Swift Hibernian Lounge

Swift Hibernian LoungeSwift Hibernian Lounge
Swift Hibernian LoungeSwift Hibernian Lounge
Bar, Eatery

34 E 4th St
New York, New York, 10003-7009
United States

(212) 227-9438 | map
swiftnycbar.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.81
Reviews:
9
Ratings:
11
pDev:
5.51%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by NeroFiddled:
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Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -0.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
Although the tap selection isn't spectacular at Swift, it is pretty solid with some decent stuff including a few nice locals (although the bartender might not have a clue what it is) and some decent smaller domestics and imports.

The place is very comfortable in a way, and at the same time a little flashy, but hey, how can you go wrong with the stone work in the bathrooms? You just can't. The wide plank floor just seals the deal. The paintings on the wall are nice, and the lighting is good. The fact that everytime I'm in there I seem to run into fashion models is another story... (ps - be cute and charming but act like you couldn't care less and they'll start buying you drinks).

The food is pretty good, and It's hard for me to judge as prices in Manhattan are so all over the place, but seemingly reasonable. Beers for $7 though....

The Irish servers are generally nice and give reasonably friendly and sufficient service (the lasses often get it better, but the guys also occassionally have friends in off the boat that you can hook-up with too - give the bartender the nod and a wink and all you need is a quarterflash and 3 bits talent).

So, in the end, Swift is not soooo much a beer bar, but an interesting stop that should be made more towards the end of the evening.
Jul 14, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of NeoClassicist
Reviewed by NeoClassicist from New York

4.21/5  rDev +10.5%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.75 | food: 3.75
Beers are writ large on chalkboard above the bar. Paintings alluding to the place's namesake stretch across the opposite wall. Most of the furnishings would not be out of place on the other side of the Atlantic.

Everything from Samuel Smith to Harviestoun with a good number of locals thrown in. At three in the afternoon on a cold winter's day there were only a few people inside, and the barkeep was sure to attend to everyone fairly and promptly.

All this said, the clientele seem a tad more upscale than what the trappings might suggest.
Oct 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.04 by mjk1979 from New Jersey

Jun 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by seanchai from Virginia

Dec 31, 2013
Photo of mltobin
Reviewed by mltobin from Connecticut

3.66/5  rDev -3.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3
Swift is one of the swankier beer bars in the East Village. Upon walking in, there is a big velvet cloth draped that you need to push to the side to enter. They have a very nice bar and some table, maybe a couple couches in the back.
Anyways, the clientele is a little dressier than other beer spots and their prices are a buck or two higher as well. That being said, staff is quick and friendly, even when busy. Taps include Allagash, Brooklyn, Troegs, Guinness, Fullers with bottles Rochefort, Duvel, and then macros like Becks and Amstel Light if you are with friends who prefer those options. All in all, a nice place, especially to entertain friends or a loved one.
Mar 04, 2012
Photo of DawnL
Reviewed by DawnL from New York

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
The space is fantastic! The lounge in back is sexy without being uncomfortable or over-the-top. The bar in front is long, there are plenty of seats, there's a small over flow bar behind it, and there are a few tables set up. It's got good flow - you never feel jammed up unless it's super-crowded, but that's to be expected.

The service was okay. They needed more than two people to man the bar. I asked if they did tasting pours and the bartender went up and down looking for the tap that read Tasting Pour Ale - or some such thing. When I explained what a tasting pour was (a set of three or more 2oz pours of various brews), he said he could figure out a way to do it. Not worth the hassle.

Otherwise, the experience was good. Did not see any food passing by, so can't really comment on that.

I will be back. I will not have myself a nice tasting, but I will be back to try a few pints in the future.

The beer selectin looked pretty good. A few taps were given up to Doc's Cider, Stella, Smithwick's, Guiness, etc. Mostly craft beers and Saisons.

It's a very nice place to spend some time and a little extra money.
Sep 08, 2009
Photo of Nickls
Reviewed by Nickls from District of Columbia

3.7/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
(From notes)

Not a bad joint to pop into for a quick brew as there were a couple of things of interest at the time of my visit. Seems like they have a few decent locals and then mostly uninteresting imports and a handful of basic micros (think SNPA). The bottle list is OK, had a few things of note but mostly brews that don't show up in the better beer bars in NYC. They did have a cask on, which was good to see (Sixpoint Apollo Wheat at the time).

Atmosphere was certainly alright, very much a real pub feel. Pricing was reasonable, and the service was fine even though there were quite a few people in the joint. Not a bad stop, but certainly not a destination.
Sep 05, 2009
Photo of PudTinkler
Reviewed by PudTinkler from New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
I love this place...although it's tough to put my finger on exactly why. I'll try to.

The beer selection isn't overwhelming, but they definitely have selections you won't find in most bars. It's the atmosphere of the bar that makes it a worthwhile stop...very dark, with a velvet curtain at the entrance...lots of candles and a long dark wooden alleyway leading to the back. I've been here at different times, weekdays/weekends, early/late...never found an overwhelming crowd here...it's got it's only little "niche" and I highly recommend it.
Apr 19, 2004
Photo of PopeJonPaul
Reviewed by PopeJonPaul from Oregon

3.59/5  rDev -5.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
I enjoyed this place more than its larger cousin Puck Fair, though this was my first time at Swift. Aventinus on tap, rest of the beer good selection but nothing super special. Similar theme in the bar with the custom wallpaper (full of quotes by Swift) and Irish pub motif ,except with a lot more candles, but this one seemed smaller and cozier, and was not nearly as crowded as Puck on a Saturday night (and the crowd was mellower too.) Our waitress was on a bit of a flaky nicotine-gum jones but was otherwise pretty good.

Oh, and if you're tall the basement ceiling is exactly 6'-4. Be careful when going to the bathroom.
Feb 24, 2004
Photo of far333
Reviewed by far333 from Connecticut

3.59/5  rDev -5.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
For some reason, I love to stop by on a weekend afternoon. It's mellow, not crowded, and chilled. The front after you enter and part the hanging tapestries is very small, but really comfy with the wood paneled walls and book lined shelves. Head down the long narrow hall to the back room, and it's suddenly a huge beer hall with bench style tables. Service is very attentive, and the beer list is decent, but not stellar. You will find something to make you happy, but nothing to open your eyes to new craft brews. Crowd is mellow and just wants to hang out and drink. A casual hang in the city, but move on after a few, there's more to see!
Sep 18, 2003
Photo of slander
Reviewed by slander from New York

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Swift has frequently shown up on the list when we've done East Village bar crawls like Ubufest, Landerpalooza, or JedJam.
They run about 30 taps there and a good deal more in bottles. Standard English & Irish selections you'd expect to find in an Irish pub (Guinness, Harp, Bass, Fullers, Boddingtons, etc.) and always a nice Hefe, usually Paulaner, and some okay American micros (Magic Hat, Sierra Nevada) and the rest of them are crappy macros.
Bottled macroswill, Sam Smiths and the usual bottled Belgian suspects. They've always got somethings drinkable, but nothing really out of the ordinary. The tap beers are written out on blackboards above the bar and in the back room as is the food menu, which is standard English pub fare.
They've got about a dozen and change seats along the bar, and a few booths (if you can call them that) up front as well. There's a larger back room which has a few long tables, and church pew booths along the edges, and of course some sort of a pulpit (Jed's climbed it with a few in him and preached to us all about the evils of drink. Note: they don't much like it when you go up there). It's dark and dim back there but you've got some good room if you get there early enough.
Worth while to drop in on a rainy Sunday between bars and have a tall one, listen to the Pogues, and chew the fat with Bernadette some.
If you've ever seen the movie "Little Nicky", the scene where the mayor lowers the drinking ago to ten shows 3 kids stumbling out of Swifts. Classic!!
Jun 14, 2003
Swift Hibernian Lounge in New York, NY
Place rating: 3.81 out of 5 with 11 ratings