Climb down into the underground lair that is Crocodile Lounge (325 E. 14th St,NYC) and your first struck by … well, nothing really. So it’s an underground, low-ceiling, college-age bar. What’s so special about that? I’ll tell you.
Free pizza with every single drink order. All the time. And not just a slice either.
A great gimmick, I thought. And then I tasted one of these small, six-slice personal pizzas. I expected it to be as bad as the pizza I once ordered in Killarney, Ireland. Ketchup on cardboard with every topping including corn. This time, however, I was pleasantly surprised. A very tasty little pie, I have to say.
Thick yet crispy, simply made with cheese and sauce. They have toppings at $2.00 a pop. I’m thinking not too many people go for the toppings.
As for how to wash it down, do not order the Guinness. This is a quick-pour joint catering to young kids who don’t know the difference between good beer and bad swill. So the Guinness plummets out of the tap into a sad, flat, tasteless puddle barely fit for Sunday tailgating. Stick with the cheap stuff. You may not like it, but it’s not worth stepping it up in this place.
The mixed drinks here are decently mixed. Not too strong. Not too weak. Not too expensive. They’re by no means dive-bar cheap, but combined with the gratis grub, they can fit into anyone’s recession budget.
The music changes as the crowd changes. Early on we had Hendrix, a few locals relaxing trading miscellaneous pleasantries. Then, a little after 9:00, we had Ima Robot, pretty hipsters and territorial pissing. Man I felt old.
Despite it’s few drawbacks, I would come here again. The place caters to two distinct crowds and, if you time it right, you can find your niche.
See Also:
Photo Gallery
Crocodile Lounge
