BWW Reviews: The Underground Lounge in Manhattan Is A Tourist-Friendly Club Experience

When visiting Manhattan, one of the first things people want to do is find "a real New York club" - and most visitors who want to find one haven't a good idea of what they're seeking. That leads to soliciting opinions from the hotel concierge, who is happy to direct you to a club where martinis are $15.00 per drink and the cover charge is higher than your cab fare from the airport, or to one whose age group is completely unrelated to yours. Or you could wind up at a relentlessly hip club where you feel completely out of place. We've all heard those stories, and many of us have had those encounters ourselves. Yet everyone fears that if they simply follow a lead, or just walk in some place they don't know, they'll wind up someplace out of a bad Al Pacino movie.

On the other hand, there's the Underground Lounge. Located at 955 West End Avenue (West End and 107th), the Upper West Side club features two sides - a brick-walled room with a stone bar and taps featuring regional and organic beers and ales, and a brick and stone "back room" that features bands and shows. There is also a menu featuring snacks, dinners, and Sunday brunch (from noon till 5:00 pm), all of which are reasonably priced and unlikely to provoke sticker shock for those visiting from less expensive areas. The club's new executive chef, Djagr, is currently trying new menu items that suit a wide variety of diners, and everyone from serious carnivores to serious vegetarians has a wide selection of items on the menu. The menu is available both in the bar and in the intimate "back room" showroom (which seats approximately fifty). If you choose to visit the showroom, which has entertainment every night, there is a $15.00 food and drink minimum. Unlike many clubs there is no two-drink minimum, and unlike most, that $15.00 minimum can cover food and drink for the evening.

On a recent weekend, both the bar and the show room had guests of all ages - everyone from local Columbia students to older brunch diners, all of whom were comfortable. Although the establishment has a cool vibe, it is not so trendy or hipster that visitors who haven't packed for a night out need to worry about their wardrobe, or that they'll look out of place if they haven't kept up to date with current New York fashion. The evening food was excellent - crisply fried fish was flaky, with equally crisp fries, and nacho plates (meat and vegetarian alike) were inexpensive, huge, and delicious. Pizzas are large enough to share and come with a number of intriguing topping arrangements. New menu items included toast skagen, with a chopped shrimp and dill mixture served with fresh lemon and cilantro sauce, and a pasta frutte di mare with al dente pasta, still-tender mussels, and cooked onions that retained a very slight crunch.

If visiting, and if you are interested in live music or shows, be sure to check the club's website for the entertainment schedule. Depending on the night and your tastes, there may be a cabaret show by the Bending Threads cabaret troupe or a set by Rivercat - on a recent Saturday, both appeared at different times on the same night. There are regular "Broadway Bound" nights showcasing new and returning-to-New-York singers and show music, which have been going on for a considerable time. If you either want to catch a show that you can't tell your friends you saw, or if you want to return home proving that you are the hippest of your crowd, catch a Friday night performance of the 1970's show "Let My People Come," which plays live at the show room - yes, it's an extremely intimate place to catch a show about sex. If you're concerned about what act you're likely to walk in on, or if you want to make sure that you're catching a particular show, definitely call the Underground or check the website once you arrive in the city.

The neighborhood around the club is safe enough to stand outside to catch a cab, and as both West End Avenue and Broadway, which runs along it, are busy, cabs are readily available. You will want to take a cab or public transportation to the club as there is little to no readily available parking, even if you did drive into town - leave the car parked where it is, and you'll save time and frustration.

Owner/partner John Forslund and his staff are friendly and accessible, and will help you navigate the selection of entertainment, of local brews (check out Checker Cab Blonde Ale, or Angry Orchard hard cider, both on tap), and of food. You may find yourself spending more time than you planned at the Underground, as the service, the food, and the reasonable prices are likely to make you want to make another stop there before you leave the city. If you go for the entertainment, although the types of entertainment can be varied, if you like the sort of show that is being offered, the quality of the entertainment is also fine - you won't leave reporting that you spent money on a bad show.

When you get home, unless you can never report that you caught the Friday night theatrical entertainment, you'll impress your friends with your tale of the great little club you discovered, off the beaten Midtown and Village paths. Just be sure to give them directions so they can visit it themselves.

The Underground Lounge, 955 West End Avenue at 107th. Open until 4 am. Call 212-531-4759, or visit their website, www.theundergroundnyc.com for information and menus.

Photo credit: The Underground Lounge