Swig

I went here for brunch today, and to be honest, there's nothing that really stood out about it outside of the weather.  It was a nice warm fall day, and we were able to sit outside and enjoy the nice breeze.  My husband ordered the Eggs Benedict, which he seemed to enjoy.  I ordered the Breakfast Wrap, without chicken, which wasn't bad. But the "salsa" in the wrap was actually a very mild pico de gallo that had very little flavor to it.  I had to put Tabasco on it after every layer I bit off just to give it more of a personality (and I'm not one to start throwing Tabasco on everything I eat).  The home fries were meh at best, so I gave them to my personal garbage disposal (aka husband) to eat.  The Bloody Marys we had weren't bad, though the mix was a bit bland (it had a slight spice to it, but nothing much else distinguishable in it). The service was really good...we had a friendly and very attentive server.

Overall, I would be OK with coming again, but I'm not so sure it would be for brunch.  Aside from the food and drink being meh, the outside menu by the entrance says brunch comes with 2 complimentary drinks, while the actual tableside menu says brunch comes with only 1. The second Bloody Mary will only cost about $6 a piece, which is very reasonable, but if you're on a budget and are splurging to go out, this could be frustrating.

Great American food, good sports bar scene, dime a dozen.

I visited 'Swig' on an NFL Sunday during the Giants game. The Inside was loud and packed with Giant enthusiasts. If you want a sports bar scene, Swig satisfies. The Food was delicious, my burger and fries were top notch. The burger perfectly cooked to the always difficult medium rare, the fries were crispy and seasoned with a natural cut feel.

However, service was relatively slow. They were understaffed, which is management's fault, however, it reflects on the servers as they are not/weren't able to keep up. And unfortunately, Swig nickels and dimes with sides, side exchanges, and even the refill of a pop ($3). Our bill quickly escalated without us realizing it, putting damper on our experience.

My only other reservation for this place was the noise level which, even outside, was tremendous and conversation difficult. So if you would like to communicate, the place is probably fine when the Giants are not playing, but when they do, it is not.

In saying all that, I would definitely go back, but there is nothing that takes Swig out from an ordinary, "good" American Sports Bar. Which isn't to say it isn't good, because it is, and their prices are competitive aside from the obscure side and no-refill drink gauges.

Swig could easily go from a three to a four star rating depending on what you want out of the experience. I think the standard desire(s) to sit, eat, and drink, Swig will more than suffice, but it does nothing to stand itself apart from its competitors...the Fries especially are good though!

More like 31/2 stars.  Solid place on the UES.  Really, even if it's a bit fratty, the staff justifies this place.  Nice little spot where you don't kind of feel like the bartender is slumming talking to you.  Food is generally passable.  But, really, this is a place to talk to the staff.