The Spotted Owl Tavern

Many drink choices. Friendly bartenders. Serves good food (occasionally). We love hanging out here.

Horrible service. came here with a group of 7. 3 out of 7 got drinks while the rest were deciding. were told to hurry up by the heavy set female bartender or else we would be required to leave. disappointed

Fun bar on the east side. It got crowded outta nowhere and was tough to get to the bar for a drink, but if you can go on a slower night it's a great spot. They have a pool table in the back and a couple TVs for entertainment. Drink prices are reasonable for the area. It's a good spot.

If you are looking for a fun and social dive bar, this is your spot.

The Spotted Owl has a casual vibe. They have a decent beer selection, the wings are ok. I'm not a fan of breaded wings in sauce because it tends to become soggy. The fries are delicious and seasoned well!

Fantastic bar, great atmosphere, and the locals are fun and friendly. Games abound at this bar, and the pool table is kept in pretty decent shape! Bartender Max is a delight.

I had a lovely time here playing pool with friends and participating in the trivia. I noticed the bartender seemed to avoid eye contact with me, but I didn’t let it get me down. I still had a great time. The trivia questions were great, and the place seems to attract a lot of good vibes and good energy.

Bella is an absolute delight and the vibes are excellent. Classic LES vibes.

Cool dive bar with super friendly staff. We were disappointed when we sat down that they no longer serve food, even though their website does show their old menu.

Great bar!!!! Danced my ass off!!! Amazing bartender!!! Super fun crowd // definitely the right place to hangout with friends and spread positive vibes

Second day of the long Halloween weekend rally, I met up with some gfs to do round 2 after a very long night of drinking and dancing (very much needed). This place was a bit hard to find due to me being hung over, but we finally got there. This place is a normal bar, but they have a pool table you can pay to play. We played pool and drank loads of drinks as expected. Our bartender, Nadia, was so fantastic! The people here are chill and for those who have dogs, they are doggie friendly. Would recommend going here any time of the day. Perfect spot to pregame and start your night of festivities.

Great service when there are only humans. If there is a dog present though, have fun getting the bartenders attention. So pick when you go.

My friends and I ended up here because it was close to his house. Saturday night was busy and pretty crowded but still pretty easy to get beers. The selection was ok, two local beers and a handful of macros, nothing super interesting. Ok, so we wanted to make some dumb decisions and ordered a round of Irish Car bombs; Guinness was one of the beers that had on tap so, why not. The bartender said that they were out of Bailey's but had another cream and whiskey liqueur which was fine. We ended up getting something in plastic cups for the beer but shot glasses for the...I don't even know what. It's been a while since my college days but it definitely wasn't a car bomb. My buddy tried to talk to the bartender about it but she basically brushed him off. My buddy has moved out of New York so I don't see myself coming back on a subsequent visit.

Love this place so much. Amazing bartenders like Matt, Bella, Max, make you feel at home. good vibes for all xx

Happened to be staying on this side of town for a first. I walked out, and somehow walked in to here, like a magnet. The bartender Kristen, was awesome, great personality, and quick! She cares about her customers very much, and I felt that. So I ordered the Wings, OMG! These wings were incredible!!!! So much flavor! I'll be looking for this spot again, to try more items from their menu, and to see my new friend, Kristen!

Absolutely no food on the menu. Everyone has to drink even if you don't want to. They made my boyfriend add money to his tab just because I wasn't drinking alcohol. The pool table is missing a ball. The beer on tap tasted dirty to everyone I was with. And we didn't even finish our drinks before we left. Don't waste your time.

Great night great friends great booze great music and most of all great vibes. If you don't like it here YOU are the problem god bless and goodnight

Great dive bar with limited outside seating and a pool table inside. Friendly atmosphere serving up cans of beer and a slew of beers on tap as well. They have a great small bar menu that is perfect. I tried the wings they were pretty good however I am not a fan of the honey mixed in with the wing sauce. The meatball sandwich looked really good. Rory the bartender does a great job and makes you feel like a friend while you are there!

So I really love this part of town, and I've been coming over here for longer than I care to admit. Lets just say that me, Keybar, and the Horse Box go wayyyy back (RIP arrow bar, you are sorely missed). What I didn't know was that there was a bar that was run by the same folks as local 138 and Iggy's up here. And man do I love those hole in the wall places. I did feel strangely at home walking in last weekend, it was cheap, the bartenders were super nice, after finding out who they were affiliated with it all made perfect sense. Annnyway, this place is pretty perfect for beginning or wrapping up a night - we personally stumbled in after hitting Otto's, Horse Box, and Planet Rose (because someone *Mike* cough, just can't say no to karaoke). The space is fairly large, the bar is long and the beers are cheap. They have food, but we didn't get a chance to try it (will absolutely be back soon, so its going to happen). Super happy to have found this place again; if you're on Ave A looking for a decent spot, check the check the Owl out.

I use to come to this location on Friday's by myself to get in the neighborhood in meet new people. Why I kept getting approached by real baseball players, they were extremely sweet. The guys who come to this bar exactly brought drinks for me. It was definitely a different kind of experience. One Friday night we were really drunk in we all got robbed by the security guard in he stole our wallets in stand by the door pretending he's working saying oh you can't come here anymore. Like not only did you rob a ton of hard working New Yorkers, you stole all our money, he stole my apartment keys, my state identification card and my medical insurance card, two different licenses I had in my wallet. It took me four weeks to get everything back in when I went back the bartender claim they had no idea everyone was robbed mean while the bartender that night drugged everyone up. Never coming to the location ever again!

Been hearing some queer phobic experiences from clients of this place so i thought i should share mine. I was abused at The Spotted Owl. They first asked if I was gay at the door and then when I said yes they asked my HIV status and wouldn't let me in unless i answered. When I finally answered, someone there wouldn't leave me alone and even though i was asking for help from the staff everybody ignored me even after i told them who did it. Literally Horrible. I do not recommended to any queer person o anyone in general!

This bar is really laid back and chill. I would say to come here for a couple of drinks before going out. The bouncer at the front was funny, joking around with my friend if she was 16 years old. Anyways, the music was fun, a lot of throwbacks to the 90s and early 2000's. The bartender lady was really nice and attentive, and was quick with getting our drinks. The prices here are pretty affordable, I believe two glasses of wine was $17. Not bad for nyc. Definitely a place for a pregame kind of place. It's cozy and fun, and casual. Definitely recommend!

Went her after an event. The music was ok, drinks were what you expect - nothing special. But they have a pool table with sticks (you'd be surprised how many places have a pool table without sticks or have broken sticks) I'll go back again... I want to try their food and have a better feel for the place. For now... hold this 4 lol

While the Spotted Owl looks like your average EV dive (and a possible extension of Drop Off Service nearby), it's actually a few notches better than most other bars in the area. Why? They're pumping out some solid eats out of their kitchen (bonus points for having a kitchen, period). I've had a burgers (with bacon and egg topping), wings, tacos and others here, all surprisingly well made. Dine (drink) al fresco when the weather is nice and stop in for a $6 beer/shot special when you want to get weird. There are games around too, so when you run out of cheeseball lines to throw at your date, you can always grab Jenga to mix things up. protip: 2 tv's and all pints are $6 on gameday

They did not honor $2 Guiness special for 90s bar crawl. What is the point of buying a bar crawl, if the participating bars do not follow the specials listed? One bartender was nice when I asked, but when my friend asked the other bartender, they were extemeley rude. They said "the specials are listed" as they rolled thier eyes. Well, your specials are listed as $2 Guiness! That is specifically why we came here! If we were told when we ordered the Guiness that the special was incorrect, I would not have had an issue. Do not take it out on the customer, if the special is incorrectly posted.

nadia's a gem lovely cocktails to be had can't wait to come back :-))))) thank u nadia

I have been coming out to bars in this region for the last 10 years or so. There are plenty of places to grab a quick and cheap drink or shot special. There is one spot that I just never happened to visit: the spotted owl. Looking back, I know I have been once or twice, normally after a long afternoon of drinking so I only stayed for a beer before moving on. Recently, I went with the point of enjoying an afternoon here. Just like many of the bars in the neighborhood, there is a sense of community here. A lot of folks seem to know each other and enjoy sitting side by side. We grabbed a few rounds of beer/shot combos. After a little while we ordered some fries. They were the perfect to help sop up some of the alcohol and continue our afternoon. I am really glad to have another bar in the area to add into my rounds.

I absolutely love the spotted owl. I come here every time I'm in New York. The people are friendly, including the regulars and the bar staff. I love the happy hour drafts for $4 deal and the $2 pool. Everything about this place is fantastic! I usually get the jacks hard cider. It tastes fantastic! Highly recommend this place.

To the owner ,under the covid-19 restrictions kicking people out arbitrarily, if you are gay and they don't like the you look they kick you out for not reason, the bartender female who worked on 3/30 /21 ,kicked me out for no reasons ,I had no issues with Irish girl who works over on other nights , homophobic please don't go there

The Spotted Owl NY Manhattan Alphabet City 7:30pm Tuesday 5th July 2016 Four Stars On this lovely Tuesday afternoon, we stopped at the Spotted Owl Tavern for a drink and a bite. I had the 21st Amendment's Hell or High Watermelon. It was grassy yellow color. It had 4.9% ABV. It was pretty refreshing and had an actual watermelon flavor. The bar was fairly empty. we ordered at the bar and sat outside on the side walk. The bartender was quite nice. We also enjoyed some $2 Taco Tuesday Tacos. We had a mushroom, short rib, and chicken. They were served on corn tortillas, lots of cilantro, some cheese, tomatoes, and other good stuff.

The best bar in New York City, hands down!! A divey vibe with a nice long bar, few high tables, and a pool table in the back with booths. Rotating beers on tap that are always fresh and cold. All the bartenders make great cocktails, whether you're a simpleton like me and just want a vodka soda to tini's or even a nice baby Guinness! The food is shockingly good, the best buffalo wings I've had in the city and I've them all (Dan and johns, dinosaur bbq, hooters, etc). Also, I don't know what's in the honey mustard but it must be crack because it's to die for. The tunes are always on point, the 2 Irish bartenders who seem to also be the resident Dj's are always hysterical, efficient and offer great service! Can't wait to go back, found my new regular spot!

Cozy bar, chill vibe, non-pretentious friendly crowd and bartenders, good happy hour. Just a terrific remedy for what ails you after a long day at work. Same location in what used to be the Destination Bar. Pretty much looks the same but with a new coat of paint and refreshing. Yeah, they cleaned the joint up a bit, but in a good way. Decent beer selection, solid music playing, and plenty of spots to sit at around the bar or at some high top tables. Menu of bar items such as tacos, salads, wings, burgers, and sandwiches to nosh on. This is definitely a local's bar and watering hole to pay a visit to if in the area. Especially the nights when Pirate Mike the bartender is slinging drinks during happy hour.

This place was our refuge after the hostess at Fat Buddha across the street deemed our party of 15 too uncool to go inside (or maybe the place was already too crowded, whatevs). We came in to a well-lit bar with plenty of space for our crowd to sit. The bartender was super nice (and so pretty!) and she even managed to spot good ol' short me trying to place my order among the throng of tall people at the bar. The DJs that night were dope- they pretty much played the (hip-hop) soundtrack of my life in the 90s. Good prices and they have tvs so you can follow your teams.

I love that we found a table on a Saturday night. It's not too crowded and good music. They have a great deal of PBR and a shot for 6 bucks! No cover and chill place to catch up with friends. Definitely recommend visiting for a chill night out. Fellow customers here are so nice. This guy asked to borrow our chair and he brought it back when he left. Who does that? People at spotted owl tavern are very polite.

Ordered a couple of drinks and wings to share, and when one of our friends went to ask for one water at the bar, the bartender responded with " this isn't charity you have to buy a drink. " This made us all feel unwelcome and uncomfortable. He proceeded to serve us the wings, and cursed out my friend. This not the service I was expecting here, and as a group of people who all work at a restaurant, we would never deny any customers water.

Came here last weekend looking for a low key spot to watch some football games. Overall very good experience, service isn't the best but it's because one man was running the bar and waiting on everyone as well (a nearly impossible task). Not sure if it's always like that but I felt bad for the guy. In a way it was positive because I was amazed watching him run around and do everything lol. In any case I love their wings (an interesting fried texture), some of the best I have had in Manhattan. And their burger was very good as well. I would definitely come back for some grub (want to try the chicken sandwich) and for a quaint place to watch some football.

We stopped in while bar hopping the east village. The front area near the bar was packed yet we were able to nab a table in the back behind the billiards table. They had some outlets conveniently located in the back as well. The bartender was quick despite a packed bar. They had a fair selection that should satisfy any drinker's taste. They also have some late night bites.

"EVill Entropy" This was the former space of Destination Bar which was a solid, low key, divey bar, which used to be par for the East Village. As I live in the neighborhood, I was afraid it was going to be replaced by an overpriced small plates style, $20 bourbon cocktail place. I am happy to report that's not happening. This place has gotten a sorely needed refresh: New paint, seating, more wood, and a thorough cleaning. They still have the 6-7 taps, and a fairly large spirits selection (maybe added a few) and the ubiquitous EV happy hour (wine/domestic $4/5 4-7 pm). I'm happy that the gentrifiers have been kept at bay for the mo...

The hot dog, shot and beer special is great! While many places are serving food to meet the requirements of the new normal, the spotted owl tavern's hot dogs are actually fantastic. I was pleasantly surprised. They are grilled to perfection and the perfect finisher to a great combo. I had four them and will be back for more!

Strolled in for a bite to eat not having much expectation. We walked into an ugly xmas sweater party. We saw no table service signs posted on tables and 1 bartender. My boyfriend and I were visiting from Providence, RI. We debated even staying. After talking it out we decided to see what the spotted owl had to offer. The bartender on Saturday afternoon (3ish) was EXCELLENT. She was by herself and let us know whatever we needed she'd get for us. I ordered the meatball parm hero and my boyfriend ordered the turkey burger. Food was hot, fresh and DUHlicious! We were blown away how good the food was and the service was impeccable. Full bar, people at tables with one bar tender- She would be someone I'd hire! Kudos to her genuine service. I wish I got her name because it shouldn't go unnoticed. Great things come in small, unexpected packages. The Spotted Owl Tavern is comfortable, cozy and genuine, which is almost impossible to find in the city. Food is outstanding!

Kevyn P is a bitch! I come to this bar all the time, the bartenders are so chill and so awesome. I literally stopped clubbing and started hitting this bar up and have never left. I love when people roll around bars with "privilege" and expect to be served hand and foot. Bartenders/servers are people too, stop treating them like they are your personal butler. All love! -B

Max is literally the best- dream bartender, they played the best music, created the most comforting environment and some tasty ass drinks!!!!I came he for my 21st bday and he taught me all the ropes-what a sweetie.

A very friendly place. Ok food, good beer selection very good happy hour. Lots of regular shots. Great bar staff Crowd changes by time of day. But for the most part it is a very inviting place.

What more can you ask for from a bar besides a solid drink selection?! Oh wait... food? They got it! The bartender Kristen was incredibly attentive in a not so awkward way.

Staff is so sweet. Cheap drinks and a really fun time. It gets busy late night tho so go early if you want to get in!

Awesome Turkey Burger!!! Great vibe! Will def be there again. Great service. Awesome bartender, Kristen was great.

Met with family and friends for a few drinks before heading off to dinner. The bouncer at the front door was friendly and inside was very crowded but we were lucky to get a table. There was some "80's dress theme" happening that night which was fun to watch and the music that matched it was the best! Only problem was the music was so loud you hard a very hard time talking and hearing the person right next to you .... ears were ringing long after we left. Happy hour prices for beer were good for NYC and we did not order any food.

I love this bar, the bartenders and staff are very friendly, I will completely return and will hope to be accepted as a regular patron.

This place made me feel old lol The music was crazy loud for 4pm. And the place seemed to have an uneasy vibe about it. My drink was bleh, but I will say the empanadas were VERY good. Also on a bad note, the one bartender kept going outside to play with someone's dog then come back in, handle my food n drinks. Really?

Your average local bar. Solid enough variety on tap. Nothing wrong with the crowd. But anything that stands out? Not quite. I used to live in the hood and if I still did, I'd swing by on the reg.

It's pretty good as a typical bar. Food is good -- the bread wasn't as fresh as I'd like it but this isn't a boulangerie in Paris; it's a pub in the East Village. The bartender did mostly his best though really busy.

Solid place. Low key. Excellent happy hour. Food is much better than your average pub grub. Staff is always bad ass. Always. Music is always good and varies with the barkeep working that night and not a one has bad taste. Ranks a 0 on the doucehbaggery scale. Find the hidden wallpaper...

This is such an underrated gem of the east village. Only place that has it all; great choice of beer, liquor, and liqueur, great food, great staff, great prices, great regulars, sports, pool, outdoor seating, and music, just to cover the basics. This bar has always been very inclusive and has a little something for everybody, I couldn't recommend it any more.

Really cool spot. Great pub atmosphere. I really wanted to give it 5 stars... but the music blaring so loud it was hard to talk relegates my rating to 4 stars. Lower the music volume and this place would rock.

Great place love coming here from NJ great staff and amazing food, even love the weathered fries! I just wish they would bring them back never had anything like them before makes coming to NYC even more worth it!

After consuming our body weights in Japanese barbecue, my friends and I decided we clearly needed some beer. So we wandered from the East village down to Alphabet City in search of a *cool time* (I feel so old), and after little success locating a table in other bars, found our way into Spotted Owl. And the heaven's rays shone down on that vacant high-topped table. And beers magically appeared (sort of). And all was right with the world. In all realness, Spotted Owl is a fun, unassuming bar with a solid beer selection and plenty of group seating. It isn't overly memorable; just your casual neighborhood watering hole with kind bartenders and NY-priced pints. For a chill bro-esque Friday night, Spotted Owl did the trick!

We ordered tacos, that took an hour to arrive. When we looked at the order, it was wrong. We then waited another thirty minutes for the correct order. We politely asked for a comp, and were told "that's not something you usually should ask." I replied, "I understand however we did wait over an for the correct order of tacos." The blonde bartender then replied, "we're not going to comp you, I already spoke to my manager." It was third time we asked for our comp so we could leave. We never received it. Honestly, very disrespectful, unimpressive and rude.