Stout NYC in Lower Manhattan (90 John St.) checks all the boxes you want a sports bar to check: big TVs, ample seating, a great beer list and top-notch burgers. But despite the trappings, it’s more than just a place to watch football.
“Yes, we’re a sports bar, but we’re always doing a lot of different things,” Shinobu Ridley, Stout’s managing partner, told the Downtown Alliance. Ridley says the bar’s hosted everything from first birthday parties, to post-City Hall wedding celebrations, to live bands and karaoke. “We always want something to be going on,” she said.
Ridley has been managing the Lower Manhattan location since it opened 12 years ago, and says the bar has become a key part of the neighborhood, whether or not you’re a sports fan.
“Stout is about including everybody all the time. Whatever it is you want to do, whatever you want to watch, it’s okay to come here,” she said, adding, “We’re not just for the sports people.”
Of course, if you do want to catch a game, Stout’s a stellar place to do it. The bar has plenty of TVs, plus dozens of beers on tap and a smattering of tasty cocktails to pair with your favorite team. Ridley’s a particularly big fan of the Allagash White on draft, If though she’s also partial to the Storm, a pilsner from Jones Beach Brewing Co. If you’re in the mood for a cocktail, she recommends Mum’s the Word, which has tequila, blood orange liqueur, blood orange juice, lime juice and jalapeño syrup.
If you’re skipping the booze, Stout offers non-alcoholic beers and mocktails, too. “We sell a lot of Guinness Zero,” Ridley said.
Asking Ridley to choose her favorite items from the expansive menu is a bit like asking a parent to choose their favorite child, but we asked anyway. “That’s hard,” she said. “I’ve been through every iteration of this menu.” Still, she says, the Angry Burger, made with buffalo hot sauce, Maytag blue cheese and crispy onions, is a particular favorite, as are the pollo asado tacos and hot honey pizza.nice.”
In addition to being a welcoming watering hole, Stout has cemented itself as a community hub, and also a helper. Take, for instance, the Stout Gives Back program. When schools, nonprofits and other eligible 501(c)(3) organizations book events at any of the Stout NYC Hospitality Group venues, the organization donates up to 10 percent of the proceeds back to support the organization’s mission.
“We’ve always donated to charities,” said Ridley. “But the Stout Gives Back program is really important to us.”
And the bar will be serving the neighborhood extra hard this summer, with special events planned for both the World Cup and America’s 250th birthday. Ridley shared that the business will be installing two new video walls for World Cup viewing parties, which will make Stout a perfect spot to post up for the matches, whether or not you have tickets to the games at MetLife.
Ridley also says that summer tends to be busy with private events, so if you’re looking to have a party there, you’ll want to book ASAP. We have to say, it’s one of the larger bars in Lower Manhattan, so it’s an ideal spot if you want to invite the entire crew. Learn more on Stout’s website, and be sure to stop by for a brew, bite and a game when you get the chance.
photo: Shinobu Ridley/Stout NYC, courtesy Stout NYC
