If there are certain restaurants and bars that you tend to return to again and again, it’s almost a guarantee that those establishments are going to be more readily recommended to you on your phone as you search for them over time. It’s funny how memory can get outsourced so easily; conversely, it’s interesting which tidbits end up falling through the digital cracks. For example, I love visiting one of my best friends at her apartment, which happens to be just a 20 minute walk from me, but every single time I head over, I have to text her so she can remind me of the address. I also have quickly grown to love Jones Beach Bar, which is right around the corner from me, but I nonetheless had trouble finding the other night.
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Why? The eateries and watering holes close to the Myrtle Avenue J stop can be a little bit elusive in that way: you may think you know where you’re going, but all of a sudden, you’re confronted with a weird triangular crosshatch of busy roads and you’re not quite sure which one is right. Jones Beach Bar is particularly special because it isn’t even locatable on Apple (AAPL) Maps, which in this day and age strikes me as an incredibly chic characteristic. Moms, of course, hate that sort of thing. They always want to know where they’re going.
I love the bright orange leather chairs pushed up against the bar, and I love that the bar itself is comprised of achingly funky glass bricks. There’s a cute table in the front room that’s perfect for sitting and chatting with a friend over muffins or a couple of beers, depending on the time of day. I have to admit that I haven’t tried any of the cocktails yet, but I can attest that the Coronas are incredibly cheap and ice-cold. As an aside, does anybody drink Coronas anymore?
In the back, there’s another small area filled with a couple of tables and chairs and a stage, which is also outfitted with a couple of squashy couches. This room frequently plays host to small comedy shows, which can be enormously fun to drop in on after a long day at work. Plus, the long green ferns hanging in the window give the whole setup the feel of a cozy living room.
Near Jones Beach Bar, during the day, the M and J and Z trains screech overhead on elevated subway tracks. Since I live in the area, I’ve pretty much gotten used to the howl of gears and wheels, but they can still make it impossible for you to hear yourself think. Sometimes, that’s annoying, and sometimes it’s extremely welcome. Jones Beach Bar succeeds at translating the cacophony of the outside world into background noise.
