The Grafton

I’ll be honest – I like the Grafton. I 4.25 stars like Grafton, maybe even 4.5. But I’m giving it a 5 for one simple reason – well, maybe 6 or 7 reasons – the group of Tottenham Hotspur fans in the back of the bar, comporting themselves with the utmost class and dignity. That’s right, unlike its sister bar in Chelsea, Smithfield (a dear, dear bar for futbol fans), Grafton is smaller but attracts a disproportionate number of Spurs fans. Even during games against POOL, mind you, and this at a Liverpool FC BAR!
Apart from that, everything about Grafton recommends itself. A nice balance of regular beers and rotational pours/​bottles from the likes of Ommegang and Rogue. Lovely pub fare punctuated at brunch-​time by the deliciously decadent breakfast burger (topped with
applewood-​smoked bacon, cheddar, and a fried egg over easy on a toasted brioche with fries & trimmings). Friendly bartenders and wait staff who are game and generous even with hard-​drinking non-​regulars (we got a comp round of the goof stuff).
Use but don’t abuse the Grafton folks. It’s so accessible right now. Let’s patronize but keep it that way.

Stopped into this place while trying to kill some time before catching a show nearby. It’s located right on 1^st Ave in an area where they have other bars and restaurants.
We sat ourselves on the opposite side of the bar where they have a line of stool style seating. They have tables in the front and back areas for groups and reservations which were all occupied. The cocktail waitress walked past us at least 3 or 4 times without greeting us and offering any type of assistance. I ended up going to the bar on my own and placing an order for drinks and food with the bartender and told him where we would be sitting.
The bartender was super friendly and the drinks we ordered were good. The food came out about 15 minutes later and this is the sad part of my review I’m afraid. My burger which I ordered Medium came back extremely Well-​Done. The cheese did not look appetizing and the toppings (onions, lettuce, tomato) were nothing special as add ons. No amount of ketchup or additional sauces could have helped this burger. It tasted like a burnt patty straight off of a grill when you’re at a BBQ. The meat they use is from Pat LaFreida so this was disappointing that they 1. overcooked it and 2. added no seasoning whatsoever. The burger came with a side of fries which were pretty good but kind of cold upon arrival.
This is a small pub with a fair share of TVs. I would recommend it if you’re looking for a place with one other person to have a beer and watch a game but not for the burgers.

Great place for drinks and football.
Watched Liverpool vs Man U.
Baby friendly
Great atmosphere
Friendly staff
Outdoor seating
Great drink specials
And most of all
Liverpool friendly.
If you want to catch a game and have kids. This is the place to be. YNWA
Ps. The owner Gavin is super friendly and welcoming. This is my new Liverpool spot.

Burger was excellent. Excellent medium rare cook, fresh toppings, and a really big burger for the sides. The server was also extra nice and helpful. Overall great burger experience

This is my 2^nd time visiting this spot & the results are like the 1^st… ENJOYABLE!!! I enjoy bar surfing and I’m glad that a found this joint. Always festive, good service & better than average bar food.

Good drinks, outdoor patio, friendly barmen, good vibe and good food. Simple place with lovely people, just the way I like it. For me it is their steak and eggs, but if I had too much to drink, than no food, just more beer ;)
Full over the weekend, not that packed at weekdays, but both are cool. Summer outside drinks are the best. Nothing special, nothing disappointing, good place for drinks.

Heading to an Irish pub on football Sunday is always questionable. Do they have enough TV’s? Will they play out of town games? Comfortable seating? Should we drink whisky for breakfast? Luckily, the Grafton turned out to be the perfect spot this past Sunday (to answer those first Q’s, yes, yes, yes, and… well, yes). First off, it’s a few notches nicer than your average public house. Being that it’s new, the place is clean and doesn’t smell like years of beer spills and shame. The menu is also perfect for brunch; burgers, eggs, salads, apps. Nothing too crazy, but all done well. My order of BBQ wings (super sweet, in a good way) and the veggie full Irish (two eggs, baked beans, mushrooms, grilled tomato with home fries) were the perfect accompaniment to a well poured Guinness. On football Sunday, select beers, mimosas, bloody’s are $ 5 and you get one free with the order of a burger or eggs. Perfect. Overall, the service and vibe was great (including the manager who put on an out of town game for us) and I wouldn’t hesitate to watch some football (american or rest of the world) here in the future.
Bonus: pretty cool patio area out back, though our football addiction kept us inside
Note: For you premier league fans, it’s a Liverpool bar

Cannot speak about this place since it’s name change, but when it was Lunasa, it was a great alternative when a Liverpool match was on and I was turned away from 11^th St Bar. I’ve only had their food once and it was good! Nothing to write home about but a great spot and good for catching sports!

My friends took me here to watch a game.
Great bar and staff. Good beer selection, lots of screens and pretty much the best soft pretzel with sweet mustard outside of Germany!!! Love this place and will definitely come back on my next visit!

This was a warmly lit, pleasantly friendly wee Irish bar that we stumbled upon.
Stayed a couple of hours, unlikely to ever go back as I live the other side of Manhattan but if your on 1^st and thirsty then this is nice wee place.

The name of this place is just asking for it. But there’s literally no subtle way to weave in the word «graft» here (I’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time thinking about it) so I’m just putting it out there really blatantly. Now that I’ve gotten that over with…
I had a two-​star experience here but it had nothing to do with the Grafton. It had to do with the delusional clientele here rooting for the WRONG TEAM. So despite having my night ruined by fans of this certain team — the team I hate most in all of professional sports — I can recognize that the Grafton is actually an awesome spot to watch a game.
Came here on a Saturday night around 8:30 to get a couple of drinks and watch one of the two Championship Series (I’m trying to keep this as vague as possible — not trying to make enemies on here). The place was pretty packed, but we managed to come right as another party was leaving so we lucked out there.
I’m a big fan of the layout of this place. Its sheer size is reason enough to try it out for a big game. Most of the sports bars I’ve been to in the city are significantly smaller than the Grafton, which can make for a pretty uncomfortable game-​watching experience. If I’m going to a bar specifically to watch a game, seeing the TV is kind of really important. This can actually be a lot to ask for in some spaces. My friend and I were sitting across from each other at a table, and we were both able to watch this particular game on two separate TVs. Easy (as it should be). So you’ve got tables of various sizes, TVs aplenty, a pretty normal amount of bar seating and some standing room.
No comment on the food here (looked like your usual pub fare to me), but I was pleasantly surprised with the cocktail options here. I never expect much in the cocktail arena (pun semi-​intended) when I go to a sports bar, but they offer a number of interesting — dare I say… creative? — drinks. In actuality they’re nothing special, but A++ for effort here. The menu on their website isn’t updated for fall, so I can’t give you names/​specifics, but I’ll try my best. My first cocktail featured jalapeño-​infused vodka, which was decent and very refreshing. My second was a whiskey/​cider ditty, which was also decent. So while cocktails aren’t necessarily the draw of this place, they’re certainly a lot more interesting than those you’ll find (if you find any at all) at other sports bars. Just BTW for all of you pumpkin-​loving folks: they DO have a pumpkin-​forward cocktail (I believe it’s vodka-​based) that the party next to us was oohing and aahing over.
Given that there aren’t many options as far as sports bars go in the East Village (at least in my experience), I’d say the Grafton is a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

The Grafton just doesn’t seem to be trying very hard. With an average food menu, an average beer list, and an average drinks program, there’s just nothing to set it apart from the 40 other Irish sports bars in the Village. Was hoping the food would do this but alas the hamburger came out over cooked with a cold to the touch bun and dried out fries. Go elsewhere unless you want a decidedly average experience.

Came here to watch the Republican debate with some friends. Cool space, lots of televisions, good food, fast service.

Great place to catch the game. Pretty clean for a sports bar. Food was ok and drink prices were reasonable

The freshest pint of Guinness this side of the Atlantic!!!
Beautifully finished décor, multiple TV screens and a lovely outdoor courtyard with picnic tables. Friendly staff, who are always up for a laugh. Great menu — the full Irish breakfast is legit.

Stopped here with some friends for drinks and food. The name and management changed here recently but the overall vibe and ambiance remains the same as before. It’s rustic, cozy and welcoming. They have a small patio area out back and yesterday was perfect for taking advantage of this space. It wasn’t overly crowded and felt like we had a lot of privacy, which you don’t get often being on top of other diners at NY restaurants.
We ordered the chicken quesadilla, guac and chips, wings, nachos and the turkey burger with side salad. The turkey burger was for me and it was alright. A bit dry and I expected a little more punch from the way it was described on the menu. I couldn’t taste the feta and maybe the burger would be better if the cheese was on top? The side salad was good though, lightly tossed in dressing and pretty colorful.
Our server was really nice and attentive. Their beer prices are reasonable and they have a decent selection of wines.

I have a removable skin graft. It’s pretty awesome. I’m OK looking without it, but you would not want to see me with my Graft-​on. Total. Freaking. Nightmare. People.
This place used to be called Lunasa, so let’s do some Lunasa jokes.
If you are on a space shuttle and need the toilet, then you probably should use the «Loo NASA.» Whereas at this bakery, you should take your Key Lime Pie to the toilet with you. It really is that good. In fact, it’s one of the best Key Lime Pies I’ve ever eaten in my life.
My experience of this place has been pretty good each time I’ve been to watch soccer here. Food was okay. Average. 3 or 4 stars at most. But the service was always good, the drinks aren’t too overpriced, and the football is phenomenal. I love the crowds and all the people from around the world and how intense the atmosphere gets. So for this reason, I have to give it a 5.
My best experience here was for Liverpool v Manchester City with a girl I adore (but sadly she is married to my brother, grr), plus my brother, plus another girl I adore. It was a really great time. It was the first time I ever met my brother’s wife actually, although they weren’t married at the time. Needless to say we had an amazing time. Coutinho’s late strike won it for Liverpool and it was one of the best memories I have of watching football, ever. We really thought we were going to win the league.
We did not.
But it’s not the fault of this place. 5 stars.
My first review in awhile. Only a few days but it seems like forever.
And if I seem particularly happy today it’s because I was just with a girl and I’m basking in the warmth of the Graft-​erglow.

Came here after eating next door at Noreetuh. The bartender wasn’t friendly which docks a point and barely someone that came around to ask for our orders of drinks. Bought 6 shots of Patron for $ 72 (including $ 6 tips) which is average for shots. The bathroom was not very clean, but what do you expect at a bar. Noise level wasn’t too bad and a variety of different channels playing on all tvs (which is a plus). Probably won’t return though

The place is cool, but nothing special. No real happy hour specials which sucks. Have gone here since it was Lunasa and hoped there would be changes. My friend likes it so he always picks it. May need to revoke his picking card for a place with appetizer and beer specials.

This is an okay Irish bar in the East Village. It was previously called Lunasa, but recently renovated. Refer to Lunasa reviews and photos for help, as the establishment does not seem to have changed much since the update (
) — though I had only been there a few times before the changes.
I did not try the food, so I can’t review that. I did see it pass by and it looked good-​but who knows.
The beer… it’s a mesh of mainstream crafts, like Brooklyn and LaGunitas, and mass produced beers, like Miller. If you want crafts, go around the corner to Proletariat-​but expect some crowding there. The place has standard low to mid range liquors.
The place has good music that’s not too loud (apparently a playlist created by the boss’s wife). Lots of televisions for sports. And a good amount of seating (including outdoor seating). They have board games on the side of the bar, so that’s fun.
The clientele, on a Thursday night, seem to be regulars. Mostly mid-​30s plus, males in business attire.
The staff are perfectly nice, but not very attentive on a slow Thursday. Flag them down if you need attention on a quieter night.