5 East 4th Street
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Northampton County
Phone: (610) 868-5311
Fax: unknownWebsite: no website on fileEmail: no email on fileHours: unknown
by Freeman Berdahl on The Ear Inn was the first bar (I stumbled into when lost late one night) when I first arrived in New York City a decade ago. Love this place. Don't think this pathetic, but I practically took jobs and moved into an apartment in TriBeCa just so I could be near this place. (Sort of.) The food is great, but the atmosphere is greater. Food first... I quite often get the spicy shrimp (app) and a side of mashed taters (just like an Irish Ma's). But the burgers are amazing and the roasted taters (that they offer with nearly everything) are perfect. They're menu always has a chicken, a fish, a meat and a pasta dish - all vary from day to day. You can never go wrong with their chicken dishes. Always good. If you go there on a pork chop night - get it! If you prefer to intake the calories via the booze, but need a lil something for sustenance, they have nice salads to choose from. I love their cesar salad, but have a really appreciation for their grilled shrimp on mescalin. The atmosphere... Ok, well there are plenty of bars out there who can throw together their atmosphere to look like a boat house or a hunting lodge or a pub of old Ireland. The Ear is special, tho. The place is the past, quite liter tally. The decor (if you even want to use that fancy a word to describe it) hasn't changed much since it's time as a boatman's bar. Did I mention that they pour the best beer in town? And the bartenders are really great people. Wait staff are also total sweetness. I think one of the best things about the place (which unfortunately the suits have picked up on over the years) is the outdoor seating. A nice little grandfather clause allows Ear patrons to have their frothy ales and hardy stouts outside. There's really nothing like a nice pint with a cool summer breeze while watching the sunset down the block. So, yeah... Ear Inn. I love you.
