A Guide to My Favorite Casual Bars in New York City
Gilligan’s
Neighborhood: SOHO
Ambiance:
Picture this: you are walking around the streets of Manhattan and you stumble upon this bar. As you enter, you are transported to an outdoor, Island vibe. If this sounds like something you’d like, you need to check out Gilligan’s. It was a really cool scene.
Drinks:
We all ordered the Frozen Watermelon Margarita and it was exactly what we needed. I should mention, I went to this bar during the Summer. It was perfect.
Overall Rating: 10/10
Being able to feel like you are on an Island while in the center of NYC is amazing. Gilligan’s is a must-see spot.
The Folly
Neighborhood: West Village
Ambiance:
Ahoy matey. A great bar to drink with friends in the West Village. Their outdoor seating is heated and can seat groups easily. Their decorations were pirate themed and cute.
Drinks:
It is a rum bar, but they serve all types of alcohol. Their menu had a lot of options to choose from. This spot has happy hour until 8pm everyday. We will have to go back to try some of their creative rum drinks!
Overall Rating: 9/10
I enjoy a great themed bar that does not feel tacky. The theme does not extend to the outdoor seating. The only reason I knew it was pirate-themed was because I went inside to use their restroom.
Peculier Pub
Neighborhood: West Village
Ambiance:
Located near NYU, you will find a lot of students at this pub. There are a lot of tables to sit at and they host trivia nights. Last time we went, I was so hungry, we tried a lot of items on the menu. I was not disappointed with any of them.
Drinks:
an endless offering of beer from around the world. If you go to this bar frequently, you should ask for one of their punch cards. There are different types of beer you have to try and at the end of the card, you get a free beer and the next card. Once you have completed all three rounds, your name will be put on their wall.
Overall Rating: 10/10
Our favorite spot. Peculier Pub is cool and always crowded, but because of the tables, allows for you to still have great conversations with your friends. One tip: write down the different beers you’ve tried and how you liked them on your phone. They have so many that you will forget.
Houston Hall
Neighborhood: West Village
Ambiance:
Houston Hall is massive. They have a great selection of beer and are always packed. There are a lot of kids from Delaware & Penn State who frequent this bar. Try to get here early because there is usually a line.
Houston Hall is definitely a place I would only go to with a big group of people. It is a great place to drink and chat with friends. For those of you who like sports, they have big tv’s that are always playing the games.
Drinks:
They have a huge beer selection and serve them in pretty big glasses.
Overall Rating: 9/10
I have so many great memories from Houston Hall. The line and massive crowd can be a deterrent for some, but otherwise it is a great spot.
Stone Street
Neighborhood: Financial District
Ambiance:
Stone Street is a great place to spend your day in the Summer. There are a lot of restaurants and bars that line this street and there are no cars. People spend all day sitting outside, drinking & eating. Try to make a reservation or get there early to make sure you get a spot. I will be going back a lot this Summer, so I can add information about each specific bar.
Drinks:
Unfortunately I did not make it back to give specific drink reviews.
Overall Rating: 9/10
Stone Street is awesome, but it feels like you need to know which spots to go to. It can get really crowded and the tables fill up early.
Bandits
Neighborhood: West Village
Ambiance:
From the outside, Bandits looks like a really cool, retro themed bar. When we first got there, the vibes were good. The music, the drinks, the location was all perfect. It was almost like it was too good to be true. Fast forward an hour, it was. There were some unfriendly characters who were friends with the bartenders.
If they don’t like you, your drinks somehow are made without alcohol, unwanted stares are shared across the room, and they may even pretend to close down the bar (only to ask you to leave). It was one of the weirdest & worst endings to a night ever. The reason these groupies didn’t like us? I was not willing to share my boyfriend. Some service.
Drinks:
I wouldn’t know, they ignored us.
Overall Rating: 1/10
I would not recommend it.
