[Sneakeater]

Bar Henry is a wine bar/bistro that has opened in the old Zinc Bar space on West Houston near West Broadway, diagonally across from the Pegu Club.

Daisy can now break her silence: Ruben from The Monday Room has been spotted. He's only working here part-time, however, having some other new project in the works (or at least the pre-works).

The main draw here is their half-bottle program. They will sell you half a bottle of an astounding range of wines. This is mainly wines they don't have in half bottles; they'll open the bottle and pour you half (or pour you half of a bottle someone else has already bought the first half of). They claim that very little stays open for as much as a day.

I had an '85 Bordeaux that was, frankly, over it, and a younger Burgundy that was great (by this time Jesikka had joined me: I didn't have all that myself).

The food -- basic currently fashionable stuff -- was meh. But you go for the wine.

They serve, I think, till midnight.

Another useful place.

[Wilfrid]

Ruben and half bottles. Cool. I didn't even know Zinc Bar had gone.

[Sneakeater]

Bumped because I fear this place isn't getting enough love.

The food, while better than serviceable, is nothing special.

But the wine program . . . it's just so much fun.

Also, $1.00 oysters starting at 11 PM every night.

[Cathy]

I like this place a lot. The wine program is very clever, and the staff is sweet and accommodating.

[nuxvomica]

alas, no more Reuben, who moved on to Veritas.

[Sneakeater]

Personally, I'm happier to have him at Veritas.

Cathy is right about the staff -- everybody I've dealt with has been sweet (that's exactly the word).

[Wilfrid]

Ah, good place for Ruben.

[SFJoe]

John is doing a brilliant wine program here. Wish the food were better.

Great prices on mature wines, and the half bottle thing is genius.

[Sneakeater]

If the food were better, this place would be really dangerous.

[nuxvomica]

i didn't think the food was that bad, that said i went after dinner and just had a few snacks out of curiosity. chicken liver spread, fried oysters, all fine. great wines but the tom and jerry the bartender talked us into getting was absolutely disgusting. only AA Gill could properly describe it

[Sneakeater]

The food isn't bad. It's just not really really good.

[SFJoe]

The food isn't bad. It's just not really really good.

It's almost OK.

[Sneakeater]

Looking at my initial write-up, I continue to believe that "meh" is the word.

[Daisy]

We spent some time there the other night. I ordered a beet and jicama salad (dull, the yogurt dressing needed some acid about it somewhere) and a crisp, very nicely fried soft shell crab. Which was quite tasty but was teeny and $16. I was given tastes of the burger (juicy and good but the bun was eh and the fries lackluster), the chicken liver mouuse which I liked and ceviche which was very spicy, too spicy to be enjoyed with wine. My friend gave me a taste of his 'Henry James' cocktail which was excellent. Tasted several good wines. Good service (we were seated at the bar).

[Wilfrid]

I had some problems with the food, but especially with the limited menu if you're drinking reds, except perhaps if you like your reds loud and spicy. It really just came down to steak or a burger.

The prices on the wine are pretty impressive though. Perhaps a BYOF policy could be arranged, with a plate-age fee?

Anyway, review it I did.