Gridskipper

When the Blind Tiger Ale House shuttered its original Greenwich Village location in 2005, I cried like a widdle baby at the loss of a classic New York drinking institution. Now, 15 long months later, the Tiger has finally been resurrected at the touristy corner of Bleecker and Jones streets, and all is right in the beer world. A recent visit confirmed that the new version has much the same DNA as its predecessor, with an inspired selection of rare and noteworthy bottle, draft, and cask beers (try the Sixpoint Bengali Tiger) and servers knowledgeable enough to help you find what you're looking for. In some ways, the new Blind Tiger is an improvement over the old, with a bar food menu (no more runs to the pizza place) and clean restrooms that feature the most powerful hand dryers in the world — like rubbing your hands under a hovering British Harrier Jump Jet. The main difference is that regulars now have to contend with a lot more walk-in traffic, often in the form of roving packs of partiers frustratingly unfamiliar with the concept of artisinal ale. "Don't you have any normal beers?" inquired a tall young man with spiky hair, unsatisfied with the 31 abnormal offerings on tap. "No," answered the bartender, too busy to offer the explanation he's probably tired of repeating by now. The official grand opening is April 2, but the new Blind Tiger is already packed every night.

Blind Tiger Ale House [Official site]

— Victor Ozols