169 Bar

"Dinosaurs, dumplings, and texting in your drink order. No, this isn’t the 2037 remake of Jurassic Park, it’s 169 Bar. Our pick if you’re looking for a good and weird time in the (lower) Lower East Side. Every time." - katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg

"Dinosaurs, dumplings, and texting in your drink order. No, this isn’t another remake of Jurassic Park. It’s 169 Bar. All of the decor here seems to have come from a yard sale, and that's part of what makes this bar a classic. This spot is unpretentious, there are plenty of places to sit, and you should come here when you’re looking for a good and weird time on the lower part of the Lower East Side." - Bryan Kim, Hannah Albertine

"A lot of bars on the lower LES are full of people who work in PR drinking vodka-sodas, and Australians in loose-collared T-shirts ironically drinking Budweisers. Those places can be fun up to a certain point, but when you want something a lot more casual, head to 169 Bar. Nobody will care what you’re wearing or how stained your shirt is, because they’re too busy having a good time. It’s hard not to have a good time at this century-old spot, where drinks are cheap, the space is kitschy in the best possible way, and the kitchen stays open until 4am every night." - matt tervooren

"You’re on the Lower East Side, and some friends are trying to convince you to go to Union Pool because they’re new to the city and have “heard good things.” Just tell them that Union Pool is the worst (which it sort of is), and direct them to 169 Bar instead. Here you can hang out, drink cheap beers, and play pool in a space that looks like a tropical-themed indoor rummage sale. There are palm trees and strings of lights, and while it tends to draw a decent crowd (especially on weekends), you won’t see a line snaking out the front door." - bryan kim

"Amanda Kludt spent time here throughout the summer." - Eater Staff