Hole in the wall Wednesday: The Trailer Park Lounge

Retro, kitschy, and affordable, the Trailer Park Lounge does Americana and dive bar at its best

Welcome to Hole in the wall Wednesday’s! Every Wednesday, I will travel across this concrete jungle we call New York City, in search of the best dive bars and local spots, all the while, seeing how far a $20 bill will go. This week, I’m at the Trailer Park Lounge in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

The Trailer Park Lounge doesn’t really mess around when it comes to living up to their name in terms of design and style. There’s a colorful toilet outside the door that politely asks patrons to dispose of their cigarettes in. Tacky decor that looks more at home at a Middle American rest stop.

Now, I’m no stranger to the life of the bar patron. But coming in to this review, I had never heard of the Trailer Park Lounge. My roommate tells me that Guy Fieri came here once. My distaste for all things Flavor Town notwithstanding, this bar has its charms.

The interior of the bar hearkens back to a time gone by. Vintage Coca-Cola signs and old license plates adorn the walls, and the chairs remind me of the New Jersey diner seating I grew up on. But we’re not here for the decor, we’re here for the food and the drink.

The food menu features standard American cuisine with some twists. There are burgers, hot dogs, cheesesteaks and sloppy joes, with various add ons and sides. The beers are cheap and of course, American, with the 4–6 PM happy hour special featuring a bevy of frozen cocktails, which are outside of the range of your typical margaritas. My personal pick would be the Dog and Pony Show, which is a frozen combination of a Corona and a margarita.

On the whole, The Trailer Park Lounge is a great place to grab a few drinks and revel in some American pop culture history. If you’re sick of today’s hit music, if you can call it that, want a little slice of the past, and need to grab a few drinks at an affordable price, hitch yourself to the Trailer Park Lounge.

Two PBRs and two frozen strawberry margaritas: $18. Verdict: Five bottles out of five.

The Trailer Park Lounge is located at 271 W 23rd Street in Chelsea. Their happy hour runs from 4–6 PM on weekdays. Visit http://www.trailerparklounge.com for more information on specials and menus.