Central Park
The Dawn of Formal Keg Service

First there was the tiny basket of cocktail peanuts.

Then, satellite TV, where you were introduced to the wonderful world of Segway lacrosse.

But it’s been a good long while since the pub raised the bar.

And it’s been a good long never since beer taps were built into your table.

Introducing Park Avenue Tavern, the single most innovative pub you’re likely to see this year, opening tomorrow near Grand Central and forever changing your Sundays.
 
It all starts at the bottom, down in the bowels of this two-floor, Boardwalk Empire-esque tavern (the place was modeled after a family-owned bar from the 1920s). There, in the dimly lit (or as you call it, proper Monday Night Football mood lighting) Barrel Room, you’ll post up in one of the six booths, lay eyes on the requisite flat-screens and begin tinkering with the life-changing invention that is the built-in tabletop beer tap robot.

You’ll be able to regulate your pours by the ounce, mix beers if you like and keep a running tab of ounces consumed on a digital screen.

And if you can ever coax yourself out of your corner booth, you’ll find an upstairs with a square wooden bar (with cocktails from Employees Only and Macao’s Billy Gilroy), a beaded-off private room where you’ll dine on lamb shank potpie, and... tufted black leather chaise lounges hanging from the ceiling.

You know, in case Lionel Richie decides to shoot a music video there.