I loved Neir's for a long time. Â So much so that I booked my band there. Â Then, the night I arrived for the gig, there was another band setting up, creating copious feedback, even though my band, Jay and Matt was on the bar's webiste calendar for 2/23/2013. Nobody knew who was in charge, the frazzled and mostly useless bartender seemed to be struggling though her first night on the job. Â The cook, Danny, gave me a lengthy story about how there was this guy Chris that was booking bands and he messed everything up so he took over...except a guy named Frank booked my band. Â I'm so disappointed. Â I won't be going back, and neither will my wife, who works close by. Â The level of unprofessionalism is mind-numbing.
Review Source:EXTERIOR AND PARKING
I liked this place. I went last night to see my friend, Curtis Becraft, play there. As everyone says, it is a big ol' weathered rectangular building, oddly tucked in the middle of a residential neighborhood. (The neighbors must love it.) If you arrive by car, you have to park on the streets nearby.
INTERIOR
The interior decor is "Old NYC Bar Style," with relevant certificates, signs, and old pictures on the walls. Overall, the place has a tough, rustic atmosphere. The music was not too loud, and blended well with the ambiance.
SERVICE
The tavern wasn't crowded, but the service was kinda slow. It appeared that ONE nice, young, Irish guy was doing *everything*! Still, it's a leisurely kind of atmosphere, so it didn't seem to matter that much.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
My Thursday Night Prime Rib Special (13.95) came with a baked potato. It wasn't served hot, but it was a good piece of meat, cooked properly. My friends had the Mae West Burger, with mushrooms ($8.50), and the Joe Pesci Chicken Fingers ($8.95), which they liked. We hung out, talking from 7:00 pm to about 10:30. The total check for three people, with a few beers and a free soda, was $46. I would go again.
We came one night and ordered a burger since I'm really into old-New York places. While eating, some random psycho killed a cat with his bare hands right outside the bar. The badass old-school bartender lady went in on him even though she's like, 60+. After he fled, she called the cops, as well as other neighborhood bars to get his name and get him locked up. All my stars in this review are for her.
That was my only experience at Neirs Tavern. It was only 7 pm on a weekday. Not even kidding.
This place has changed over the years. Unfortunately for the worst. Like the latest reviewer before me that has said this bar abuses its power because the location had been used in a few movie scenes(mind you only really short ones) Neirs has really gotten snobby. I've even promised myself to not come back to my own neighborhood bar.
1. 2 drink minimum. That's right, its not a fancy place, neirs is really small and not the prettiest bar I've been too and its not really in a fancy neighborhood but they  added a new 2 drink minimum rule if their customers are not ordering food.
2. Food sucks. They are transitioning to a restaurant bar by enforcing a 'order food or 2 drink minimum' rule. They keep switching up chefs mainly because of pay issues and neither of them look happy to cook at neirs. Ive had the food a few times, burgers wings onion rings etc. But its usually inconsistent. Last time I had burgers it was bland, no seasoning, and over priced. I guess it depends on the chefs mood whether or not you're going to get good food.
3. Overpriced food. Yeah I think its time for that single dollar bill sign on this yelp page to turn into two. if u are willing to spend that amount of money, there are wayyy better bar/lounges in Manhattan for the price bro.
4. Weird vibes. Mix of snobbyness and redneckness.. My friend went to the jukebox the other day and played a song that he wanted to hear. It was a modern catchy techno-ish song. Then one of the employees went to the jukebox as soon as the song started and changed it to something more slow and restaurant friendly even though my friend had payed for the song. They just give weird vibes to anyone different or isn't going to spend a load of money for their food.
Neirs used to be a nice old-time neighborhood spot where I can sit, relax and comfortably drink a beer. Now it feels like im intruding whenever I walk in there.
With immense passionate bliss, my poetic travels ventured to shine a light on a Tuesday open-mike night. Â A shout-out to Angel R., a fellow Yelper and newbie sprinted poet who brings a freshing look into the New York poetry open-mike scene as it was my first appearance at Neir's Tavern. Â With the original burger on sour dough bread at $6.50 fully engulfed with French Fries accompanied with Selzter water were filling. Â A very good price for a burger where my bank account remains in stock. Â A venue space can accomodate live gigs of bands, and open-mike spoken word performers for the giant projector screen TV is hidden during performance time. Â The acoustic from the microphere feeds an annoying echo of delayed response to my actual voice.
Neir's Tavern endures a long history as New York's oldest bar, founded in 1829 in Woodhaven, Queens. Â It sits conveniently on my secondary J train line within walking distance. Â This bar was used for filming on location of "Goodfellas" 1990 and 2011's Ben Stiller/Eddie Murphy film "Tower Heist" and performance venue for Mae West. Â A celebratory welcome 2010 letter of Neir's Tavern re-opening from New York City's Mayor Bloomberg is visible on their website. Â Classic black and white Damask bathroom tiles and black and white floral Damask stencil adorns the mirror frame to give a vintage look. Â A log fireplace complete with a mantel gives a cozy home atmosphere.
Whoever said Queens is not the choice to venture to?
Only been here 2 or 3 times. Don't remember half.... I do remember thinking they had a good drink special and wishing they had a more interesting food menu but I guess that's not really why you're there anyway. Also, the same guy was performing/karaokeing? Every Time. I'd go again- on a weekday.
Review Source:Yes this is a great old bar with the best tap beer you'll ever find and cold as can be.
I think the debate over it being the oldest bar in NYC is because for one thing Queens wasn't part of NYC until 1897.
Also you don't find it on those "Oldest Bars" lists because most people don't even know about it.
Formerly the Union Course Tavern and originally the Old Blue Pump House (1829), Neir's is the oldest bar in Queens County and (debatably) New York City. Originally serving visitors to the Union Course race track across the street, rumor has it Mae West once performed here. Fact has it that part of Goodfellas was shot here and an upcoming Ben Stiller/Eddie Murphy film (Tower Heist) is currently being filmed here.
New York is full of history and filming sites, though, so what's the place like?
Well, I think it is one of the best bars in Queens. While there are some historic furnishings (including a tin ceiling), Neir's is a straightforward affair. 6 beers on tap, an average liquor selection, basic bar food, an internet (unfortunately) jukebox, pool table, and faux fireplace are the accoutrements here; stools, a few leather lounge chairs, and some tables provide the seating. A small stage in the corner hosts live performances or serves as base of operations for semi-legendary karaoke host The Real Jimmy Young (really, the karaoke is the best I've been to). Wednesday nights, (real) musicians from around the city descend upon Neir's to jam informally. The friendly patrons here are a diverse mix of ages and backgrounds. This is a neighborhood bar at its best.
This review sadly falls short in expressing the warm glow that Neir's exudes.
If you like Sunny's in Red Hook, though, this may be the closet thing to a Queens analogue. It's that good.
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