169 Bar
Bar · Lower East Side ·
Palm trees, leopard-print pool table, oysters, borscht & dumplings
Palm trees, leopard-print pool table, oysters, borscht & dumplings
"Once known as the “Bloody Bucket,” 169 Bar was serving the Lower East Side 100 years before nearby Dimes Square became a thing. The slightly labyrinthine interior got an extra shot of liveliness in 2006, when New Orleans native Charles Hanson bought it. There are definitely NOLA vibes here —oysters, hurricanes, a leopard-print pool table — but it doesn’t feel contrived. Beers and shots start at $5." - Justin Goldman
"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
"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
"169 Bar is a dive bar on the Lower East Side that feels like a cool 70’s basement with mirrors, fish tanks with fake fish, and a decent amount of space for your group. You can order your drink via text and they actually have some pretty good dumplings. The night will be fun and a little weird, but that’s what birthdays are for." - hannah albertine, bryan kim
"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
