Profile

A bar that advertises a "shot of the week" definitely knows its customers. Hordes of NYU students, tourists and tie-loosening young business guys jam into this Bleecker Street stalwart for a lively, booze-fueled scene. But the Red Lion has something for everyone: sports fans cheer for the satellite football games shown on three large flatscreen TVs, neighborhood drinkers appreciate the English pub decor and mellow mid-week atmosphere, while music heads dig the live performances. The Red Lion showcases bar-band talent seven nights a week, with an emphasis on classic rock, cover bands and singer-songwriters. In sync with the music-appreciation theme, dark wood-paneled columns are decorated with quirky tiles depicting famous rock star faces (Elvis Costello, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Jerry Garcia) while worn LP covers hang in the bathrooms. And in a defiantly retro touch, a telephone booth still stands in the back corner. — Jane Lerner