Today in my NYC “evening guide” series, we are going to cover East Village!
Now, this in no way is a comprehensive guide of all the places to visit or things to do in NYC East Village but only a recommendation to spend a fun evening with your friends or loved ones.
If you haven’t seen already, do check out other NYC guides here.
The Neighborhood
East Village is located in lower Manhattan. It is roughly defined as the area east of the Bowery and Third Avenue, between 14th Street on the north and Houston Street on the south.
It is one of the most lively locations in Manhattan with a lot of bars, cafes, restaurants, and things to do.
Evening Guide
In this NYC guide to East Village, we are going to cover my favorite things to do, bars, and some really good restaurants which are famous for locals!
Batsu!
Located on 4th Street, Batsu! is a fun, confusing, hilarious Japanese game-show.
Taking inspiration from Japanese game-shows, Batsu! will tickle your funny bone in the weirdest possible way.
Batsu! means punishment which the 4 improv comedians (they call them ‘warriors’) get when they lose a random over-the-top challenge.
The audience is free to participate and if they do, they have to enter the game teaming up with the comedians. And obviously, they have to suffer the batsu as well.
The shows usually start at 7 pm and they serve alcohol and sushi. Additionally, there is a high probability you will find a random low-budget ninja refilling your sake glasses in between the games. Everyone definitely ends up drunk!
You will have to purchase your tickets a day in advance which are available on their site.
If you are still confused about what is Batsu!, check out this video-
Food
Sigiri – Sri Lankan
If you enjoy spicy food, you definitely have to try Sigiri. They serve some of the best Sri Lankan food that I have ever tried.
There is usually a bit of waiting but the food is definitely worth it! I would definitely recommend trying their Kothu.
San Marzano – Italian
A great restaurant for Italian food in NYC – one of the best in NYC. It’s really busy during the evenings, so making reservations is highly recommended. Definitely try their pasta.
Divya’s Kitchen – Ayurvedic
For all the vegetarian readers out there, I would highly recommend Divya’s Kitchen. They have some vegan options as well. The ambiance is really chill. Again, I would recommend making reservations.
Raclette – Swiss
If you follow food blogs, there is a high probability you have seen this crazy video of melted cheese being scraped on your food. If not, here, knock yourself out. Lots of cheese, sandwiches, and wine.
Drinks
It’s time to get drunk, true New Yorker style. There a lot of bars, lounges, and speakeasies around every street and corner in the East Village. I will be recommending some of my favorites.
Death & Co.
If you have read my NYC speakeasy list, you definitely know what I am talking about. Death & Co. is one of the best speakeasies in NYC serving a wide-spread of crafted cocktails. I would recommend anything and everything whisk(e)y based.
William Barnacle Tavern
William Barnacle specializes in Absinthe based cocktails boasting of knowledgeable staff.
This one is again from my speakeasy list.
If you haven’t tried Absinthe before, I would highly recommend going for it here.
Pro tip – ask for Pete. at the bar.
McSorley’s Old Ale House
If your great-grandfather ever visited NYC, he definitely drank here.
Established in 1854 (yes – you read it right), this is the oldest functioning tavern in NYC.
They only serve two types of beer – dark and light.
And they have sawdust on the floor, in case you dropped gold while paying for your beer. Just kidding but it’s cash only.
There you are – that’s the complete NYC East Village Evening Guide. Personally, the best way to enjoy East Village is to just explore but now you at least have some destinations where you can definitely spend your evening.
If you enjoyed this NYC East Village guide, do check out my NYC Chelsea and NYC DUMBO guides!
