Dorian Gray Tap and Grill
“This is one of those small New York pubs that one imagines they might find in the East Village, except this is the real deal.”
“House brews are great and there's yummy food– veggie burger was fresh and made with real veggies, not like a typical ground patty.”
“Based on Oscar Wilde's renowned novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" which this business enhances a literary theme.”
Dorian Gray Tap and Grill
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Great Irish pub for beers, friends and rugby. Been there several times during the 6 nations this year and it always was a blast. Never tried the food though plates I have seen looked fine. I am now hooked to come visit more often.
Really liked this spot, went there on St. patty's day! It was crowded but had a good vibe. All my millions of drinks were good and we didn't have to wait long for anything despite the crowd! I'll be back 🙂
Dorian Gray. not sure it has anything to do with the Oscar Wilde novel…and i don't think it does. don't think there is a portrait that deteriorates as it records moral depravity. well maybe there is one like there is in the novel, but I have NOT made it to that inner circle of the bar. but that's neither here nor there….
any/s/way.
Dorian Gray is a charming understated pub. nothing garish or screaming "WE ARE AN IRISH PUB–GET TANKED HERE." it's a woody interior and classic copper bar top. plenty of tables, chairs, and barstools without being a cluttered mess. there are two flat screen, tuned to sports SNY, ESPN etc. it has a comfy feel/ rustic flair. not overly modern or sterile. and enough room to stretch without putting out someone's eye.
they have pretty standard draft selection: Blue Moon, Guinness, etc. 10+ taps ($6-$8). all solid selections. i spied pabst and naragansett among many others on the cans/bottle list ($3-$6). there were wine choices as well, but who goes to a pub to drink wine. boo. standard well and premium booze selections obviously slanted in favor of the irish whiskies of the world. and there was a signature cocktail list.
onto the carbs, proteins, and vegs….
small plates ($6-$10) and large plates ($12-20) here. many common pub fare comfort foods: wings, jalapeno poppers, curry fries, sliders, mac n cheese, bangers n mashed, burgers, shepherd's pie, etc. pay attention to the chalk sign outside as that has sandwich specials ($6-$9) that seem to run all day.
ordered the grilled cheese w/ bacon and tomato which comes with a cup of tomato soup, just how your mom made it or you wished she made it! grilled cheese was perfect combo of gooey melty dairy and salty bacon. this is not an artisanal sandwich. this is a down home sandwich, made on simple toasted bread, great cheese, etc. not some fancy schmancy with foams and reductions. sometimes the classic version needs no alteration. it serves as almost a time machine back to those truly comforting moments of eat and drink from years past. 🙂
primetime (crowded) slots seem to be the standards TH, FRI, SAT nights and SAT and SUN brunch. that's when the locals surge here for eats, drinks, shenanigans, etc. Sunday evening was relatively quiet. just a few locals and transients, nursing beers and chatting. my kind of Sunday night bar.
service. friendly. smiley. and quick. on a Sunday. perfect for winding down. sat at the bar, so i could eat, drink, and tablet/web in peace–served by the bartender Sterling (sp? maybe i misheard her name. oh well. ack.) my bartender-ette was intuitive enough to know that i just wanted to work, eat, and relax. i am sure they would have allowed me to solo a table since it was not uber busy and the place seems pretty easygoing. they do have waitress service here if you sit at a table. both femmes were easy on the eyes which is always a plus in my book.
music & acoustics = great. the bartender's playlist mix of all that music from the 70s, 80s and 90s that gets no more barplay in the newfangled gastropubs. lol. radiohead. queen, 3 doors down, offspring, etc.
my only small qualms was the Guinness was not a perfect pour (lack of foam at top), but i'm sure it's because the tap lines are due to get flushed since they probably pour a lot of Guinness here.
i will definitely be back and tour more of the menu.
p.s.–for those looking for low-key birthday bars. this is a good one. not expensive. friendly staff. and lots of booze and food choices.
Based on Oscar Wilde's renowned novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" which this business enhances a literary theme. Iconic photos of renowned poets, authors, novelists, writers and playwrights throughout history are plastered on this Irish/ English restaurant and bar's walls. As a poet/writer myself I came with a fellow good friend who is also a poet/writer which we challenged each other's intellectual knowledge by identifying renowned literary figures based on our respective higher education and literary backgrounds which is significantly better than karaoke. It was very interesting for the avid literary enthusiast and inspirational to write more. Each writer, novelist or poet is very unique to literary history. How many can you identify?
Oscar Wilde- Irish author, playwright and poet
D.H. Lawrence- English novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, literary critic
Maya Angelou- American author, poet, dancer, actress
Robert Burns- Scottish poet and lyricist
James A.A. Joyce- Irish novelist and poet
William S. Burroughs II- American novelist, short story writer, essayist, painter, and spoken word performer
Samuel Beckett- Irish novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet
Walt Whitman- American poet and essayist
Hunter S. Thompson- American journalist and author
Ernest Hemingway- American author and journalist
William Shakespeare- English 17th century poet and playwright
Allen Ginsberg- American Beat Generation poet
Albert Camus- French Nobel Prize winner author and journalist
Franz Kafka- German novelist and short stories writer
Jack Kerouac- American novelist and Beat poet
Party of two on a Friday night for dinner composes of:
For Her: Steak Frites $18.00- abundant with portion and meat is tender, the French Fries are not shoe string cut in authentic French fashion but solid. Portabella mushroom is embedded in the salad which is not my thing. This entrée is suffice to eat my fill as it reminisce my previous visit to Paris, France.
For Him: Shepherd's Pie small $8.00- classic Irish entrée to eat my friend's fill of comfort food.
Neither of us indulge on libations specifically by choice. Wait staff is attentive, friendly and allow us to walk around the dinning area with our little identification literary challenge of their iconic photos. The menu is themed to a literary setting of "Chapter 1" for appetizers/starters, "Chapter 2" for entrees/ main course, and "Chapter 3" for dessert/coffee. The bill is presented inside a Trivial Pursuit book which is so cool and intellectual as I have never played the game. Party of two Q&A each other with random questions of various categories. Rustic tables are un-level slanted and long wooden benches in a tarnished décor in a very casual atmosphere. Yes, plastic is accepted for payment method.
Very rustic with a neighborhoody feel. We only stopped in for a quick drink but the patrons and staff were friendly to chat with. Solid beers on tap. Good prices. Will have to come back and try their brunch. The pub food looked and sounded promising.
Nice casual pub in the east village with a cozy warm vibe, and a great layout for getting together with a couple or number of friends.
The ambiance: wood tables, benches and chairs with little pillows adding warmth. Literary themed decor; white painted brick walls with framed photos of famed writers/ authors. Layout of tables is great for small group seating/ a number of people meeting. Also a charming table at the front near Windows that open in warmer weather.
Beers are great; they have an IPA I really like.
Service at the bar and tables- always friendly.
Food:
-The wings are very good, a big hit with my picky son.
-Bacon lollipops are usually very good and a must try. A couple times here our groups of friends ordered seconds. Last night they were dry and overcooked; the first time that happened.
-Have also had the Shepards pie which was great.
Many good times, conversations and memories here.
Highly recommend as a nice casual east village place to have beer, comfort bar food and meet ups with friends.
Eric and I came here when it first opened and had a very nice experience. The food was good (shepherd's pie and bangers and mash) and very friendly service. We hadn't gone back but last Friday, after a trip with my dad to the Bronx, we came back tot he East Village and definitely needed some food and drinks. We went to a restaurant on Ave. B but noticed after we sat down that it was cash only and we are not fans of cash only especially when it's over-priced. So we walked down 4th street and decided to go in. They had a beer and burger special for $10 which we both got. The burger was one of the best I have had in quite awhile. Served on an English muffin, it was really nicely seasoned and had a lot of cheese. Fries were good and they had Magner's on tap. The bartender was very friendly and we really enjoyed it but I think what was nicest for my dad was hearing the bartender speak Gaelic with some customers sitting next to us at the bar!
We will definitely be back.
This place oddly never seems to be doing enough business, but I've really like to the cozy bar and food served up here the few times I've went. The bar is dark, the service is attentive enough and it's located on a quiet block in the East Village. It's not a where I could possible provide lots of hype for, but it's satisfies and is the perfect setting for a weeknight beverage on a fall or winter evening.