Carpe Diem: Worth the Trip

So I’ve never been to Carpe Diem before, basically because it’s way uptown and I never am. Also, from the outside, I thought it was some old-timers bar where they sip on cups of gasoline or something.

Apparently my colleague Alan Skontra thought the same, describing Carpe Diem as “the bar you hit to relax after cutting someone under the 14th Street bridge and stashing the body at the abandoned Macy's float depot.”

Well, maybe I woudn’t go that far, but it turned out we were both pleasantly surprised, as Carpe Diem is actually a hidden gem uptown. Okay, maybe “gem” is an overstatement, and you can’t really be “hidden” in a city of 50,000, but it’s a good bar with cheap drinks and a friendly atmosphere.

My friend and I staggered in pretty late, full from dinner at Dozzino, my all-time favorite pizza joint (in Hoboken). Admittedly, we needed the long walk to the bar. Thirsty because we always forget that Dozzino is BYOB, we were in need of beers, and luckily, Carpe Diem provides them on the cheap.

On tap at the five-year-old bar is Coors, Yuengling, Sam Adams, Stella and Blue Moon – basic stuff, but we only threw down a few dollars each for pints, so you can’t argue. At Happy Hour, they offer $2 off drafts, $4 well drinks and $4 house wines.

The décor inside looks a lot better than it does outside. With a simple sign, stucco exterior and a lone Irish flag, it would be easy to pass by if you were looking for a good place to hang. But inside there are sunny orange walls (or yellow? It was dark…), frosted glass lamps, dark wood tables and old portraits of celebrities. For some reason it made me feel like I was drinking in the private library of some old Irish dude’s mansion.

The bar was full of a slightly older crowd, though by no means full of senior citizens. Dare I say that it was refreshing to not be in a bar full of Stevens students funneling cheap beer? My friend and I contemplated a game of darts, but after a bunch of beers, I knew I would poke someone’s eyes out, and was really in no mood to deal with the ambulance ride.

We glanced at the food menu, and despite being full for days, it looked pretty tempting. There was some standard Irish-type fare like fish-and-chips, Shepherd’s Pie, and a bunch of sandwiches labeled “peckish.” For the hippie vegetarians, like me, there were salads, veggie burgers, a veggie mash sandwich, and a bunch of pasta selections. If it wasn’t so far (for me), I’d say I would plan on going back for dinner.

Some other features of the bar are an outdoor dining space (unfortunately too cold to see if you could just drink out there), and a second floor bar that I guess is primarily used for private parties. Oh, and a fireplace, which is always on my plus list for bars.

In all, I will bestow upon Carpe Diem a solid eight frosty mugs. It’s not a particularly inventive space, but for a cheap and unpretentious neighborhood bar, it hits the nail on the head. And while the location isn’t too convenient for me, I’m sure the uptown crowd has been enjoying the bar for the past few years. Anyway, if you’re up that way, check it out. I know it’s tempting to just go to the beer garden, but if you’d rather not wait in line to have a pint, Carpe Diem is your spot.

Carpe Diem, 1405 Grand St; (201) 792-0050