COCKTAILING: Hamburger Patties

Tonight went out to Azukar for a salsa lesson. I had 15 minutes to kill before they opened the club for the lesson and I needed some liquid courage. I ducked into Hamburger Patties next door to grab a tequila with a beer back. Patties, formerly Hamburger Mary's, is a gay bar/restaurant. The crowd is always a great mix of gay, straight, young and older. Tonight the owner was celebrating his birthday. Patties was crackin! The place was crowded, the music was pumping, the party was vibing and there were balloons everywhere! The balloons were just as colorful as the crowd! I like this place because the people are so friendly. I never go to bars alone but I felt totally at ease sliding into the bar and ordering a drink while I waited for my salsa partner. Almost immediately I met Junior who was next to me at the bar. He is a longtime employee of Patties who was there for the party. The party was fun, the mostly naked gay boy was cute and the crowd was friendly. They had karaoke going which I have very mixed feelings about but I'll save that for another blog entry. I have eaten at Patties before but that was a long, long time ago. I recall the veggie burger was good but I can't comment on the rest of the menu. If you are in midtown and looking for a fun spot to chill out, have a drink and maybe meet some cool people, don't forget about Hamburger Patties.