Underneath the elevated trains rests an odd wonderland or nightmare, a place two steps to the side of usual, a half beat of the normal rhythm.
Mermaid's. Ahhhh.... Mermaid's. Sports Bar. And go-go dancers. Odd routines to a soundtrack of Greek and Latin beats. High priced cocktails, but the sense of being in a David Lynch movie is offered for free.
Mermaid's Bar is located in the Astoria neighborhood of Manhattan. Astoria is the western-most neighborhood in Queens, running from the East River west to Northern Boulevard and 49th Street, and from Ditmars Boulevard south to Queens Plaza. It is just north of Long Island City, of which Astoria once was and is sometimes still considered to be a part, and is bounded on the north by Steinway and by Woodside on the east. Nestled in one of the most suburban boroughs, Astoria peeks across the East River at Manhattan from its squat houses and commercial buildings. Largely residential, the neighborhood has gone through the usual waves of immigrants over the course of the centuries; first, the Germans, then the Italians and Jews, a massive and significant influx of Greeks, and most recently, Middle Eastern, African, and Eastern Europeans have made Astoria their new home. For a neighborhood that takes its name from John Jacob Astor—once the richest man in America—it remains remarkably middle-class, with a strong sense of community and ethnic heritage, making it a very tight-knit neighborhood. There are, of course, many great ethnic restaurants of all stripes in Astoria, from favorites like Uncle George's Greek Tavern, Il Bambino, and the Bohemian Beer Hall & Garden to Malagueta, Mojave, and The Queens Kickshaw. For drinking, there's the Quays Pub, cocktails at Sweet Afton, and The Barn. For attractions, there's the wonder Noguchi Garden Museum, showcasing the amazing work of the famed sculptor, even more artistic action at Socrates Sculpture Park, and the Museum Of The Moving Image.
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