Traditions, where everybody knows your name.I'm actually surprised I haven't written about this place yet. Traditions is the most well-known St. John's college bar, and as you might expect, I spent the majority of my formative college years there. But, this bar is more than a typical college bar to me.
To me, this bar means family.
Shadows of my past - of who I was when I arrived at school from Pittsburgh to who I have become now - lurk in every corner of Traditions. I grew up there. Ohhhh if those walls could talk.
During drunken silly nights, we made fools of ourselves in that bar and somehow still liked one another enough (hungover) the next day to become friends for a lifetime.
On that crowded upstairs dance floor, I first kissed the boy that would become my boyfriend for the next 4 years. Granted, it may have been a drunken mini make-out session (overshare? I mean you know it happens all the time), but it never-the-less began a relationship that changed my life.
My junior year of college I began bartending at Traditions to afford my off-campus apartment, and the bar become even more like my second home. The manager, Raj took myself and my friends under his wing, so to speak, and made sure that every weekend we had the sloppy, foolish, college "time of our lives." And it was.
See, this place is more than your average bar. Raj just may be the best host I've ever met, and no matter whether you're a college kid or a regular from the neighborhood, you'll get to know him, the owner PJ and our crew of bartenders.
Birthday parties, dart leagues, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas parties (aka Raj-mas!), graduation parties - we do it all for our patrons. Loyalty is sort of what keeps this place alive.
Stop by sometime and check us out. We're a friendly bunch... except on those packed weekends during the college school year. Then we might just throw you a drink and move it along. Hey, I never said we were perfect. If it's busy, you're on your own to find friends. ;)
In summation, who needs Cheers when you can have Traditions?
Traditions Pub
84-28 164th St.
Jamaica, NY 11432
718-297-3516
