Even in our fledgling days we have caught the eye of the Brewery Elders at Founders brewery from the mighty Grand Rapids (MI). Our loyalty has being rewarded with an opportunity to host one of their highly sought after premium but very limited brews,
The Brickyard is now proudly pouring founders Breakfast Stout,

As soon as she reluctantly pours into her goblet, dark molasses with an aroma of roasted coffee are very evident, quiet at first then slowly cascading up the rounded sides a billowing thick mocha head forms, 3 fingers from the top its lacing holds true to the end.
The first sup is unmistakably of rich dark Chocolate then almost a sweeter milk chocolate and then a full blast of the roasted coffee. You almost feel it is not a craft stout but more a reward.

Ah how the seasons change, Evenings grows shorter, the leaves are turning, whispers of Nor Easters hold true. Thankfully we have the Seasonal offerings from our favorite breweries to help us with this blustery transition, one that has caught my eye and that of our patrons is Blue Point’s Pumpkin Ale, It has all the makings of a pumpkin ale Cinnamon Nutmeg, Cloves, Pumpkin Spices, but on the subtle side making this seasonal quaff an easy and obvious do-over, A tip of the hat to the men and women of Patchogue NY.

We’ve been going to sports bars in New York for 20 years. Let’s play the word association game: we say “sports bar;” you think “fist fights, cheap plastic pitchers of bad beer and 25 cent wings.” They don’t bother to call them “chicken wings” because of the dearth of poultry meet on each bone. And yet these places often pack the crowds in five deep at the bar, because the typical patron can’t afford anywhere else.

We’re the midtown New York sports bar for grown-ups. As any sports bar must, we take our sports seriously – a quick glance at our 9, brand new, large screen HD TVs attests to that. Our full-season DirectTV packages for NCAA and NFL Football provide further evidence. And our often opening at 8:30 am on Saturday for English football seals the deal.

But we’re just as passionate about the beer we serve. As we wrote last week, our first-class list of 24 craft beers on draft and five craft bottle beers evolves regularly, particularly as the seasons change. As the glowing reviews on Open Table and Yelp convincingly show, sports fans share our taste in beer. They also love our beer specials. For nearly every game, we offer some sort of special on one or more of our craft beers. Whether it be a pint for $5 or a 48 ounce Steiner for $14, or a great deal on a combination with our out-of-this world chicken wings that have more meat on each one than on a dozen of the other guy’s, you can always divine our special at a glance, as everyone seated at the bar is partaking of it.

Our passion for sports and beer doesn’t come at the expense of the taste of our food – we are, first and foremost, a Gastropub. A read of our posts explaining the origin and preparation of our late summer kabobs and heirloom tomatoes or our flank steak and tomatillos will launch a strategic battle in your mind on how to enjoy a healthy tasting of our chicken wings and yet leave room for the delectable main course.

And that is not a problem you usually conjure up when you think “sports bar.”

While our place enjoys a steady, sizable crowd for most major sports event and NFL Sundays, you’ll almost always find a comfortable seat of your very own.

Welcome to the best sports bar in midtown Manhattan for grown-ups.

In the first few months following our opening in March 2010, we were thrilled with the reception we got from our neighbors in Hell’s Kitchen. We also became tight with the hard-working, uber-talented professionals in New York’s theater industry, for whom we keep our kitchen open till 2:00 a.m. and offer one of New York’s only late night Happy Hours.

This summer, we began to welcome savvy  tourists who are discovering that, a mere block west of the theater district, there awaits a marvelous pre-theater meal that can be enjoyed in a less-rushed, more reasonably priced, and far classier place than their usual spot.

Most of the traditional dining spots in Times Square and the Theater District are uninspiring – created to bilk harried tourists by serving passable, expensive meals in assembly line fashion. At the Brickyard, we offer outstanding fare, cooked to perfection, served with a smile and in an unhurried manner. When we offer you a table for pre-theater dinner, we’re not worried about how long you’ll stay. With our list of 24 craft beers, new wine list and fall menu, how could we possibly move you along?

Our total package makes us the best bar or restaurant for dining near Roseland, which on October 17 offers Lifehouse with Kris Allen and is just a three-minute walk from the Brickyard.

As we wrote recently, we also offer the best restaurant for dining near the August Wilson Theater, which hosts the Jersey Boys, and is also a short stroll down 52nd Street.  Just a block further away is Wicked, making us a great choice for those looking for a restaurant near the Gershwin Theater.

On Saturday night, October 23, we’ll be hosting the music duo of  Andy Putman & Jackie Higgins, playing from 9 pm on. Andy plays a mean acoustic guitar and sings, while Jackie is an outstanding vocalist. They’ll be playing the sounds of Jack Johnson, Tom Petty, Dave Matthews, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffet, Jason Mraz, The Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, Cat Stevens, Aerosmith, Bob Marley, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Counting Crows and many, many more.

This is Andy & Jackie’s second visit to the Brickyard.  They played on a hot night in August to a good crowd that grew steadily as their sound drifted out onto Ninth Avenue. We knew then we had to have them back in the fall when more of our customers would be in town. We’re hoping for a good crowd that will enable us to bring them back, and other acts in, regularly. We’d be one of the few pubs offering live music in the Theater District. So come by on Saturday night, October 23, and help establish a new tradition of live music in Hell’s Kitchen.

Call us if you’d like to book a table in advance, for this night or any other occasion.

The hot summer of 2010 is becoming a distant memory. Sunburns have healed, short pants, polo shirts and bathing suits are going into storage, and windbreakers  and turtlenecks are coming out.

We go through the same seasonal shifts here at Brickyard Gastropub. Special offers saw our final kegs of Harpoon UFO Heffeweizen, BluePoint Blueberry and other summer ales blow out the door. Orders for our ciders and margaritas decline in tandem with the temperature.

But just as football is getting ready to replace baseball in our hearts, we have an all-star team of fall beers that are rounding into mid-season form. Our customers always warmly embrace the newest residents in our row of 24 craft beers.

Our hot sellers this month are BluePoint Octoberfest, BluePoint Pumkin Ale (which we can hardly keep in stock), and Hofbrau Octoberfest. Well, six days a week, any way. On Sunday, we offer one craft beer for $5 a pint, and our football fans take to our special beer like a Green Bay Packer fan to a block of cheese. Coney Island Brewery’s Mermaid Ale has commemorated many a touchdown at The Brickyard this NFL season.

So whether you come to The Brickyard for pre-theater dinner, happy hour, late-night happy our, or to enjoy the best bar to watch football in New York, our seasonal line-up of craft beers will be waiting for you.