1059 N Wolcott Ave

"Happy Village feels a little bit like going to visit somebody’s house - the backyard has mismatched plastic furniture, tents, and a little pond that belongs at your aunt’s house in the suburbs. Come for cheap drinks and bar food that’s perfect for day drinking." - Adrian Kane

"The Happy Village, a long-standing dive bar in East Village, is set to be converted into a gastropub-style venue under new ownership. The bar, known for its shot-and-beer service, private patio, and ping pong game room, will undergo a $3 million renovation led by Out to Lunch Hospitality. The transformation aims to keep the bar's atmosphere but includes significant changes like demolishing the game room. The building's sale is pending approval from the community and local alderman." - Ashok Selvam

"Happy Village, the 54-year-old East Village corner dive bar, could find new life as a 50-seat gastropub from the opening chef at Honey’s, an acclaimed Fulton Market restaurant that’s now shuttered. The team would purchase the property at the corner of Thomas and Wolcott and sink $3 million into the space. They’d retain the Happy Village name and try to walk the line of being upscale yet unpretentious at 1059 N. Wolcott Street." - Ashok Selvam