Bars, Taverns, and Dives New Yorkers Love: Where to Go, What to Drink

If you walk around Manhattan , you will see marquees of John Tebeau’s artwork. He’s that good and obviously becoming more noticed as a NYC artist, a 1 in a million feat. But that’s just part of it.... the book. If you want to experience a part of NYC that no other travel book talks about, get this book! I can’t wait to go back to NYC. I bought this at the end of my NYC trip and never got to use it except for two establishments.They were described just as exactly Mr. Tebeau said so. He obviously spent an entire evening or maybe even several dozen evenings at the couple places I went to. The book was very logically organized. You don’t have to read through the whole section to find the info you’re looking for. If you’re quickly needing to order, BOOM, the section on what to order is right there. Do you want to know the history of the place while you’re staring at all the old pictures on the walls like I did? BINGO, everything you just had to know is right there.It sounds like Mr. Tebeau went to thousands of establishments to pick the best ones. I’m sure he’s found some duds. He must really love what he’s doing.I’ve never read a book where I actually met the author. But my bucket list is to spend an hour or two with him at an NYC bar.Mr. Tebeau, please do another volume! In fact, please do one for all the cool cities I’d like to visit. In fact, I could use a guide for my city... Atlanta. I’ve lived here 25 years and I still don’t know where the best spots are.I’m a photographer and usually carry around a bit of equipment. I can only handle carrying the backpack with no more than two books. One book is a photo book of some sort. The other one WAS Lonely Planet or Fommer’s Travel Guides. But forget those. Mr. Tebeau’s Book has taken the travel guides place. I need it because we don’t know where we’ll be when we get hungry or thirsty. With the book, there’s s map in there that can tell me where the nearest top establishments place are!BTW.... Mr Tebeau has a website where you buy his art (Yay). There’s so much to choose from. I’d like to collect them all. He also has some drawings with color of other things. Some of those pieces have a different style from the establishment drawings but they’re excellent. He’s evidently talented in several types of art. I think his website is just TEBEAU.COM

If you, like me, are someone who easily finds yourself at home sitting at a bar, chatting with the bartender and your fellow patrons (some of whom you may have just met), and just soaking up the atmosphere created by the music being played and the sound of people getting to know each other better, this book is for you. John Tebeau is a wonderful artist. More importantly, he is a true student of human nature who through the combination of his beautiful drawings and vivid story-telling, brings you right into, and puts you right in the middle of, each and every one of the bars he profiles. The book certainly serves as a travel guide that can educate your next visit to the neighborhoods in which the bars reside. It, however, also just stands on its own as a series of wonderful stories about great watering holes and all the things, including the people, that make them great. It is a wonderful read, even if you never are able to or never intend to visit any of the bars.Oh, yeah, and the artwork is phenomenal! Like the words in John's descriptions, the drawings evoke so well the character of the places they depict. You will want to have one or more of them on the wall of your home or office (and, why not, the artist sells prints and does commissions!)I have been meaning to write this review for some time. My procrastinating nature may have had a benefit because this book, reminding us of these wonderful places where people spend hours together just experiencing each other, is exactly what we all need during the pandemic. It serves both as a way to experience remotely these places, as well as an inspiration for how we all should re-engage with these places, and places like them, when things return to something resembling normal.

It’s hard to write good a travel book but Tebeau nails it. If you’re in a bookstore or perusing on line and come across the title and are intrigued, it’s likely a no-brainer that this book is for you. For those out of our early 20’s (or just old souls) who are always up for a location that oozes ‘character’ then Tebeau’s book is right in your wheelhouse. Every bar that I’d been to that I’ve deemed ‘must visit’ in my 46 years were on there. Even the oft-forgotten Neirs Tavern on a non-descript street in Woodhaven where I grew up made the list. The book’s structure was great too, as it provides the essentials for each destination – ‘where to sit,’ ‘what to drink’ and ‘when to go.’ As a lifelong Queens resident, I would have loved a few more Queens bars and a few less Staten Island ones, but that’s a minor quibble and me just being a ‘homer.’ Anecdotes were simple and relevant to making the reader want to learn more on their own visit and when you put down the book, your only issue is where to go first from your own list you’ve compiled thanks to Tebeau’s book. In the end, if you’re the least bit curious based on the book’s title, then you will likely love this book and use it well over the next few years when searching for the right new bar to while away a few hours. And oh yeah, Tebeau’s really simple, beautiful line drawings of each bar are just an added bonus as you read through each profile.

My husband and I have lived in New York over 18 years and the bars, taverns, and dives in this book are the neighborhood-y places we love to visit. Many nights have been spent karaoke'ing at Montero's, meeting friends for happy hour at The Ear Inn, celebrating birthday parties at The Brooklyn Inn, having a pint at Bar Great Harry, and dancing at barbés - to name a few. I purchased this book for him as a Father's Day gift for 'the guy who has everything' but, I must admit, this book is definitely for me too. Tebeau's descriptions leap off the page and remind us why we love these places & keep coming back for more fun and colorful conversation. We flipped through the pages to reminisce about our favorite spots but learned about a few new watering holes that we plan to visit on our next date night. I can't wait to discover our next favorite bar!