You can always tell a good pub by how many regulars fill the room at any given time, and Reade Street’s loyals get there as early as 10am some days. This 100-plus-year-old haunt is the kind of neighborhood bar that you’d find all over the outer-boroughs, but rarely in Manhattan; and it’s better during happy hour than on weekends. The prices aren’t criminal (pitchers for less than $10!) and the wait staff is genial—it’s as though they’re willing to work for tips rather than expecting them. But epicureans beware—the menu isn’t fusion or “neo” anything; it’s tailored more for those who spend their weekends watching ballgames instead of going to the opera.
