Recently, I decided to make a trip into Manhattan to visit a part of Islanders’ country right in the heart of Ranger town. By now, most Islanders fans have heard of the location I went to. The bar Offside Tavern has become a viral sensation between their commercial on MSG network shown on a regular basis during Islanders games and their notable tweets on Twitter. Offside Tavern has made a name for itself in this tight-knit Islanders community.
Upon entering the bar, you’re immediately welcomed by a giant fisherman logo holding a bottle of Jameson, and once you’re inside, you’re quickly greeted by the sights and sounds of a typical bar, but with the added love that only Islanders fans can create. Throughout the bar, you’ll see hanging jerseys, Twitter posts from our favorite Islanders players, past and present, and announcers. The people are great, gearing up for the game in their Barzal jerseys, their Lee t-shirts, and their fishermen hats, ranging from a kid just turned 21 excited for his first game at a bar, to older women who are ready to drink a few beers and watch their favorite team.

Speaking of drinks, they are a fun twist on your favorite cocktails, with drinks such as the Eb-n-Flow (named after Jordan Eberle) and the Proper-Lee old fashioned (named after captain Anders Lee), but you can always order a draft or bottled beer to enjoy the game. The food is also great, and it puts a spin on traditional bar food.
Once the game starts, you can feel the electricity really flow through the bar, with its low ceilings and tight walls being in there is like being at the barn, only there are no opposing team fans there to ruin your good time. As soon as the puck drops, the music is shut off and the sounds of Butch Goring and Brendan Burke voices flow through the bar. Unfortunately, I visited the bar during a game where the Islanders found themselves shut out, so I’m unaware of what the bar is like once the team scores. It is important, however, to say that for many of the Offside Tavern attendees there is no love lost for our former captain John Tavares, as there were many boos and chants thrown the way of the TV whenever the now-Maple Leafs captain was shown on TV.

The workers there are extremely friendly, coming to check in on you as often as possible and are making us feel at home. I visited the bar during the New England Patriots-Tennessee Titans AFC Wild Card game. People walked up to the tavern asking if they could come in, seeing that the football game was airing on two of the 15 flat-screen TVs in the bar, and the bouncer told them the football game is on in there, but this is a hockey bar and that they had the hockey game on the speakers in there. He would then be kind enough to direct the football fans to proper bars. Another guy walking the streets walked up and asked the bouncer what would happen if he tried to get in with a Rangers jersey on. The bouncer looked at him and said that he would not let him in, and if he was able to get in with one on, he would not last five minutes in there.
If you’re 21 or over and haven’t been to Offside Tavern yet I highly recommend you attend it at least once. Going during a more intense game made attending the bar all the more fun, and I recommend getting there early to get a good spot, get some food and settle in for a great night of Islanders hockey!

Drive4Five