Given the state of New York nightlife, it’s no surprise that owners are opting for more intimate venues; ones that don’t require a bottle purchase to get past a grimacing bouncer. Enter Nurse Bettie, the newest addition to the LES hipster movement.
Located on the nearly desolate Norfolk Street, I nearly passed it on my quest to find it. Not only are the windows stained but the name was so delicately etched on the door that it probably would have been just as effective to leave it off. But that’s OK. I happen to enjoy being in a venue that will be overlooked by the less desirables.
And while the exterior is discrete, the interior is not a far cry away. Because if I were to be honest, I would say that Nurse Bettie is probably the size of your office. 
So I’ll be honest and say it’s the size of your first office that was adjacent to the supply closet. Fine. It’s the size of a supply closet. But don’t take that the wrong way. Because what Nurse Bettie lacks in square footage, it makes up for in delightful ambiance and assurance that you won’t be standing too far from someone important.
Given the lack of space, the bar is not too long but houses an impressive array of liquors. Surprisingly, and perhaps only because I am so used to 27th street, various brands of vodka are on display, giving the impression that you will still be considered cool if you order something besides Grey Goose. Or not. I didn’t try. Instead, I tried the Bubble Gum Martini, which looked a lot like cherry Robitussin and wasn’t too far off in flavor. Their signature drink, the Bombay Sapphire hit the right nerve and I became even giddier when I learned that their drink prices range between $6 and $9. So not only are the drinks strong but they’re cheap, too. Getting drunk has never been so much fun.
Adding to the neighborhood flavor, local artist Brian Life created larger-than-life pin-ups of Nurse Bettie (named after Bettie Page) in various stages of undress. And despite the fact that her eyes follow you like a suspecting NYPD decoy, its okay since she is cute. And almost naked. It is as if she is the permanent host and to be honest, that’s good enough for us.
