Alumni Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Hotelie Runs Iconic NYC Bar Stories You May Like Alum’s Indian Eatery Serves Up Culture, Comfort, and Crunchwraps Named ‘World’s Best Bar,’ Kumiko Brings Japanese Élan to Chicago O Canada! Former Big Red Player Runs Popular Hockey Bar in NYC Justin McManus ’03 is the fourth-generation owner of his family pub—familiar to viewers of “Seinfeld,” “Law & Order,” and more By Joe Wilensky It has been a staple of Manhattan’s Irish pub culture for decades, occupying the northwest corner of Seventh Avenue and 19th Street in Chelsea since 1936. The Peter McManus Café—the oldest family-run bar in NYC—is now operated by fourth-generation owner Justin McManus ’03. “What makes this place work so well is how much things haven’t changed,” the Hotelie says, sitting in the pub’s cozy dining room in February 2026. “This is a classic spot, and so many things are original. You don’t find crown molding or hand-carved wood like this anymore; you have to cherish that.” The pub anchors a major corner in the Chelsea neighborhood. The pub’s custom-crafted bar stretches deep into the eatery’s interior. Classic light fixtures, colorful stained-glass, plaid curtains, a vintage cash register, and ornate dark wood details set a relaxed backdrop for the well-stocked shelves of Irish whiskeys, beers on draught, and other offerings. Even if you haven’t visited the bar in person, you’ve likely caught glimpses in movies and TV shows—from Highlander, Radio Days, and The Other Guys to “Seinfeld,” “Broad City,” “Law & Order,” and “Succession.” What makes this place work so well is how much things haven’t changed. It’s no surprise that the pub is a draw for filmmakers, as its setting works both for period pieces and as a present-day throwback. The overall atmosphere—including a bullet hole in a stained-glass pane behind the bar, a memento of a long-ago dispute—harkens back to an older, more rough-and-tumble Big Apple. McManus’s is known for its Irish beers—Guinness in particular—and liquors, award-winning burgers (it took Time Out’s “Battle of the Burger” title in 2016 and 2018), Reuben sandwiches, and traditional corned beef and cabbage. The first two generations of McManus proprietors outside the pub in 1939, and founder Peter pictured inside. The Eater NY has called it “a port in the storm in a rapidly changing city.” McManus’s great-grandfather, Peter, founded the establishment’s first incarnation—which Justin describes as “a longshoreman’s bar”—at 46th Street and 11th Avenue in 1911. It weathered Prohibition by becoming a general goods store, and when the pub’s current spot became available, Peter moved the business there. Justin grew up in Midtown; as a student at Bronx High School of Science, he regularly helped out at the bar. While on the Hill, he worked at the Statler, as both a waiter at Banfi’s and a bartender at its Regent Lounge. The Eater NY has called the pub “a port in the storm in a rapidly changing city.” Stories You May Like Alum’s Indian Eatery Serves Up Culture, Comfort, and Crunchwraps Named ‘World’s Best Bar,’ Kumiko Brings Japanese Élan to Chicago After graduation—he was the first college grad in the family—he sought out other restaurant experiences, though he realized the pub would eventually be his destiny. “I always knew I would have a piece of me here, no matter what,” he says, “depending on how much it needed my attention and TLC.” McManus spent several years at restaurants like Tabla and the upscale Rosa Mexicano chain before taking a break in 2006 to backpack around Europe. The following year, he was cast in the YES Network’s reality show “Ultimate Road Trip,” and followed his beloved Yankees throughout the season. McManus (left) on the reality show “Ultimate Road Trip.” Returning home, he took on weekly bartending shifts at McManus Café while launching his own nearby sports bar with two partners. “Jay-Z was the first person to walk into our place, the very first night we opened,” McManus recalls with a laugh, “but he was looking for the club next door.” After six years, McManus returned to the family business full time, as his dad began to step back. He kept most things as they were, though he did upgrade its three TVs to high-def flatscreens and began accepting credit cards. I always knew I would have a piece of me here, no matter what, depending on how much it needed my attention and TLC. His one major improvement was updating the bar’s ancient draught beer system—which chilled the lines with ice packed around copper coils and powered the taps via air compressor—to a modern one. The new system finally allowed the pub to offer Guinness on tap—giving it, he says, “the proper blend and creamy head of a fresh-pulled pint.” McManus Café had a viral moment in late January 2026, when actor Will Arnett gave it a shout-out on the YouTube series “Hot Ones”—mentioning that he’d frequented it in the ’90s and held one of the high scores on the bar’s golf arcade game. One of the pub's many photos shows a young Justin celebrating St. Patrick's Day. (McManus quickly posted the clip on Instagram.) “When times are good, people drink—and when times are bad, they drink more,” McManus says with a chuckle. “But ultimately, people want to be around people; it gives a sense of community. That has never changed.” (Historical exterior and "Ultimate Road Trip" images provided; all others by Joe Wilensky / Cornell University.) Published March 13, 2026 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Chime In Recalling the ’50s on the Hill, an Era of ‘Gracious Living’ Cornelliana Anchors Aweigh: Big Red Names Graced WWII-Era Hulls Glorious to View The Lighter Side of Commencement, in Vintage Color Photos