Neighborhood Spotlight: Marx Brothers Playground UES

Hey Footy Family,

Groucho Marx once said, "I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member", but we at NYC Footy are happy to welcome all the exceptional, wonderful, and weird folks from everywhere in the city.

If you live uptown in Manhattan, first, I'm so sorry for your rent, and second make sure you take a look at the Marx Brothers Playground where we host Footy leagues as well as our Better Player program year round.

Up next: Marx Brothers Playground

The Field: 

The Marx Brothers Park is located in a giant plot of greenery on 96th street and 2nd ave.  The field has everything you’ll need: well maintained, even turf, good equipment, and as I mentioned, lots of space.

The field is situated on the Upper East Side, it’s far enough East that it’s away from the high-rises that occupy the area, instead opening up toward the East River and panorama of sun and sky that that entails. If you're playing in the Winter, or even in the early Spring or late Fall, I recommend long sleeves and some gloves as the field is right across from the river.

The Neighborhood:

The Painted Lady Saloon: Located less than a block from the field, the Painted Lady is a great place to roll into after a win or loss. Ties are required to head elsewhere, it's just the rules. It’s an easy bar with plenty of space, good food, solid drinks, and a super friendly atmosphere. 

Merrion Square Pub: A brick wall bar with good outdoor space for warm summer evenings, burgers, wings, and a solid craft beer selection for you and your team. No muss, no fuss, plenty of specials and a pool table in the back. It's also caddy corner from The Painted Lady, so if you're looking to play hard to get, maybe pop between the two of them and see which one you like best.

Reif’s Bar: Reif's has been around since 1942, so rest assured they know what they're doing. They've got darts, pool and plenty of patio space in the back. If you're looking for a friendly spot to post up with your friends, either in the sun or gathered round the green felt, Reif's is the perfect choice.

If none of these are to your liking, there are a half a dozen gastropubs all within a block of each other on 3rd avenue around 95th street, so if you mosey up there you’ll be sure to find something. 

Fun Fact: The field is named after the Marx Brothers because the family (all five brothers and their two parents) grew up only a few blocks away on 93rd and Lexington.

Directions: 

Train: The Q train stops at 96th street, right across from the field. The 6 train is also incredibly close, stopping only two blocks away from the field on 96th and Lexington. 

Bike: The 1st avenue bike path runs right into the field making it incredibly convenient to cycle to. If you’re using a CitiBike, there’s a station less than a block away from the field on 2nd avenue. 

Bus: The M15, both the express and local, stops just a block away from the field on 1st and 97th street. And if you're coming from uptown. the M96 stops just one block over on 2nd and 96th.

Thanks for listening.

- James

Get Kicking!

As always, we'd love any feedback you have about the fields, how to get there, or any hidden gems in the area. We promise to keep your secrets safe within our email blasts.