Bar Johnny or Pesce?

[jgb]

Which would you choose for a party of five who is interested in sharing various dishes and is almost as concerned with drinking as eating? Thanks for your input.

[jgb]

Thanks for the input. We went to Pesce, which was decent. We had Cortez and Miyagi oysters, which were both good--the miyagis were full but crisp and the Cortezes were rich and milky. We also had the octopus salad, which was fine but the octopus was not very tender or flavorful. We also had a trio of bruschette, which were fine. Ironically, the best dish we tried was the lamb shank.
Because it wasn't very remarkable a dining experience (except for our unbelievably obnoxious waiter, who's behavior I won't describe out of courtesy to the restaurant), I'll just finish by saying it's a fine neighborhood place to go to share a bunch of small plates and not break bank.

[GreenLightJerky]

I dont know Pesce but Bar Johnny was great.
I ate there for the first time last weekend.
The sole was cooked to perfection.
The ahi salad was so damn good.
I was not fond of the cheese plate.
Great atmosphere.
Superb booze selection.
Chef was cool as hell. The bar staff was letting us taste the unique alcohol, such as the mescal and the 109 gin.
Im goin back.

[parmgianino]

Bar Johnny...no nonsense bar-ish atmosphere, good value-- quality meats at a good price. I enjoyed the flatiron steak with gremolata (garlic, olive oil, parsley, lemon zest) and carrot/potato shoestrings for $16. Staff "gets it", owner is present.

[kacey415]

If you are concerned with drinking as much as eating I would go to Bar Johnny. My boyfriend had a maple bourbon drink that was tasty and I had an elderflower champagne cocktail that was a great "starter" drink The atmosphere is fun, the seating can be arranged to accommodate.

Pesce is a wonderful neighborhood spot with great food but is better suited for dates and small groups not focused on drinks.

Enjoy!

[mrsricho]

Totally depends on what kind of scene you're looking for. Bar Johnny has fun cocktails, and more classic bar food (but really good) - burgers, pizza, etc. - but also a really lively "night out" atmosphere. Pesce is Italian seafood tapas and is a bit more lowkey?

[tvham]

Definitely Pesce. The food is much more tasty and innovative IMO plus I'm not a fan of the new look/seating arrangements at Bar Johnny. Also, drinks at Bar Johnny were quite pricey.