the sunburnt cow ny
There may not be too much inside The Sunburnt Calf that you haven’t seen before at a New York City dive bar, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As you descend the few stairs into the small venue, you’re greeted by a life-sized fake calf on display in the window to your left, while a sign that reads "The Sunburnt Calf" burns above the newborn’s head. The bar has a long, skinny railroad design with a wood-topped bar to the left, and a small wood surface to lean against or rest your drinks upon, to the right. In the corner, a DJ nods enthusiastically to the never-too-loud music he selects from a computer in front of him, and the dim mood lighting is enlivened with red, neon beam-lights that blaze behind the bar. This description of The Sunburnt Calf’s layout probably reminds you of somewhere else you have been, but only considering the aesthetic. What differentiates this Upper West Side hang out from all the other kitschy neighborhood bars in NYC is its distinctly Aussie vibe, and more specifically, the friendly and helpful staff.
The Sunburnt Calf is the kind of bar that, if you forgot your wallet at home, you could go up to the bartender, explain your dilemma, and probably still get a drink (if you promised to pay them back). It’s the kind of bar where everyone knows your name—or better yet, it’s the kind of bar where everyone knows the owners name, Tim Harris, of The Sunburnt Cow in the East Village and Bondi Road on the LES.
To put it simply: Tim Harris is the man. Whether he is chatting up newcomers with his authentic Australian accent, or artfully (and politely) taking drinks from the patrons as they step out to the street for a smoke, Harris knows how to entertain a party, keep things in (relative) order, and keep people happy. Although the venue is smaller than many NYC bars, The Sunburnt Calf never seems overly packed. The pleasant, upbeat music, the attentive bartenders (also authentically Australian), and Harris’ natural ability to orchestrate the bar’s contained chaos gives The Sunburnt Calf the feel of a party in the outback, rather than an Upper West Side bar.
Once you really start to look at the bar’s sparse and unpretentious décor, you realize that there is something charming and altogether unique about The Sunburnt Calf’s setup that you hadn’t noticed at first. A mini-cow statue is frozen in mid-dance on the mantel piece behind the bar, and the ribbed-metal bar and the old, wooden ship-like ceiling remind attendees of the bar’s theme, adding to the venue’s distinctly Australian vibe.
The four plasma TVs that adorn the wall above the bar are the most dynamic and intriguing aspect of the bar’s design. The TVs play a loop of bizarre video clips that have been edited and spliced together by none other than Harris himself. These nonsensical, short films never repeat themselves, and always provide patrons with something new and different to watch, while giving attendees something to discuss when there is a lull in conversation. While I was at The Sunburnt Calf, I got to watch a horror movie montage containing footage from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Shinning and Jaws, as well as footage from some O.G. Anime, some awesome rugby collisions, gnarly surfing videos, and a computer-generated image of an Australian flag, swaying in the digital wind—a final homage to the inspiration behind the bar, and to Harris’ homeland.
There is a good beer selection at The Sunburnt Calf, with pints at $6 a pop, and very stiff and tall mixed drinks at only $8. The Sunburnt Calf attracts a diverse crowd of people—all of whom are easygoing, polite, and without the affectation of other Upper West bar patrons. While you’re there, you might meet a guy in his mid-fortys who will buy you a drink and talk about his college days, or a group of coworkers who have been at the bar since happy hour. Regardless of their differences, what unites the crowd at The Sunburnt Calf is everyone's eagerness to interact and meet new people.
The Sunburnt Calf doesn’t have too much that will WOW you. The fact that the bar doesn’t have a bouncer might be its most remarkable quality (that, and Harris’ mini-movies, as well as the kitchen, which is open late and offers a diverse menu of Australian-inspired small dishes). The Sunburnt Calf is the kind of place for people who are sick of dressing up in long sleeve button-downs on these humid summer nights, just to go to a “swanky” bar, pay too much for a small drink, spill it as they walk through the overly crowded dance floor, and then try and spark up conversation with an uninterested girl sporting a short skirt, and a shorter attention span. If your idea of a fun night is heading out with your friends in your simplest beach-bum uniform (t-shirt, shorts, and sandals), then come to The Sunburnt Calf and enjoy a night of unpretentious, unparalleled fun.
(courtesy of Eater.com)
It's shaping up to be a stunning weekend weather wise, so for those of you who aren't already planning on getting sloshed at one of the many Kentucky Derby parties around town, how about a boozy brunch? Up ahead, we've compiled a list of a restaurants in New York offering boozy brunch deals. While away your Saturday and Sunday afternoons drinking unlimited bloody marys, mimosas, and sangrias, and hope that this warm weather is finally here to stay.
