Mc Gillycuddy's: Hot Spot in New Paltz

Are you looking for a casual place to take your family out to dinner? Or maybe you’re looking for a place to bring your girlfriend on a date. Or, perhaps, you want to watch the playoff game with some buddies and have a few drinks. Whether you are looking for a restaurant, a sports bar, or just somewhere to have a good time, McGillycuddy's is the place. McGillycuddy's is a local restaurant located in the center of town on Main Street. It is a mix of an Irish pub and a sports bar. McGillycuddy’s is definitely a hot spot in New Paltz. It has great food and awesome entertainment.



My Experience
I went there for dinner on a Friday night with some friends. The crowd is a mix of adults, families, and college kids. It was packed; we had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. The staff was friendly but not so good considering our waitress screwed up our order. She brought my friend a salad instead of a side of French fries. She apologized though and brought out the fries a few minutes later. The food was good in my opinion. I wasn’t expecting a five meal so I was quite satisfied with my pulled pork sandwich and waffle fries. My friends ordered a chicken fajita and a cheeseburger. We also shared appetizers; Irish nachos and a plate of mild wings. I definitely recommend the pulled pork sandwich; it is to die for. I order it every time I go. The Irish nachos tastes like heaven; they are waffle fries covered with melted cheese and bacon bits. The first time I ever had Irish nachos was at McGillycuddy’s. If you have never tried them before, you should most definitely order a plate at Cuddy’s!



Nightly Specials
Cuddy’s is the only restaurant in New Paltz open 7 days a week until 4 am every night. They serve food until closing. Every night Cuddy’s has a special. Monday night is wing night. For 40 cents a wing, you definitely get your money’s worth and you get to choose from a variety of awesome wing sauces. There are also $5 Miller Lite Pitchers starting at 9 pm. Tuesday nights enjoy a free poker tournament starting at 7 pm and $2.50 Bud Light drafts. Wednesday is trivia night where teams of two to six people compete for a first place prize of $25 gift certificate or second place prize of $10 gift certificate. Every Thursday night at 10 pm you can pick a song and sing with The Lounge Lizards, a live local band! And if you’re too shy to get up and sing, you can just request your favorite song for The Lounge Lizards to sing. Also, every Thursday there are $1 tacos from 9 pm to 3 am, $5 Bud Light pitchers and $8 margarita pitchers. Friday night is music video madness with DJ Chris Gilbert starting at 10 pm. Watch thrilling music videos on the huge flat screen TVs. Friday night drink specials include $2.50 Bud Light drafts, $3 Malibu drinks, and $3 whipped cream vodka shots. Saturday night is known as “Party Rock Saturdays” at McGillycuddy’s. DJ Joe Fresh plays the hottest music starting at 10 pm. Dance all night long to some awesome beats and drink $2.50 Miller Lite pints, $3 Bacardi drinks any flavor! Sunday night, the party continues with free pool starting at 10 pm and $2.50 Bud Light and Miller Lite pints.



Food, Prices, and Service
Cuddy’s is known for their award winning wings. There are over twenty flavors to choose from ranging from very very hot to sweet. Some of these sauces include: raspberry chipotle, coconut peanut, red hot BBQ, and honey buffalo. If you are in the mood for something different, order these flaming frisky flavors on your wings to spice things up! The menu has the usual food you would find at a pub or diner. They offer soup and salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, etc. They only serve lunch and dinner. The prices are decent. They give you a good amount of food for the amount of money you pay. The service is not the best I have ever had; however, they are all very friendly and accommodating.



Entertainment
Cuddy’s turns into a bar/ club scene at night. It is filled with mostly older adults. Cuddy’s used to be known as a college bar. However, the staff has gotten very strict with only letting 21 year olds in after 9 PM. The crowd is mostly local older adults that are looking to relax, enjoy good music and a few drinks.



Policies
McGillycuddy’s is very strict with identification and dress code policies. No one under 21 years of age is admitted after 9 pm or 8 pm on Monday nights. The dress code is “casual but proper” according to the official website of McGillycuddy’s. My friends told me they went to McGillycuddy's on a Monday night for wing night; however, they were not allowed in since they are under 21. I suggest you check out the website for more information before going to the restuarant since proper attire and identification if required.
http://www.cuddysny.com/

Overall, McGillycuddy’s is a good restaurant in New Paltz. It definitely is a good contribution to the community. I would give it a 4 star rating. I certainly recommend anyone to go to McGillycuddy's; on any given night, you are sure to have a good time and a good meal. Your stomach and your wallet will surely thank you.

The Roman God of Wine, Madness, and Ecstasy...

Bacchus                                 

4 South Chestnut Street                  

Picture compliments of Bacchus

 New Paltz, New York 12561                

Yes, this small town eatery boasting its collection of over 400 beers certainly has to live up to its own standard. Bacchus, located right off of Main Street, on 4 South Chestnut Street is cleverly named after the Roman god of wine and intoxication. This restaurant and, of course bar, is local and student friendly. They specialize in seafood and southwest specialties however they have an array of delicious cuisine here. Whether you’re looking for a pricier meal, or a cheap bite. You name it, they got it!

I actually discovered this eatery by winning a gift card with my friends at SUNY New Paltz. My friends and I decided we would all share the card equally and go out that Friday night. We were seated upstairs because downstairs was bustling. The infinite bar and the pool hall are located downstairs. Upstairs is more formal and quite, very good for a date night. I ordered the Lobster Ravioli with mushrooms and spinach in a cream crab meat sauce. I couldn’t believe I found a dish with all my favorite foods in it. I’m drooling just thinking about it. Being a college student I normally wouldn’t pay $18.95 for a meal, but it was worth every penny. The flavors were incredible and although a pasta dish, not too heavy. I attempted to finish it all but ended up taking some back to my dorm. By far, it was the best pasta dish I’ve ever had.

A few weeks later, my aunt had come up to visit me and we wanted to grab salads after our hard Sunday of shopping, Bacchus it was. I ordered the house salad with shrimp, about $10. Although not exactly what I was craving, the shrimp was cooked perfectly and I was full. Also, the dressing, like vinaigrette was absolutely delicious. I think it was called Mexican Italian; the cilantro was arousing.

Even just last weekend my family friends were coming to visit the college and requested a “decent” place to eat. I knew that whatever restaurant I chose would influence their feelings about the town or even school. I needed to show them a place that gave them a taste of New Paltz nightlife while still maintaining high quality and service. After much deliberation, we were off to Bacchus.

The family ordered classic American favorites ribs, wings, and burgers. I decided to try something new and ordered the Ahi Tuna sandwich which was garnished with mesclun greens, bean sprouts, avocado and wasabi aioli, served with my favorite, curly fries by choice. The tuna was cooked just the way I like it, rare, pink in the middle. They were not skimpy with the tuna or avocado either which I was even more impressed by. The crusty bun, thick tuna steak, and creamy avocado worked great together, especially with that pungent wasabi aioli for the kick. That’s definitely going to have to be a usual for now on. It was a very filling sandwich and totally hit the spot and only for $9.95. Everyone left satisfied and happy.

One of my favorite things about this restaurant is that it’s the perfect place to bring just about anyone. When in doubt…go to Bacchus! I’ve eaten at this restaurant three times since March and can’t wait to go back.

Picture compliments of Bacchus

As far as the atmosphere is concerned, the brick walls are adorned by titillating décor and the high ceilings really give you a great feel for the place. I found myself looking around the restaurant as if I were at an Applebee’s. The outdoor patio and pool hall really distinguish this restaurant from the others. Bacchus also hosts events, shows and live music throughout the year. There were dozens of people just having a genuinely good time. Great food, live music, and a billiard hall…talk about a triple threat!

Although every time I ate at Bacchus I walked out sate, there are a few things I would have liked differently. The aesthetics are there but over time, the lights dim and the adornments and wall hangings are camouflaged. The service is satisfactory, they never forgot about us but the wait staff was a little slow. Lastly, my major concern was the fact that there were two menus. One, the main menu the waiter hands you. But there is also another menu enclosed in a plastic stand that had cheaper, more eclectic cuisines. There were at least a dozen other menu options on this standing sheet, including burritos, pizzas and my Ahi Tuna sandwich. I felt tricked into buying the more expensive menu options from lack of knowledge of the second menu. Now I know, and so do you.

Picture compliments of Bacchus

I love Bacchus and everyone I have taken there loves it too. You definitely can’t get this food on campus and this is even one of my favorite restaurants in town. This restaurant is perfect for college students who want to go to a different place, not the typical Murphy’s, P and G’s or McGillicuddy’s. Although Bacchus is also a bar, there is less of a “bar feel”, this eatery is more formal and classier. I also appreciate how the restaurant does not exclude people under 21 after certain hours. There is something for everyone on every budget. This isn’t just bar food; some of this is sophisticated fare that you know was carefully manipulated with textures and spices to give you what you deserve- a fantastic meal!

Picture compliments of Bacchus