Swift   

This pub is named after Jonathan Swift, a great Irish satirist who wrote, along with 'Gulliver's Travels,' that all Irish children should be sold or eaten to end the cycle of poverty in 'A Modest Proposal.' This friendly East Village pub is fun for those with a sense of humor. The bar itself is odd-shaped and old, with two rooms decked out in wood, murals, exposed brick and hard pew-like booths that give it an eerie church feel. Blackboards confess the daily pub fare, which might include chicken wings, bangers and mash and saucy sausage rolls -- but no French fries. A whole well of beer is proffered, with a survey of European bottled brews and over a dozen distinct drafts on tap, like Guinness, Old Speckled Hen and Schneiderweiss. Despite frequent nights of live music, there's no real stage, which means performers and patrons often get tangled. Best of all, there's a free shuttle bus that takes you to its sister pubs, Ulysses and Puck Fair, every evening. Somewhere, Jonathan Swift smiles down at our drunkenness.