Wednesday, January 13, 2010—Bar 3
Day Three, Tuesday January 12th—Double Down Saloon
Okay, day three. Only 362 more to go. My liver just hicupped. Tonight I’m going to the Double Down Saloon. This was suggested by one half of last night's cutest couple from the Parkside Lounge, Eric Danville, pictured below.
I’ve heard of this place and I just checked out their website and one of their specialty drinks is called, “Ass Juice.” The bar’s motto is “Shut up and Drink.” So it should be an interesting evening!
Here we are and yeah, I know this is a shitty photo, but it was freezing out and I wanted to get inside and start drinking!
The bar was crowded and I got the last seat. Woo hoo!
One of the few rules in this joint is, "You puke, you clean!" Fair enough!
Allow me to introduce the first bartender of the evening, the lovely Jenna Leigh. In addition to being a super fun and fabulous looking bartender, Jenna Leigh also paints.
Update! Jenna Leigh just sent me one of her paintings (below), it's titled "Kerosene" and it's very cool! Great work Jenna Leigh, thanks for sending it in!
The Double Down is home of the fabled Ass Juice. As much as I was afraid to find out what this fabled drink was, I knew I had to sample it.
And Jenna Leigh was more than happy to pour me a shot of the fabled drink. I asked a question I never thought I'd ask in my life and the question was, "What is Ass Juice?" Jenna Leigh told me it was a secret, but told me a crucial ingredient is, "The blood of our enemies." Yikes!
And you know what? It wasn't too bad. For Ass Juice, that is!
There's tons of drink specials at the Double Down, check them out.
These three were holding down the end of the bar, from left, Andre, Money and Stef.
Dany was visiting from Switzerland and said the Double Down was always on his to-do list when he comes to New York. Dany's a bartender in Switzerland, so he knows his shit when it comes to bars!
The front room of the Double Down.
I can live with this motto!
Okay, I'm stalkng Jenna Leigh with my camera, you got a problem with that?
Great selections on the jukebox ranging from the Bobby Teens to Iggy Pop to the Clash, the Dead Milkmen and even Louis Prima.
No Hippies!
Here's the infamous Punk Rock Pony. After my shot of Ass Juice I was afraid to get on this thing, I wasn't in the mood to clean up my own puke.
The bar starts to pack up as the evening wears on.
The lovely and vivacious Alison was the other bartender on duty.
Maxy gets ready to break a game of pool, once I stop taking her picture.
Another drink special at Double Down is the Bacon Martini. Alison serves me one complete with Slim Jim swizzle stick.
Here's a close up of the bacon-infused vodka. And yes, the bacon is cooked and people have been known to eat it.
Here's my lame attempt at a pig face as I drink the Bacon Martini. As far as the drink goes, let's just say it's an acquired taste.
He's a Broker and she's a Para-Legal going to Law School. I present the Double Down's official Power Couple, David and Jessica.
Pinball!
Here I am with Jennifer and Meg. Jennifer (A.K.A. Ms. JennCity) is a musician and DJ, check out her websites: Suicide City and her MySpace page.
Alison serves up the final Budweiser of the evening which leads to...
Bathroom break!
A surprisingly clean toilet for a punk rock joint!
Lots of graffiti on the walls, but no mirror for my obligatory bathroom shot. Drats!
Huh, I wonder what asshole wrote that graffiti on top of the toilet?
Review
In the ‘70s the word “Gonzo” was given birth. Legend has it that Boston Globe editor Bill Cardoso first used it to describe the writing style of Hunter S. Thompson. In the mid-ninties “Gonzo Porn” was the newest form of porno. And now thanks to Double Down Saloon, New York has its very own Gonzo Saloon!
It’s Gonzo meets Punk Rock as you enter the doors of the Double Down Saloon on Avenue A in the East Village of New York. It’s the home of the fabled “Ass Juice” and the saloon’s motto is “Shut Up and Drink!” The only rule is: “You puke, you clean!” which is fair enough. The bartenders are friendly and fun and the clientle are a mix of punk rock regulars and first timers checking the place out.
There’s daily drink specials, the best punk rock/garage juke box in town, a backyard smoking patio, a pool table, cool murals on the walls and even a sticker-riddled punk rock pony to ride. So quit moaning about C.B.G.B.’s closing and get your ass over to the Double Down Saloon. They bill themselves as “The Happiest Place On Earth” and after a few Budweisers, a shot of Ass Juice and a salty Bacon Martini, I have to agree!
Double Down Saloon
Double Down MySpace Page
Double Down Radio Show
14 Avenue A (@Houston St.)
212-982-0543
2 References
Reader Comments (12)
You look Shitfaced on your first Assjuice! Looks like a Bar I could fall in love with! I'll pass on the bacon martini though! A must see place!
The dirty hippie from that other joint is gonna be bummed to see he can't drink here. But that bacon martini will go great with the egg on my face. And the bartenders are suhweet. And pinball? SHAZAM! Is it legal to marry a bar in New York?
I am a fan of the motto "Shut up and Drink", but I dont think I would ever be brave enough to drink anything called ASS JUICE!
OMFG....bacon-infused vodka? Shut Up! Those are my TWO favorite things in the whole wide world!
OK I offically wanna be gay now... those are by far the hottest bartenders i have seen in a while...
umm yeah gotta go .....umm now.....
Alison is a great bartender and worth the visit to Double Down. Love her!
Oh la la !!! I Fucking Love This Place !!! I don't want to leave NYC without to tast this Ass Juice, and I'm sure it comes from a beautiful Jesus Hole YUMMY !!!!! and the vadka Bacon is really amazing, I confess: I made a cheese vodka some years ago, but It was disgusting!! ;)
They should have named it Double D Saloon. Damn those things are huge!!!! Jenna Leigh.. I think I love you. Both of you.
Fascinating place, gotta love the Family Guy pinball machine. Jenna is a very talented artist I like that painting very much. What a neat place that is.
Next time ride the pony Marty!
ASSJUICE $4.00 each... 2 for $9.00? My guess is 3 cost $22.50.
Ironically, I rode a cow that had stickers all over her too. Damn, I sure do miss Wanda.