Profile

This aggressively sprawling drinking den takes up more than its share of Second Avenue sidewalk. Lured in by the sounds of Chumbawumba on full blast and the smell of deep-fried pub grub, the bar's beer-and-sports-uber-alles set—more overtly testosterone-juiced than those of sister bars Thirsty Scholar and Bull McCabe's—is described by one barmaid as "1/4 foreigners, 1/4 regulars, and 1/2 NYU kids that don't tip." With its hard wooden booths, dingy countertops, and TV-punctuated walls, Ryan's most genuine perk is ample sidewalk seating in a neighborhood where open air is a hot commodity. As far as drinks go, Jäger shots, Jameson, and draft beers such as Guinness and Harp are the rule, which makes this just the place to go when you're tired of the dark cavern experience and long for some open sky and an Irish Car Bomb. — Porochista Khakpour