Christy's: New Haven
261 Orange St btw Wall and Elm Sts, New Haven CT
The Place: An Irish pub in downtown New Haven that starts chill and gets progressively more raucous as the night goes on. But don’t we all.
Ace Cider at Christy's
The Time: Saturday June 9, 5:45pm. Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA folks - I moved into a new apartment, then immediately started rehearsals for a show in New Haven. So needless to say, my brain’s been a little elsewhere, but after our rehearsal, I asked one of the actors who’s lived in this town a v long time where a girl could go for a drink. Without hesitation, he said that Christy’s is a quintessential New Haven bar. And I was like, cool, all I know New Haven to be quintessential for is Yale, pizza, and this rehearsal process so let’s do it.
The Vibe: Classic Irish pub with higher ceilings and more light. There are flags everywhere, license plates, small framed photos of dead white guys. The music is kind of...uncategorizable recognizable? You know what I mean, like music everyone knows but isn’t one genre? The A/C is on but it’s not oppressive. (Uh oh, is it a bad sign that I’m commenting on the A/C? Fuck it, it’s summer, this is important.) There are 5 guys, all sitting alone, all with their eyes glued to the TVs. They’re watching horse racing. Derby? Pony show? Idk.
The Bartender: A red-haired guy who wears a bright Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses on his head. This is def a place that harbors regulars, because it seems like everyone knows him. “Hey Connor!” “Whassup Connor?” “How you doin’ Connor?” But Connor calls me “miss” so I can’t be as casual.
The Drank: There are many many beers on tap, but I get the Ace Cider, a dry cider from CA made with blood orange. Personally I prefer Austin Cider’s blood orange blend, and personally, I can go shut my bougie mouth. The food looks like exactly what you'd want at a place like this - greasy salty pub grub served in massive portions.
Was I Hit On? No, but maybe because it was early? Because on a commercial break from the game (race? ride? pony show?!) I overhear one of the guys say to another guy, “...I’ve seen zero cocks!” I’m hoping this is a horse term? Because otherwise that’s some homophobic toxic masculinity on display right there, cuz remember, these guys don’t know each other, and even if they DID, that would be fucked up. I’m surprised I’ve been left in peace.
Should You Drink Here Alone? Yes, but earlier in the evening, like I did. I will say, after I'm here about half an hour, some of my castmates come and we all hang out on the lovely back patio for a long time. And I can attest that Christy’s gets a little wilder as the night progresses. But it always stays fun and laid-back, and it’s clearly a local hangout. So next time you’re in New Haven, and you want to escape the Yalies, grab yourself pint at Christy’s.
* UPDATE * Christy’s is now closed.