The Web

Second of a series of bar reviews.

The Web

Location: 40 E.58th, (Btwn Park & Madison Avenues)
Speciality: Young Asian men
Door Charge: $5.00
Bar Prices: Average
Clientele Ethnicity: 50% Asian, 50% White
Average Age: Asians: early 20's, Whites: early 50's.

Review: Down a narrow flight of stairs off E.58th Street, The Web is a two-floor dance club devoted to young Asian men and their admirers, typically older white men. There's a balcony ringing a sub-basement dance floor where the disco lights include inner-lit red paper lanterns, to further the overall Asian decor theme.

I wouldn't characterize The Web as a hustler bar so much as perhaps a Sugar Daddy bar, a faint distinction, perhaps. The white men prowled the upper level and the edge of the dance floor and leered at the seemingly barely post-pubescent go-go boys, while the Asian men gathered in small knots presumably reviewing their stalkers.

The bar staff was extremely friendly to us and the music selection and sound system was pretty decent, prompting Aaron to take to the dance floor by himself. As for me, I found myself extremely hungry during our visit to The Web, due to the overwhelming aroma of melted butter belching out from their active popcorn machine. I'm sure there's a bad, bad joke somewhere here about craving seafood while at an Asian bar...but I'm not gonna make it.

Overall, I thought The Web was OK. There seemed to be a strong crowd of regulars who were having a great time and general vibe wasn't as big a predator vs. prey scene, as I had expected.

Chance of returning: Moderate.