Wednesday, September 8th, 2010—Bar 241
Day 241—Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
Mona's
Alright, the party’s over. The three day weekend is done, so I’ve decided to get back to the basics of bar-crawling. 365 commentator, Al Rizo suggested I go to Mona’s in the East Village and he hasn’t steered me wrong so far, so that’s tonight’s destination. It’s an old-school Irish bar and I read online that on Tuesday’s they have live music. So let’s go check out Mona’s.
There's no sign outside, but the neon gives it away, here we are at Mona's.
It's dark inside and there's a nice, weathered, wooden bar to sit at.
Bartender Aidan cheerfully serves up a can of Pabst.
Some of the lit up bottles behind the bar.
There's a stack of the daily papers for perusal at the bar.
Matt and Min were seated nearby at the end of the bar. Matt suggested I try a Guinness and said it was the best in town. So I ordered one.
And it was expertly poured, complete with a shamrock on top. Good call, Matt!
And of course this leads to the time-worn tradition of the "Wearin' of the Guinness."
There was a Japanese Zombie bikini movie queued up on the TV. Now that's my kind of TV!
There's a large choice of bottled beer available and none of it is over five bucks.
There's vintage photos on the wall. Here's one of Bob Dylan.
And here's a fuzzy photo of The Band.
Thursday's there's three buck Ginness all day and night. Such a deal!
Sam, Laurence and Alex are in town visiting from London, England.
Aaron and Christian were there to enjoy the live jazz music featured on Tuesday nights.
There's a pool table in the back room.
And it turns out our friends from London were making the most of it. Sorry for blinding you with this shot!
Here's Sammy, Aleksandra and Ziga enjoying drinks at a table in the back room.
And here's the house jazz band, Mona's Hot Four. Hey, I only count three.
Oh, here's number four. Check out their website here: Mona's Hot Four.
A shot of the bar over the bass players shoulders.
On my way out, I bought a CD from Gordon the piano player.
As I headed home I stumbled upon a familiar sight. Otto's Shrunken Head, bar number one on the crawl. I had to stop in for old-times-sake.
Deja view! The place hasn't changed a bit since January.
Lani wasn't working, but Nell told me she'd send my regards.
Back to the future. Cheers and goodnight, everybody!
Review
You won’t find a sign outside saying “Mona’s”, you just need to know where to go. And most people in the neighborhood know the spot to go to is where there’s neon signs in the window and cheap drinks inside. Mona’s has been on the block forever and is about as old-school as it gets. There’s a long wooden bar in the front room with stools and a railing opposite. Some vintage black and white photos decorate the walls and movies play on the TV hanging discreetly over the far end of the bar. There’s a pool table in the back room along with a jukebox stocked with diverse artists such as: Johnny Thunders, Nina Simone, Television, The Damned, The Beatles and The Velvet Underground.
There’s a large selection of bottled beers including: Red Stripe, Negra Modela, Corona and Sierra Nevada. Cans of Pabst can be had for $2.50 and on Thursday you can get three dollar pints of expertly poured Guinness all day and all of the night.
Mona’s is a friendly neighborhood joint that’s been on the block for years. And there’s live jazz every Tuesday featuring the in-house band, Mona’s Hot Four.
Mona's
224 Ave. B (Near 13th St.)
212-353-3780
Bonus Photos!
365 commentator and Aussie chef Tim Clack took photos in his back yard of an Australian Stubby. He explains in the captions below.
Bonus great Aussie invention - The stubby holder.
This is actually a Schooner holder for gents who enjoy a game of Lawn Bowls. 
To stop beer spilling onto the bowling green, some absolute legend has invented this remarkable tool. Amazing.
30 Comments
Reader Comments (30)
Nina Simone on the jukebox,,,,you know its great. Probably "Feeling good". Thank you for going and all the pictures,, and supporting live music. Mona's is a great bar that covers everything, cheap beer, dark, dive,,, and most important, giving the young people a venue to play. Let us know how that CD from Gordon sounds,,,nice of you helping them out. Thanks Marty.
A Japanese zombie bikini movie!?!?! I wish George A Romero would chime in with his thoughts on that one. What's next...Night of the Living Dead...the musical? (Don't laugh, they've already made The Evil Dead into a musical, if you don't believe me, Google it!)
@Al: You're welcome and thanks for another great suggestion!
Wow, a Japanese Zombie bikini movie, pool, guinness and a live band, Mona's has a lot going on for a Tuesday night! Great one! Good suggestion, Al!
P.S. @Tim Clack: Cool photos of the stubby, but what's lawn bowls?
To all,
Been out of the loop here for a few days, so I'm
finally catching up in Comment Land.
Cool joint!
Nice way to unwind after the return to work.
Plus the Japanese Zombie Bikini movie!
That sets the tone for me.
What a great little gem you crawled upon.
Good suggestion Al.
Thanks to Tim Clack for sportin' the "365 Colors".
Is Stubby Holder, Noddy's less endowed Brother?
And a walk down "Lack of Memory Lane" to Otto's as well.
Hopefully you grabbed me that Elvis Zombie Mug from Day One.
Onward and Crawlward!
@"Boris:" Welcome back, Kotter! "Is Stubby Holder, Noddy's less endowed Brother?" Ha ha ha, good one, Daddio!
I think lawn bowls're like the Italian bocce? No? Yes? Either way, snazzy beer holder. And Mona's looks like a great place to sling back a few brews. Love the live music, especially jazz. And that's probably because I'm now north of 40 and my poor ears can't adjust to the rock-n-roll noise the way they used to. I figure it's only a matter of time til I become Mr. Wilson. But, in any event, thanks for taking us along to Mona's. Nice pour on the Guinness, Aidan! And helloooo, Otto's!
That shamrock on the Guinness pretty much rules! Glad to catch up on your site, it is such a fun thing!
@Biff: I became Mr. Wilson two years ago!
@Ash: Nice to hear from you! I'll send you an email soon.
love this place! and live music on a tuesday! and it's cool that there's no sign out front, just neon in the window. love it!
Cool Bar , & all the fixing , but what did the Band play ? & How come you don't do any video any more ?
Would like to have seen them in action , or atleast a short clip , why is my spell check not working ?
@Jason: They played old-school jazz. It was too crowded to film in there. Have a great trip and thanks for the twenty!
@Barfly and Biff and all that are curious....
Lawn Bowls is similar to Bocce but played on a hard grass pitch called a Bowling Green similar texture to a golf green. It's the perfect foil for a drunken summer sunday afternoon....hence the schooner holder. Bowl to one end, drink ya beer, bowl them back and go get another from the bar....
here's a link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn_Bowls
wow...wow...wow...it keeps displaying mow...mow...mow...i guess my evil 'puter has taken on a mind of it's own....HAL...damn you non drunken 'puter...the piano has been drinking...it agrees with me...way off topic....$3 thursday...wow....where you going to hang....great stop on the crawl.... thing w/bo diddley awesome...fifty years ago or there abouts....nothing matches mona...'cept maybe rolling down the street smokin' en do...damn i mean sippin' on gin an' juice....
damn tc (top cat maybe tim clack) thanks for the pics...it appears they are only available aspromo items...would ;like to get oneor two....
boris...where the helll you been?...clacky hasahint for a "new" 365 product...KOC
rr
@365: Yet another fine establishment that sums up the part of the world where you live. Brilliant....and I've gotta try a Pabst.
Now...I had a sneaking suspicion that this was the bar that the Rolling Stones filmed their 81' video Waiting on a Friend. I've done some searching and I was indeed wrong (I've been wrong about a lot of things...just ask my lady). That was a place called St Marks Bar and Grill. I don't think that it's there anymore and you've clearly stated that Mona's is Ave B near 13th.
Mona's Hot Four reminded me of that clip. I love it when they cram into the corner of the bar and Keith does his little heroin induced guitar moves. I'm not huge Stones fan but love that song.
Thanks again for the photos Marty. Again...What a brilliant idea! And Thanks to the weird and wonderful folk at the Mayfield Bowling Club for selling such quality merchandise.
@raginrr: Another sneaking suspicion of mine is that you are actually Tom Waits in disguise.
The piano has been drinkin'....not me!...and you can't find yr waitress with a geiger counter....and th' carpet need a haircut....
@iTim Clack: Thank you for the bonus photos and the lawn bowls explanation. I don't think the St. Marks bar is there, but I'll look into it. I remember that video, but haven't seen it in years, I'll have to look for it on YouTube. And if raginrr is on a downtown train with a Jersey girl, then I think he's been uncovered!
hey clack and 365....i digress...FUCK YOU...KOC
rr
@clacky....funny i've got a mate hittin' me up to play bowls on a sun morn'.....he reckons he is bloody hopeless so i may have to get a sun off work & win a couple of beers off him....i've got bucklies at beating him at golf, he plays to a 2 or 3 handicap on a bad day....& then again he might be rope-a-dopin' me??? ahh fukit we'll get pissed thats the main thing....
& you see the ABC has lawn bowls on at bout 3am most mornings.....its come along way since "Jack High"....they're are mostly in there mid 20's/early 30's & dressed up in like one-day cricket outfits.....bit more $$$ in the game these days....
cool schooner cooler too....great idea!
Saying Tom Waits in disguise is redundant.
@raginrr: So I take it you're not a Tom Waits fan? I'm going to go waltz with Maltilda now.
@marty...Waltzin' Matilda!!! good onya mate!!!! do you know what a jumbuck is?? got the Swagman into a world of shit down by the billabong (& billabong in this case is'nt a surf shop)...cheers to Banjo Patterson!!!......my great great grt, wotever grt grandfather was sent out her from Ireland in early 1800's for doing the same as the Swagman....he got 30yrs hard labor for being hungry & feeding his family.....to the English, FUCK YOU!!!!!
& great Irish pub today too mate....let me know if you ever come across a four leaf clover in any of these Irish pubs.....