Good luck human leg bone over a doorway.

Human Bones, Stuffed Dog, Buddy Holly Love Spot

P.J. Clarke's, opened as a saloon in 1884, has somehow held off the bulldozers and accumulated a notable array of relics over the years.

Stuffed dog and firefighter items.

A pair of human leg bones over the doorway between the dining room and the bar are said to be an Irish talisman of luck (Patrick J. Clarke was an Irish immigrant). Skippy the dog, once the bar's mascot, is stuffed and displayed behind glass. Table #53 has unexpected mementos of Texas rocker Buddy Holly: it's where he proposed to his wife on June 20, 1958 -- their first date.

The bar itself is where Johnny Mercer wrote the depressing lyrics to, "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)," on a napkin, and it has the human ashes of a long-time patron who asked that his remains remain at the bar.

Human Bones, Stuffed Dog, Buddy Holly Love Spot

P.J. Clarke's

Address:: 915 Third Ave., New York, NY
Directions:: P.J. Clarke's. Midtown. Northwest corner of Third Ave. and at 55th St.
Hours:: Tu-Su noon-10 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:: 212-317-1616
RA Rates:: Worth a Detour

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