Playwright Celtic Pub — Restaurant in New York

ZERO STARS if I could...TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. Touchy rude bartenders, bouncers who were racist bullies, all culminating in what was nothing short of extortion. We were a group of 7, we paid and tipped for all our drinks and were having a good time. One among us was a student and he ended up ordering a drink that he didn't tip for. The bartender asked him “no tip?” and he said “no tip”. We left our fresh round of drinks, that totaled to around $50, and stepped out of the establishment for a smoke. After finishing our smoke when we tried to get back inside the two bouncers stepped in our way and told us “ the bartender says you spoke to him disrespectfully so you are not allowed inside”. This they said was in reference to the "no tip" incident. Our civilized protests about paid drinks that were left untouched, were met with a callous, threatening and a racist attitude by the two bouncers who seemed to suggest that nothing we do or say will make any difference and asked us to leave. When we told them that this would go on social media, they behaved like they couldn’t care less. This ruined a perfectly good night in this lovely city for all of us, let alone the fact that we were literally robbed off $50. To top this all of the bartender walked out and threatened the aforementioned student friend with a “I hope you have a good night”. We had a horrible experience and if you are civilized citizen then you would want to stay away...

Playwright Celtic Pub is an Irish pub, but you probably got it by the name. They offer a very long menu with Irish and American traditional dishes. They offer burgers for those in a rush, with Hot Pastrami Reuben being a local favorite, but Celtic Pub Burger and Messy Burger are not to be underestimated, too. And you can pick from a number of toppings just for a buck. Those that have a New Year’s resolution to avoid fast food can choose from the soups, salads and the grill. There’s a daily soup, that’s always hot, the salads are fresh and tasty (again, you can pick your dressings). You can pick from chicken, beef, and fish from the grill, and you can’t get wrong with all of them. Plump Chicken Breast is a company favorite. The entrees are those that stand out. All traditional from the green island of Ireland. The Celtic Beef Stew, Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers & Mash, and Beer Battered Fish N’ Chips are amongst the famous “representatives” of Irish cuisine not just in the US, but all over the world. A cool feature is that you have a recommended drink in the menu along with the dishes. Not surprisingly – it’s mostly beer. Although meat dominates the menu, the vegetarians can’t feel neglected. French Onion Soup, Kale and Spinach Salad, Vegetable Pasta (yes, they have great pasta, too) are amongst the quite a few things...

If I could give this place zero stars, I would. I came in with friends and family to grab a bite and enjoy some time together. We chose to sit downstairs near the window to enjoy the view, but unfortunately, the experience quickly went downhill.

After sitting for about 15 minutes without any service, we asked the host if someone could assist us. A waiter who was working upstairs eventually came over and told us we had to wait until a bartender was available to help us. When we mentioned how long we had already been waiting, he rolled his eyes and walked away.

He returned with menus, but when we tried to ask whether service might be faster upstairs, he walked off again without answering. At that point, we decided as a group to leave. As we were walking out, the same waiter stopped us and suggested we head upstairs. We told him we had waited long enough and were going elsewhere. His response? “I really don’t care.”

I questioned his attitude and told him I would be writing a review. He showed no concern and walked away as if our experience didn’t matter at all. For context, the waiter was a Caucasian male, about 5’8”, with an accent and light-colored eyes.

This level of service and disrespect is unacceptable. We genuinely tried to work with the staff, but they made it clear they weren’t...