If you're looking for a slice of vintage New York, you need go no further than the corner of Third Avenue and East 55th Street, where you will find the original PJ Clarke's saloon. There are other PJ's franchises dotted elsewhere around the City, but back in 1884 this Third Avenue treasure was called Jenning's Bar. Then it changed hands and was called Duneen's, and they hired Patrick Joseph Clarke as a bartender in 1902. He bought the place ten years later, and gave his name to the Third Avenue location, which has remained largely unchanged ever since.
Legend has it that songwriter Johnny Mercer wrote "One For My Baby" while propping up the bar here, and it's the perfect tune for a place like PJ's. The bartenders are friendly, the drinks are strong, and the patrons are the convivial bunch you'd expect from such a New York City icon. Perhaps these are the same reasons that attracted the patronage of Frank Sinatra (who has a permanent table there), but also Buddy Holly, Jackie Kennedy, and Elizabeth Taylor?
But PJ's isn't just for history or booze buffs - they know their way around the pots and pans too. When I moved to New York three years ago, PJ's sold me my very first bowl of lobster mac & cheese, and I have never forgotten that kindness. It was so rich, so tasty, and I so didn't want to leave. That I turned up post-theatre at 10pm tonight (on a school night no less!) I wasn't surprised to find the dining room full of people cramming in burgers, fish & chips, and all manner of tasty treats from the kitchen.
I had to adopt the pointy "elbows out" stance I normally reserve for Christmas shopping at Macy's, just to edge my way through the crowd, past the squawking women and tipsy businessmen, to finally get to the bar and order my drink.
Word of warning though: don't get too distracted by the crowd or the menu at PJ's, because when you're jostling for a seat at their beautiful mahogany bar, you run the risk of missing the little quirks that make this place really fun. Like the traditional red & white ginham tablecloths; or the old cash register and pay phone that broke years ago but nobody wants to throw away. Old-world charm, right in Midtown Manhattan.
One of the reasons I think that PJ's has lasted so long (aside from the tasty food and strong drinks) is that they value their customers, and they reward loyalty with special treatment. They've got photos all around the walls of customers and staff they've loved and lost, and the Third Avenue PJ's also has a members-only section called Sidecar, located upstairs in what used to be the Clarke family home. See? How could you not enjoy yourself here?
