Theme restaurants and bars are a big deal in New York City. They offer a momentary social escape your usual urban grind of expensive cocktails and Bumble dates. Some of my all-time favorite bars and restaurants in greater Gotham have been novelty theme-concepts. Trailer Park, Flight 151, Apotheke, Ninth Ward (RIP), Big Bear Lodge (RIP), Lovecraft, KGB, Dead Drop (RIP), etc etc etc.
The latest say-that-you-went-there-once theme spot set to open on 6th Street in the East Village. It’s called MERICA and it’s a spot all about the hipster irony of gettin’ your MURICA on. It pokes fun at our ridiculous state of the union, Donald Trump lunatics and all. Think guns on the walls, cheap domestic beers, and a menu of artery-clogging delights a la a county fair. There’s a “T-Rump Mexi-Can Burger” and a Hillary Burger called the “100 calorie lie,” according to Eater. It’s by the same dudes who opened the Will Ferrell-themed bar Stay Classy New York in the LES and Beatle House, a Beatle Juice-themed bar, just a few doors down on 6th.
Oh, BTW — LOOK AT THE DAMN FOOD! THIS SCREAMS FREEDOM.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLpTledhA1A/?tagged=mericanyc
I walked past it last night and took some shots on the BroBible Snapchat. It opens officially tonight. Meanwhile, Business Insider got a look inside before the open. There’s also a great little interview with the owners over at Grub Street. Their story of success in NYC’s kick-ass downtown bar scene will make you want to open your own bar ASAP.
You opened Stay Classy last October, Beetle House in May, and now ’Merica NYC. How have you done this in one year?
Well, I have great partners and I’m self-funded. I have no investment group behind me. I don’t have any money. Somebody wrote in one of these neighborhood blogs at some point that I’m a really rich guy from New Jersey. First of all, I’ve never lived in New Jersey my entire life. And I’m not a millionaire. I’m from Pennsylvania. I’m backwoods, man. My dad never made more than 30 grand in any year of his life.As far as how I keep up with it? I don’t know. I don’t sleep. I work seven days a week, I have really good business partners. Radouane comes from the Plaza Hotel in New York, Disney World before that, he’s an educated man. He’s had a restaurant in New York City for 13 years. I have a great partner here, a hardworking partner at Beetle House, I have a good partner at Stay Classy. It’s not that bad. I’m probably going to do another one before the year is over, too.
I’ve never wanted to own a bar more in my life after reading that.