Profile

At O'Connell's (formerly known as Cannon's), timing is everything. Weekends attract rowdy Columbia University students looking for action at the self-proclaimed "oldest bar on the Upper West Side." Monday through Thursday, sports draw a casually dressed, somewhat older crowd who focus their blurring eyes on one of the eight TVs, each of which might be tuned to a different game. Some nights, like Monday Night Football, come with their own drink specials and since the bar regularly broadcasts soccer, the clientele has a fair share of Europeans religiously devoted to teams like Real Madrid and Manchester United. The décor here is strictly no-nonsense New York—green walls, wooden accents, a few tributes to the NYFD. But if you're looking for a couple of beers and a night with A-Rod or Beckham, you're unlikely to need much more. — Lucy Cohen