Despite my protests I was dragged into Smith's after a show last Friday night...I had been in once before and it was a pretty divey, dirty old man joint and I didn't feel like navigating that kind of crowd. Two steps in the door and my mind was completely changed... \r
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The bouncer told me they had done a renovation over a year ago, and truthfully I didn't even recognize the place. All the great parts were still there: a long bar, plenty of good draft beers, and a bunch of TV's, but the crowd was decidedly younger and in the mood for fun. We grabbed a table, and after chatting with our waitress for a bit, got our drinks and started bobbing along with the band. After a couple of rounds we got some fries (per the our waitresses recommendation), and at 1 am I have to say they were about the best thing I could imagine having in front of me.\r
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We wrapped up the night and paid our bill, which was incredibly low considering we were drinking a block away from Times Square, and headed out to catch a cab.\r
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All in all, this place is the opposite of pretentious, and treats its patrons more like friends than customers. Most of the reviews are pretty old, so take it from a convert and give this place another shot. You'll get a non-pretentious drink, some good fries, and a nice chill atmosphere...I'll definitely be back.
Pros: Chill atmosphere, cheap drinks, live music
Cons: Not scary enough to keep the tourists away
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