A Poughkeepsie pub that's quickly become a Main Street institution is spreading the love to Ulster County.

Schatzi's is one of my favorite places in the world. Incredible food, an unbeatable beer selection, and the best atmosphere around add up to one of the best places you'll find, whether you're looking for a meal or just grabbing a beer with friends. We've featured Jeremy from Schatzi's on Deuce and Brandi before, as he and the folks at the Poughkeepsie Schatzi's spearheaded the 12 Beers of Christmas campaign we did at the end of last year.

Notice I differentiated "Poughkeepsie Schatzi's" from just "Schatzi's," because now there's a second location for you to try out. If you're in the Ulster County area, you can find the new Schatzi's location in New Paltz, right in the heart of town on Main Street.

I visited for the first time this week (to be fair, they just opened, so I'm not slacking too much in checking it out). I have to fully disclose: before I arrived, I was a little bit nervous, maybe even skeptical that it would retain the same atmosphere and vibe that the original had. Of course, that's no knock on Jeremy and his crew; if anyone can pull it off, it's them. But because "vibe" is such a weird, subjective, unquantifiable thing, and because I'm such a huge fan of the vibe at the original location, I wasn't sure if a new building would be able to capture it, at least not right away.

Well, it did. It not only met any hope or expectation I had for the place, it exceeded them. I know this sounds like an incredibly stupid, obvious thing to say, but anyone who has a place they consider "their" place, where they're a regular, can relate: it's amazing how much the New Paltz Schatzi's really feels, well, like a New Paltz Schatzi's. The same cozy atmosphere, the same vibe, everything about it just nails what makes the original one such a cool place is there in spades. It takes more than decor and food to make a restaurant, and Jeremy is clearly in tune with what makes the Poughkeepsie location so special, because he absolutely replicated it.

Here's a quick glimpse at the spot. I'd apologize for the quality not being great, or for not taking more pictures but I'm not sorry because I was busy eating and enjoying myself, jeez.
 


The new @schatzispub in New Paltz is cozy and great. Yeah I said "cozy," shut up. #cozy

A photo posted by Deuce (@deuceradio) on

 

The beer list is just what you'd hope for if you've been to the Poughkeepsie location and, if you haven't, you're in for a serious treat: whatever you prefer, from big, heavy imperial stouts to IPAs to sours to traditional German beers, it's all represented.

Plus, this location has a significantly larger kitchen, so you'll notice an expanded menu with a few surprising and interesting twists. I had The Clucker, a Korean BBQ-inspired chicken sandwich, and paired it with a Smuttlabs Cherry Short Weisse from Smuttynose Brewing Company and just thinking about it is making me absurdly hungry. If you like food and/or beer and/or enjoying yourself, get to Schatzi's.

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