11th Street Bar
510 E. 11th ST.
New York, NY 10009
212-982-3929
The wonderful brick-walled bar serves a great alcoholic complement despite its appearance. The weekends are surprisingly less crowded in the back room, giving you and a group of your friends an ideal place to gather for a special occasion.
Cellar 58 Wine Bar
58 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10009
212-420-1300
Cellar 58 Wine Bar is one of those vintage New York City bars that seem to be disappearing off the map. The owner of the restaurant walks around and speaks with people just like (we imagine) they did back in the prohibition era. Their food is authentic and their wine list includes wine from nearly every region of the world. The best part about Cellar 58 is that the prices are still East Village prices.
129
129 Ave. C
New York, NY 10009
212-982-5563
Whether it be writing on a neon lit chalkboard or throwing darts, this bar has something for everyone. The two television sets are also usually tuned into what sports fans want for good measure.
12th Street Ale House
192 Second Ave.
New York, NY 10003
212-253-2323
The burgundy interior of this small, simple bar is decorated by lovely exposed-filament light bulbs, and neon signs. However, it has a lot to live up to given the competition in the area.
13th Step
149 Second Ave.
New York, 10003
212-228-8020
Step plays it safe offering flat screens, beer pong, and a kitchen that cranks out greasy guilty pleasures such as bacon-egg-and-cheese sliders. With the usual assortment of popular beers and the half-off happy hour, many visitors of this bar with a budget will be extremely satisfied.
2A
25 Ave. A
New York, NY 10009
212-505-2466
Times have changed around this classic bar and it has gone through many interior changes as well. That has not stopped the customer service from being top notch. Visiting this bar during a snowy night is a sight that even the most hammered of drinkers could enjoy.
5C Café and Cultural Center
68 Ave. C
New York, NY 10009
212-477-5993
This health food looking jazz club attracts some of the hottest jazz musicians. It is not only affordable but welcoming for many visitors on a budget who wouldn’t mind some relaxing jazz music.
Ace Bar
531 E. 5tth ST.
New York, NY 10009
212-979-8476
With a bar this spacious no one needs to worry about being punctured by a flying dart or being jabbed in the rib cage by an overzealous pool player. The amount of activities to do at this three-segmented bar makes it feel like a playhouse for fans of fun.
Against the Grain
620 E. 6th ST.
New York, NY 10009
212-358-7065
With categories such as light, white, pale, amber, dark, and darker this location proves that even wine bar owners can love beer. Or even if you aren’t showing up for the many food options, there is a table in the center of the tiny room called the Mingler that sits twelve people.
Alphabet Lounge
104 Ave. C.
New York, NY 10009
212-780-0202
Combining grittiness with a colored-lit stage this bar features DJ’d theme nights, this bar attracts many locals with various aesthetics.
KGB Bar
85 East 4th Street
If you’ve always wanted to go to Russia, this is not Russia. It’s not even close to Russia, but it is still a fun bar if you feel like getting loaded like a Russian. The bar doesn’t have pretty Russian girls like you always see in the movies. No James Bond smoking a cigar. No smoke surrounding the mirrors, but it’s still a fun place for those who yearn for the Cold War from the comfort of NYC.
