by Lauren Schuster, Senior Writer
On weekend evenings all across campus, students are making plans with friends for how they’re going to relax after a long week of studies. When they want to sit back, relax and have a drink with friends, where do they go? For many students, the answer is An Beal Bocht Cafe.
Located on west 238th street right next to Overlook Manor residence hall, the cafe offers a fun and convenient location for students to meet with friends. In addition to a full bar with a range of drink options, An Beal Bocht also offers traditional Irish food and frequent live music.
Senior Shannon Raczynski goes to An Beal Bocht for a variety of reasons, including using it as a study spot on weeknights, grabbing lunch there with a friend on a weekend or using it as a convenient spot to pet the local’s dogs at the outdoor tables.
“I think what’s special about it is how wholesome the staff and people are,” Raczynski said. “Some nights there’s tons of people dancing and singing, and other nights there’s only a few people chatting with the bartender. Regardless, there’s always good conversations taking place and cool people around.”
Senior Olivia Haveron finds herself returning to An Beal Bocht for the welcoming atmosphere it provides.
“An Beal has definitely become a place where my friends and I can all go on the weekends for a couple of hours,” Haveron said. “Now that we are all over 21, we find it a lot more fun than going to another bar most nights. We can just sit and relax after a long week.”
Another main draw for many of Manhattan College’s students is the bartenders, who embrace Jaspers with open arms.
“I honestly love all of the bartenders but I think my favorite has to be Keely,” Haveron said. “I think it’s because I have seen and have talked to her the most. I think the bartenders create an environment with all of their customers, MC students included, where they are welcome, almost like a second home.”
Senior Patrick Journick also finds the bartenders to be one of the best parts about the An Beal Bocht experience.
“Everybody loves Keely, who couldn’t?” Journick said. “The bartenders are all so nice, I wish I knew the names of more of them.”
In addition to being a great spot to spend weekend nights at with friends, An Beal Bocht also offers brunch specials, which many students take advantage of on the weekends.
“My go-to order is a Lagunitas Little Sumpin, but if i’m there early enough, it’s a full irish breakfast with the free mimosa,” Journick said.
No matter what their reason for stepping inside, once they’re there, MC students know that the bartenders and other patrons of An Beal Bocht will treat them well.
“I think that it becomes a huge spot for upperclassmen at Manhattan College,” Haveron said. “We feel welcomed by the bartenders and the locals. It’s never packed like Fenwick’s or Fontanova because it’s a whole different atmosphere.”
For Journick, the difference in the atmosphere at An Beal Bocht makes it his go-to spot to hang out with friends week after week.
“An Beal is pretty much the only bar I go to so it’s a large portion of my social life,” Journick said. “Most of the time [my friends and I] go out, that’s where [we go].”