From the outside The Big Easy looks like any other New York City pub, but what the New Orleans flash back to the 80’s-name suggests, the joint tries to provide.

Inside you’ll find bartenders decked out in Mardi Gras beads ready to pour cheap beer at almost New Orleans prices. Happy hour tends to run late, starting at 11pm and running until 12am when well drinks are $2, and on Thursday only $1 for ladies. For those prices, the bar attracts nearly everyone, making the place crowded with lots of happy people.

The back holds something for those of you straight of the Midwest or college. For a city that tends to be short on space, The Big Easy always has plenty of space around something of a loving familiarity. Customers sign up to wait for their team to play Beer-pong.

Always fun and always surrounded by fun people is the game beer drinkers love. Beer Pong, a game on, you guessed it, a ping-pong table, half-sized in this case, to save room (after all this is New York City). On each end of the table stands ten plastic cups all about half full (depending on how intoxicated the players intend to become), laid out in pyramid formation. The game begins with a toss of a ping-pong ball into your opponent’s cup. That side of the table then drinks that cup of beer and the cup is removed. The first team to remove all opposing side’s cups is the winner. Simple. Fun. Cheap.

While waiting for your team to play, or if you’re just not interested in beer, the bar does provide other entertainment. With numerous televisions mounted on the walls, sports fans don’t need to miss their games. Better yet, on Wednesdays between 9pm and 1am, The Big Easy has Karaoke night. Always sociable fun, Karaoke provides opportunity for the intoxicated to embarrass themselves ever so easily.

Although The Big Easy hosts good times, it misses the best things about New Orleans, the rhythm, blues and jazz. Walking through the bar I thought that maybe downstairs was where the night had a life and music other than “Bar Favorites” would be playing. Surprisingly, the basement stairs only lead to the bathrooms. (The toilets did leave this writer quite surprised for cleanliness—thankfully the bathroom was cleaner than the plastic cups used and reused for Beer Pong—clearly cleaned more often than most youthful hangouts.) Later, when asked about live Jazz or Blues the bartender looked at me like I belonged in Disney World. When I pointed out the musical essence of New Orleans the server promised the bar made up for lack of musical promise with cheap drinks and beer games.

Without the live music atmosphere, the DJ delivers music with a wide selection. Providing the bar with not only traditional party music, but also with an opportunity to be the pick up joint that it becomes. That’s right. The Big Easy is for everyone, and anyone who is “achin’ for some bacon” to meet different walks of life. The comfortable and friendly ambiance translates into a great place to not only hang out with your current friends, but with your new ones.

Where the bar lacks the N.O. feel of music, it makes up for in bead throwing. Throughout the night, customers and bartenders may be caught dancing on top of the question mark shaped bar providing entertainment for all. Hopeful onlookers throw beads at the dancing line anticipating the Mardi Gras style flash.

If you’re looking for a good place to pre-party for cheap or just a comfortable hang, this place is for you. The Big Easy helps the Upper Eastside live up to its youthful nightlife reputation.