March 23rd, 2010—Bar 72

Day 72—Monday, March 22nd
Bunga’s Den

I’m really tired tonight, but the bar crawl will continue. I had to get up early to go to my doctor’s and go over the results of my blood work that I get done every three months. The good news is that everything looked good, cholestrerol is normal and I even have lost five pounds since my last checkup. Maybe it’ll turn out I’ll write a health book at the end of this. “Better Living Through Beer.” My doctor is within walking distance and on the way I saw a bar on 14th Street that I’ve never seen before called Bunga’s Den. I figured I’d make that tonight’s destination since I’m tired and it’s only about three blocks from where I live. I’ve never met anyone named Bunga, so I’m anxious to go and visit his den. Hopefully he’s friendly. Let’s go!

Here we are, Bunga's Den. Acutally this is a little bit of a fiddle, as the English say. I stupidly forgot to take the outside shot, but found this one on the internet at: okMitchStudio. Check out their website and I won't feel as guilty for poaching it.

Okay, I finally took out my camera. It looks cozy and friendly in here, let's settle in at the bar.

Mark the bartender serves up a Guinness. Mark's also an actor and told me the story behind the Bunga's Den name. It's an interesting and fabled story, but there's a catch to it. You have to come in on Monday or Tuesday when Mark is working, because he and he alone knows the story. And after you buy a few drinks, he'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone else once you've heard the story. I now know, but I'm not telling. If you want to join this secret society, stop by when Mark is working and maybe he'll tell you. It's a hell of a story!

And of course this all leads to the wearin' of the Guinness! Woo hoo!

Jay was seated next to me at the bar enjoying one of the craft beers available on tap.

There's a free magazine rack available for your perusal.

I'll drink to that!

Garrett was seated up at the front of the bar and had some future bar suggestions for me. Thanks, Garrett!

A C.B.G.B's t-shirt, a relic from the past.

Paul and Jay were enjoying suds at the corner of the bar. Cheers, guys!

Comfortable booths line the walls in the back of the bar.

Pinball!

Greg works at the bar and if the boss is reading this, he went right back to work after I snapped this photo.

Plenty of beer to choose from here!

Here's a view from the other end of the bar.

No wonder I have trouble sleeping at night!

There's plenty of seats at Bunga's Den.

All of the reviews I read online were positive, but one did say, "they should put out some bar snacks." So I brought some to fix that problem. Here Mark is dishing them out.

Snacks! Hooray!

And now...the obligatory bathroom mirror shot! Goodnight everybody!

Review

Bunga’s Den just opened in this 14th St. location about three months ago. You can’t call Bunga’s Den a dive bar just yet, you have to earn that privelege, but it look’s like Bunga’s Den is on the way there. The bartenders are friendly and it’s already becoming a neighborhood fun spot to hang, watch one of the three big screen TV’s or plug some dough in the jukebox which features eclectic music ranging from The Talking Heads to The Temptations to Elvis Presley to Johnny Winter. Vintage signs and photos cover the walls and they even have a pinball machine in the back, for those of you old enough to remember the pre-video game days.

Wednesday is trivia night and the winner gets a 35 dollar bar tab. Coors are one buck for the registered players. Two happy hours are available here one runs from 12pm to 3pm and then the other lasts from 5pm to 8pm. There’s a full bar with a big beer selection with fourteen on tap and 20 different brands of bottled beer for your choosing.

Right now there’s no food available, but they’re working on a menu and the kitchen will be open soon. Till then there’s snacks on the bar courtesy of yours truly!

Bunga’s Den
137 W. 14th St. (Between 6th and 7th Avenues)
212-242-1040