When it comes to partying in Middletown, NY, there is no location like downtown. The top three bars in Middletown are located in this area and are all within walking distance of each other, making bar-hopping a common habit of locals.
Olde Erie
The Olde Erie Restaurant and Pub is a great hang-out for people of any age. They have a great bar area downstairs and a loft for dancing upstairs. When the dining area shuts down at night, the bands set up and play for the customers. The usual happy hour on any day is from 3-6pm. On Wednesday nights, local DJ Victor Vargas hosts a karaoke jam from 10pm to midnight. Wednesday is also Pint Night during which all domestic pints are only $2.00 from 8-11pm. Thursdays and Fridays have two happy hours from 3-6pm and from 10pm to midnight. The Olde Erie is a great bar to hang out any night of the week. If you need to know more, visit http://www.oldeerie.com.
Poor Bobby’s Hard Times Tavern
This bar became increasingly popular after Chef Bobby opened it up. It has an outdoor patio area which makes summer nights feel not so stuffy and allows smokers to not feel excluded from the party. Poor Bobby’s often has bands also and DJ’s. Recently, they have been having Salsa lessons. There are drink specials on almost every night of the week and their drinks really are the best. If you want a really good Long Island Iced Tea, this is the place to go. The younger crowd is typically drawn to this bar, and they can often be found playing darts while others try to dash pass them to get to the free buffet on Fridays. Poor Bobby’s is located at 29 Center Street. For more information on this bar, visit http://hardtimestavern.com/index.shtml.
The Empty Bottle Saloon
The Empty Bottle Saloon is in the same spot as the former club 28 West. The difference between the two is that the Empty Bottle has a strict dress code that they do enforce and they don’t want to draw the wrong crowd. The downsides of this bar is that they charge a cover and their drinks can be pricey. It’s a beautiful club atmosphere, though, and it has a huge dance floor. The drinks specials on Fridays and Saturdays are buy one get one free on drinks until 11pm., so this might entice club-goers to stop at this location first if they are spending the night out. Friday nights typically host a dance party and Saturdays have local cover bands, like Nuts in a Blender. To find out what events are going on at the Empty Bottle, go to http://www.emptybottlesaloon.com/.
These are the best bars in Middletown, NY. It’s so convenient to enjoy the night-life here because of the close vicinity of all of the bars. They are literally all only a stone’s throw away from each other. The drinks are great and deals can be found, but make sure to have a designated driver because no one should have to pay a greater price for partying, and the police station is right across the street.
