some previously in inebriated local beer-lover (and modern poet).

But moving beyond the confines of the four "well-decorated" shitter walls, this is a hell of a beer bar. I was there on a Magic Hat night, where their Anti Oxidant Acid Ale (Flemish red) was on tap. A good crowd of beer fans huddled around the bar, including a number of BAs. The small, cozy room was simple and straightforward:

No food. No fluff. No bull. Just beer. The small but well-selected, superb selection spoke for itself. Quantity isn't everything. I've been to plenty of places with more beer, but what's served here is fantastic -- from DeRanke Guldenberg to the special Magic Hat beers to Cantillon to Southampton.

Excellence!
Jan 27, 2005
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Reviewed by cerevisiaephilus from Michigan

4.7/5  rDev +8.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Well this here bar is an excellent bar. It doesn't fuck around. It knows its a bar and makes sure it does a good job at being a bar. Right on the corner of 10th and Hudson, pretty much the West Village I suppose, its really a nice neighborhood bar. Small...maybe 12 seats at the bar and 5-6 tables. Very nice lighting...dark but not dank. Nice wood floors and tables and nice little fireplace tucked in the back right. The basement (where the men's room is) is really a nice bit of ambiance. Old exposed brick walls etc.

The beer selection was good but not great. I suppose their draught offerings are their strong suit. They had a couple southhampton's, coulpe Brooklyn including the new reserve abbey (which I didn't really like...too spicy), Ruination 2003 (!), SNCA, Delrium Tremens, DFH punkin, Geary's pale, Anchor Liberty, Grant's Hopzilla, Avery Czar, Arrogant Bastard...about 25 in all I think...and then I went back the next day and there were four new kegs! Really nice. Had maybe 20-30 bottles...not bad. I had a deRanke Guldenberg. Had a bunch of allagash and three Ommegang, A. le Coq impy, Orval, and a handfull of other good bottles. No food to be served, but the Cowgirl across the street has really good 1/2lb burgers.

Service was great. No table service but I understand. Its a small enough place that you can just walk up to the bar. The bartender was really cool...knew his beer and was very quick. In fact...he let my friends coaster lay fallow for 5 minutes after he ordered and gave him the beer on the house apologizing for the slow service!! Of course this is NY and the prices were pretty steep. 5$ for a 12oz Arrogant bastard and the Guldenberg 750ml ran us 18$...but not the end of the world.

Really nice neighborhood feel. I had a great conversation with a very inebriated local who was super sweet and bought me a beer. I'd really recommend you go to this bar....twice....or even three times. I was in Manhattan for two days and went here both!!
Dec 29, 2004
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Reviewed by lenin from New York

4.16/5  rDev -3.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4
This is the best bar period in New York (Spuyten Duyvil might take beer bar honors but Blind Tiger is the best bar overall). Its beer selection is always great (if I don't want anything on tap I'll surely want something in a bottle) and proves you don't need ~400 beers to have a good selection (well BT suggests it and Spuyten Duyvil proves it but I digress). Scotch selection is excellent. And the value is stellar for NYC. For less than what some places charge for swill you can get a belgian or quality microbrew. Pours on hard liquor are strong. Order a top shelf aged scotch and you'll get what I consider a double.

Complaints about service are really complaints about its popularity -- this place is jammed almost every night. Despite that I consistently receive buy backs when I spend more than an hour here, more than I can say for any other beer bar in this city (in my experience). Maybe I haven't had any service issues because I'm in my 20s and don't hit on the attractive bartenders, just talk to them when they have time and leave them alone when they don't.

I love the atmosphere and probably wouldn't be friends with those who don't. Just a great bar.
Dec 23, 2004
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Reviewed by SCW from New York

4.6/5  rDev +6.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
This place is undoubtedly one of the beer shrines of NYC. I don't think there is another bar that can compete in terms of quantity and selection among tap lines. They may be beat in terms of bottled beers, but last time I checked, they had hundreds of those as well.

The atmosphere is jovial. There are all types of people found in here, but most of all, you're going to find beer enthusiasts. The first time I was here, I saw a group of friends on a double date sitting at the booth next to me. The woman were reluctant to try an exotic beer, but their boyfriends helped them make a selection. About two hours later, they were all hammered.

Despite the heavy volume and amount of tap lines, I've never had a bad beer here. The tap lines must be clean, and the glassware always is too.

Although I wouldn't call this place impeccably clean. It's certainly not dirty, but with all the revelry on a nightly basis, this place takes a beating. The wood on the floors and tables is worn, and as you can imagine, there is plently of beer spilled everywhere. But that's just part of the atmosphere... after all, it's a celebration.

Another great thing about this place is that they regularly have beer events. They might throw a party to launch a new beer in the city, or have a brewery come down to speak and feature their beers. On these nights, look for the beer heads to come out of the woodwork. As a matter of fact, look for the beer heads on any night.
Nov 28, 2004
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Reviewed by far333 from Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4
May not be easy for all to find, since it's in the West Village away from the traditional NYC grid system of streets, but it's great that it's away from midtown and tourist hell. Smaller and darker than expected, but cozy and comfortable. Lots of dark wood and a dark gold painted tin ceiling. And low lights. The bar is small, probably only 12 stools. There are a handful of small tables and about 6 or 8 booths. 25 taps, two of which were cask. Selection was good, but there seemed to be only one style offered from any one brand except Brooklyn. Only #9 from Magic Hat? Only Punk from DFH? Bottle list is surprisingly short, but pleasantly stocked with lots of great Belgian delights. Service was not overly friendly, but certainly attentive, and the barmaid was expert at pouring a perfect pint with seemingly no effort at all. Not sure if I would make this place your quest in NYC, but definitely worth checking out if you plan to be downtown.
Nov 17, 2004
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Reviewed by francisweizen from Washington

4.84/5  rDev +12%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Simply put? HARD CORE! Definately one of the best beer bars in NYC, and probably one of the best beer bars in the world. The Blind Tiger Ale House is in an unassuming, and really-quite-pretty part of the West village. Although their are several subway stops close by, you will always have to walk a block or three to get here, and although there is a nice beer store close by and several other good pubs in close vicinity of this place, the Blind Tiger is definately not in a very active part of town. The atmosphere is simply awesome. A nice looking store front (with some outdoor seating for when it is nice outside), a nice old wooden bar, creaky floors, old ceiling, and a smattering of tables give an awesome look to this very small, one-room, school-house, of beer. The quality of the beers seems excellent, but I have not drank enough beer here to give it a '5' rating just yet. The service was fast, and very pleasant and the selection of beers on tap, and in the bottle was exceptionally good, and for the village, exceptionally priced as well. They have very good specials going on at the Blind Tiger, and often a brooklyn beer or two will be offered on the cheap. Speaking of brooklyn they always seem to have more of their beers on tap here, than at any other Manhattan bar. Oh, and the bathrooms here are just fine. If anyone is that bothered by the quality of the bathrooms at the Blind Tiger, heaven help them if they ever end up at CbGbS! Oh, and I agree with Randy. Grafitti toasting George Harrison is ace, and so is the Blind Tiger. Go here.
Nov 01, 2004
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Reviewed by TheJudge from New York

4.06/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
have been looking forward to the excuse to go here. A small, real bar. 24 taps that I counted, all good. A great mix of stuff. Not overpriced for NYC, and an interesting location in the west village. While the quality of the beer was outstanding, the quantity was lacking. Gingerman has 3 times the taps, David Copperfield has 3 times the bottles. No jukebox. That was a good thing, as you don't know what you will get musically. No food was a serious detriment, especially neither my friend nor i had had lunch.

I will definately make you way back here. They seem to know what they are doing, beer wise. They had a smoked fest just concluded, and had 6 on tap. Don't see that every day.

I also liked the fact that the web site had their beers pretty up to date. That is an atribute lacking in many beer bars
Sep 28, 2004
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Reviewed by Rastacouere from Canada (QC)

3.23/5  rDev -25.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2 | selection: 4
Much smaller than I thought which could be a nice point. Big neighborhood feel, all wood decoration makes it low profile, low lighting. You would definitely not expect this place to have ~30 taps of local and imported craft beers. Shows support to local brooklyn brewery and apparently always have one of their offerings. Music was a bit loud for me and I think I haven’t met the best menu + I had to reorder my allagash four 3 times for the barman to finally get it right, so I was a bit let down ultimately and I would prefer to try other bars like davidcopperfields next time I'm in Manhattan. I love how fast their selection rotates despite the place being so small though.
Sep 28, 2004
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Reviewed by axisjones from California

4.58/5  rDev +6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
I walked in to a dark wooden room not knowing to expect but i was pleasantly surprised on viewing the beer menu. Blind Tiger has a great selection on both draught and bottle. I am from the west coast and the slant here is toward east coast breweries so i had a lot to look forward to. The service was excellent. The bardtender was friendly, knowledgable and gave great advice on what to get, offering samples of the draught beers. This is definitely a refreshing slightly divey change of pace from manhattan trend bars. I would be a regular here if i lived in the city.
Sep 08, 2004
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Reviewed by StuFox from New York

4.14/5  rDev -4.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Manhattan is the home of the $6 Guiness and the $9 cocktail. It's very hard to go anywhere and not only feel ripped off, but feel like I'm getting bad service because I'm not wearing tight enough black pants. Beer is a tough proposition in Manhattan, clubs make more money off hard liquor so they don't invest in it, and most bars are either filled with tourists, yuppies, or damn hipsters ordering PBR in a can for the irony of it. While I won't say none of those people ever walk into the Blind Tiger, it ultimately doesn't matter. The bar is very chill, I sat in the back one night and did some office work without being disturbed at all. It isn't too loud, but it isn't dead either. This is a place that draws a good weeknight crowd. But enough about that, you want to know about the beer. This is a bar that respects the beer drinker. It has a huge tap offereing, and also often has specials. One night I went, all Stone Brewery beers were a dollar off. It was a nice touch, especially for a beer that's not common in NYC. Probably one of the best beer drinkers bar in Manhattan
Sep 01, 2004
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Reviewed by bultrey from New York

4.66/5  rDev +7.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
11-5-04 -- I've got to bump up the scores on this place after a particularly stellar night last night. Beers are always so fresh and soo good, and the selection is consistently one of the best mixes of rare, popular, local, and new beers, representing almost every style at all times. Plus, the bartenders are sooo good. In many ways. Superb place...

Previous review: What a great neighborhood joint -- and in Manhattan, where "neighborhood" is a very relative term. I only wish this were closer to my apartment, although I'm not sure it would be a good financial move for me...

Most recently went on a Sunday afternoon to kill some time while the lady and her friends did some shopping. All the subway stops appear as if they are quite far away, but it's a 5-10 minute, pleasant walk from about three different stops. The place is not that big, which adds to its charm, but can be problematic during happy hours or other prime times (although the bartenders have always been more than efficient even during those times).
But on this Sunday, I was comfortably seated at the bar, and eventually, enough people trickled in to make it feel like a place to be. The Olympics were on the small TV above the bar, as well as the big screen in the back (luckily, I didn't have to endure the Yankees game, although they did lose that day :-)

The beer list here is very nice -- about 20 on tap, all carefully chosen to provide a nice variety. I guess there are about 30 bottles or so -- also running the gamut. There is always at least two on tap that are hard to find. They also are loyal to local breweries, as I've always seen a Southampton or a Heavyweight on draft.

I stuck to draft only: started with a Brooklyn Weisse (bartender was going to put a lemon in, until I stopped her), then had a Smuttynose Pumpkin ale, moved on to a Hair of the Dog Rose, and finished with a DFH 90 Min. IPA via Randall the enamel animal. All are served in appropriate glassware. The other great thing is that, before two of my beers, I asked to sample a few others -- a request the bartender kindly accomodated.

The whole time, they had complementary bagels, cream cheese, onions, bologna, crackers, etc. And although they don't normally serve food, they have free stuff like this all the time (hot dogs some days, stinky cheeses on Wed.). Also, people seemed to be bringing their own food in without any problems.

The bartender was friendly, efficient, and easy on the eyes. My total cost for the four beers was about $20. For the three hours I spent there watching women's beach volleyball on TV, eating bologna on crackers with mustard, and sipping some damn good beers, I'd say it was worth it.

If you're anywhere near the West village, you must go.
Aug 24, 2004
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Reviewed by Hibernator from Massachusetts

4.44/5  rDev +2.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
I visited the Blind Tiger Ale House while visiting NYC on 8-21-04 with a good friend. My friend is familiar with New York and got is there with ease. The Blind Tiger is located in the West Village area of NYC and just a short walk to a scenic backdrop of a NJ skyline.

The atmosphere is comfortable with a great wooden bar, wooden chairs and wooden booths. The crowd was somewhat mixed with people ordering from the incredible selection of draft choices, bottles, and shots. Service was good. There were some questionable pours that were rushed with very excessive heads on some of the beers we ordered. When asked about one of the beers, the bartender gave us a sample to try. This kind of service is appreciated. There were a couple of T.V.'s including a large flat screen. A MLB game was on while we were there. One area that could have enhanced our experience was the music. There was some music playing in the background, but it was very low at times, to the point were you could barely hear it. It was a Saturday night and some good music, maybe even a juke box would have only made things better. Also, there is just one bathroom for men & women located downstairs. A line started to develop quickly as the night progressed. The focus of this place is not the atmosphere, rather the beer selection.

I was very impressed by the selection here and every beer I sampled was fresh. 24 beers on draft including 1 hard cider choice. Victory Hop Devil was on cask this afternoon for $6. Other beers I had was an Allagash White, DogFish Head 90 Minute IPA, and Hair of the Dog Rose. Beer were served in proper glassware as well. Prices were reasonable at around $4.50 - $6.00 per pint. I didn't pay as close attention to the bottle selection, but noticed Ommegang, Allagash Four, and Samuel Smiths. Bottle selection was excellent as well.

Check out the website for an updated draft listing...http://www.blindtiger.citysearch.com/

Overall, this place was great and worth visiting when in the area. Amazing beer choices and a comfortable atmosphere make for a strong beer bar. Recommended.
Aug 23, 2004
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Reviewed by GeoffFromSJ from New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Quite a quality bar in the Village. Good atmosphere, with nice tables for groups. Not too dark and not too bright. The service was good and friendly. The selection of beer was impressive but not incredible. It is very good for a local sampling of beer with some outsiders thrown in. When I was there they had some Southhampton, Rogue, 2 or 3 Brooklyn's, a local hard cider. Their bottle list is very good, but not incredibly extensive. The people seemed very friendly. I wouldn't travel to New York just for this bar, but this is a great place to go if you are nearby. This would be an incredible local bar with a confortable feel and good events. But, alas, I don't live nearby.
Aug 22, 2004
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Reviewed by Starchild from New Jersey

4.36/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5
The Blind Tiger is a great beer bar. It’s got the taps, a great selection, proper glassware, and decent happy hour prices. A pint of Brooklyn Pale ale for $3.50 sounds good to me, but a $4.00 Old Foghorn was fantastic. I also like the free Murreys bagels on the weekend with assorted cream cheese. Free beer tasters are willingly offered. I love the new widescreen TV for Yankees games, but find it slightly odd since this is no sports bar, it’s clearly a beer bar first. The service can be slow during mid day and the bar tenders may leave for ten minute time spans to change the tap lines or smoke cigs. Not a big deal.

I like the plethora of Southampton Public House brews, but I’m also game for the Stone, Heavyweight , Acme, Brooklyn, Anchor, SN, Dogfish and sometimes Magic hat.
Jul 12, 2004
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Reviewed by newyawker from New York

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 5
Very Special Keg night is the tits. I just upped my rating.

This little bar is in one of the cool Manhattan neighborhoods. It has a nice corner storefront, but inside it is very, very small. A couple of old wooden booths, and a bar with some towers. About 20 beers on tap, and a hand pump for cask ales. Nice selection on tap. A lot of Stone and Brooklyn beers. A couple of other interesting ones. Atmosphere is old, dingy English style. My favorite type of a bar to sit in and shoot the breeze over a couple of pints. Service at the bar is a little slow and inattentive, but not bad. Beer was in pretty decent condition. I'll always stop by when in the area now that I know where this little gem is.
Jul 09, 2004
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Reviewed by ElGordo from Oregon

4.46/5  rDev +3.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Stumbled over here from a show at the Knitting Factory on Friday night. Arrived around 1am, and most of the crowd had thinned out, so my group got a booth without having to stand around. Nice, fairly dark bar, lots of rough wood booths and cool brewery memorabilia on the walls. Bartenders seemed very knowledgeable, let me try a sampler or two for free.
Super high quality selection. Some sort of event with Stone Brewing had just occurred, so their whole lineup was there. Friggin' awesome. Had a Vertical Epic '04 and Imperial Stout, both very nice. About 20-25 taps, all of very high quality stuff. No macros, hardly even any common micros. Additional bottle selection, around 50ish (? I was kinda drunk, can't say for sure). My friend had the 90 Minute IPA from the hop-infused tap line, very, very nice. I'm very impressed. Almost makes me wish I lived in NYC.
Jul 09, 2004
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Reviewed by vladtheimpaler from New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 5
One of those beer bars that always has at least something new to try every time you visit. Tis a smallish bar in the Village downtown. Easy to walk to from the Christopher Street path station. The atmosphere is generally noisy and crowded. Also rather dark. THere are basic tables around with chairs. Some bench seating. And limited bar seating in this cozy little place. The beers all have been fresh that I have tried, so there have not been any quality issues to my knowledge. The barkeeps manage to not keep you waiting too long in spite of the crowds, which is good. And the selection of American micros, local micros, imports, and just plain rarities can't be beat. They have frequent events featuring particular breweries as well. Always worth checking in to see what they have.
Jun 28, 2004
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Reviewed by Lupe from New York

4.64/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
Small and cozy, a nice atmosphere to relax. Wooden decor that is worn, but that adds to the charm. Walls are adorned with signs from micro breweries from around the country. Nothing fancy, but this place gets right to the point: good beer. They have around 25 taps, all micro, and a very nice selection of bottles. The bar is a little on the small side, and there are a few tables. Tables are self-serve, there is no wait-staff. Bartenders are friendly and don't take their sweet-ass time getting your beer, a nice change. The beers are served in their proper glass, or as close to as possible. A little piece of heaven in the West Village.
Jun 25, 2004
Blind Tiger Ale House in New York, NY
Place rating: 4.32 out of 5 with 69 ratings