The Patriot Saloon: Shut Up and Drink

The Patriot Saloon
110 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007-1058
(212) 748-1162

When The Village Idiot shut down in July 2004, the tears fell for a true dive bar. Owner Tommy McNeil went out with a bang. A legend in New York City, even the New York Times got in an obituary on the place, writing of him, “Mr. McNeil has become something of a Johnny Appleseed for New York dive bars, lending his entrepreneurial magic to such raucous honky-tonks as Yogi’s, Hogs and Heifers, Doc Holliday’s and Patriot. All are somewhat shabby, consistently overcrowded and breathtakingly cheap.”

A year before the demise of the Idiot, Tommy opened The Patriot, on Chambers Street. A lot like his other bars, it would become his newest outpost in his dive bar empire. It took several months to catch on, but it soon became the only bar within spitting distance of City Hall to get a cheap can of PBR served up by a half-clad bartender. Tom employed the same staff from his other bars, and he tried to create the magic again.

Give Tommy credit for spawning an industry in New York. He was first. Tommy is the grandfather of Coyote Ugly Saloon, Hog ‘n’ Heifers, Doc Holliday’s and more.

We took a sample of what some of the Regulars had to say about The Patriot, and it comes off pretty damn good. Bass Ale Man wrote:

Out of four possible stars, I give it five. This bar has the potential to capture the best attributes of all these types of NYC dive, country bars, and add the benefits of a more sophisticated clientele. The name is right on time, and the location so close to Ground Zero and the City Hall area to give it an air of extra importance. And clean toilets, which a review will hopefully note.

Paul Katcher wrote:

Saw a tray of food come out. Burgers and fries on paper plates, as you would get at a summer snack bar. I’d rather take my chances jumping out a 50-story window, but to each his own… Looks like a nice enough place. No stench (yet). Too far for me to make regular trips, but I wish them luck.

Dive Hound says of the place:

I had a burger there the other day, and while it tasted a bit odd (White Castle, anyone?), it hit the spot without any unfortunate side events. I found the servers to be green but gracious, and of course lovely, which even makes up for the jukebox selections (at least VI has Warren Zevon, The Blasters and Rogue’s March to compensate for all the dreck). I’ll definitely be back, and can’t wait to see how upstairs turns out. It’s not the same as the other places, but I like some variety in my dives!

Echoed by Brian Mal, “So far I like the bar, especially since they have Toby Keith’s “Who’s Your Daddy” CD and lotsa real good music in the Jukebox.”

Since NYC has a limited number of divey places in the area, The Patriot steps into the gap. If you visit the bar, make sure you tell your bartender you saw her on nycbp.com.

Tommy also owns Cheapshots on Avenue A, and the staff works at both bars. Be sure to mention that you saw them on nycbp.com, and tip ‘em well!