Ah, midtown, home of the suit and the overpriced, stuffy bar. Then you hear the name of a place like Faces & Names. It sounds like a transvestite cabaret club in the West Village. We can’t help but wonder what some people are thinking when they name their bars. Despite the horrible name, F&N isn’t a bad place for being in the middle of suit hell. Reading their Web site, they really do puff themselves up quite a bit, referring to their clientele as “Mostly execs from nearby firms – some of the top companies in entertainment, finance, tourism, broadcasting, publishing, advertising, and other businesses.” Whatever, it looks more to us like a bunch of plebes who just wanted to meet some friends for a beer or two after work. Maybe Skippy in the corner was an executive asswiper, but he was certainly not what their site refers to as a “Person in the know.” Regardless of who/what they think they have here, the place is pretty relaxed, semi-crowded, and actually a decent time. If you scare easy, stay away, as the giant painting of Christopher Walken on the wall is enough to give even the most stalwart drinker a case of the cold shakes. [MF]
159 W 54th St. (bet. 6th & 7th Ave.)
212/586-9311
facesandnames.com