Bars are as bountiful as Starbucks in New York City, but there are a few that raise their drinks — and their dishes — to an art form. So don’t just settle for a slice (or two) of $1 pizza! Instead, hit these crowd-pleasing gastropubs, where the scene is chill and the food is four stars; we're for any place that encourages a burger, fries, and a cold beer on tap. Seriously, what else could you possibly want in a night out?
Black Tap
Can a place this cool actually deliver a good burger? It sure can. The all-black-everything decor and hip Soho address can’t detract from the eleven different burger offerings (a Middle Eastern option with feta and hummus!) and yummy shakes. The craft beers on tap feature local brews from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.
Black Tap, 529 Broome Street (between Sullivan and Thompson Streets); (917) 639-3089
The Malt House
Don’t overthink the venue for happy-hour drinks with coworkers. This neighborhood staple offers up several $4 beer options and $3 Angus beef sliders from 4-7pm, and the large space allows for even the most reticent, party-poopin’ colleagues to sit down. Blessedly, Malt House just opened a second location in the Financial District, which is in perpetual need of new bars.
The Malt House, 206 Thompson Street (between Bleecker and 3rd Streets); (212) 228-7713, and 9 Maiden Lane (between Broadway and Nassau Streets); (646) 682-7577
Rose’s Bar & Grill
Anyone who’s ventured out to see a show or game at the Barclays Center knows that the surrounding food scene still hasn’t quite caught up to the needs of all those spectators. Rose’s aims to fill that gap. Opened up in Franny’s former space (and by the same owners), the menu boasts solid comfort foods, including what may be the best burger in the borough.
Rose’s Bar & Grill, 295 Flatbush Avenue (between St. Mark’s Avenue and Prospect Place); (718) 230-0427
Royale
Royale is the kind of place you want to keep all for yourself. Hidden away on Avenue C, the divey exterior belies the delicious burgers that await within, as well as the beautiful back patio. The $3 beers during happy hour though? That’s one dive hold-out you can allow.
Royale, 157 Avenue C (at 10th Street); 212-254-6600.
Boulton and Watt
This corner spot is named after the two Brits who produced steam engines during the Industrial Revolution, and the space does indeed feel like you’re grabbing a brew with factory coworkers at the turn of the last century. The menu isn’t only heavy Anglo fare, however. There’s veggie-centric options like a quinoa salad with golden beets, wild mushroom toast, and a side of kale and cranberries.
Boulton and Watt, 5 Avenue A (at 1st Street); 646-490-6004.
Beecher’s Cellar
Located beneath Beecher’s cheese shop, the Cellar is where they age the cheeses and delight patrons with dairy, dairy, and more dairy. There’s so much more than mac and cheese and cheese boards, though: try the interesting, flavorful dishes like a kale salad with blackberries, almonds, and leeks, or the steak with peaches, bleu cheese, and BBQ sauce.
Beecher’s Cellar, 900 Broadway (between 19th and 20th streets); 212- 466-3340.
Resto
The place should be applauded just for surviving its bro-y Murray Hill environs with a delicious, veggie-centric menu intact. But the real all-star meal here is boozy brunch, with a vast menu and multiple flavors of Bloody Mary's. Why hasn’t anyone else thought of mid-morning appetizers?
Resto, 111 East 29th Street (between Park and Lexington avenues); 212-685-5585.
The Jeffrey
If you happen to find yourself in the vicinity of the Queensboro Bridge (it happens), hightail it to The Jeffrey, a welcome escape from the fratty Irish bars of Midtown East. The menu offers around eighty different beers at any given time, so feel free to spend an afternoon experimenting, particularly at the picnic tables in the backyard.
The Jeffrey, 311 East 60th Street (at First Avenue); 212-355-2337.
Jimmy's No. 43
Lots of beer places in New York assert some sort of German or Eastern European heritage, but Jimmy’s No. 43 actually feels like an old-world beer hall, with a curved-ceiling basement hideaway. The beer menu is long, and the food is hearty: think potato soup, bratwurst, and brussel sprouts. Go hard, or go home.
Jimmy’s No. 43, 43 East 7th Street (between Cooper Square and Second Avenue); 212-982-3006.
Biblio
It's the small touches that make Biblio stand out, from the restaurant’s vaguely book-themed decor to a menu that has this amazing high-low thing going on (whiskey caviar on the tater tots, and cognac cream on the kale?!). Pro tip: Make sure to order your burger with the works. You can thank us later.
Biblio, 149 North 6th Street (between Berry Street and Bedford Avenue); 718-384-8200.
Post Office
Gastropub doesn’t have to be a synonym for “hole in the wall,”and Post Office proves this by being improbably gorgeous, with dark wood paneling and comfy club chairs by the windows. While the menu is incredibly straight-forward (grilled cheese, deviled eggs), the mostly whiskey-based cocktails are spicy and interesting. Hello, hellfire habanero bitters.
Post Office, 188 Havemeyer Street (between South 3rd and 4th streets); 718-963-2574.
The Ellington
New York night life tends to quiet way, way down on the Upper West Side, but there are pockets of fun between Lincoln Center and Harlem. One of them can be found at The Ellington, which has an airy, barn-like feeling and (delicious!) grilled cheese bites on the menu.
The Ellington, 936 Amsterdam Avenue (at 106th Street); 212-222-4050.
Spitzer’s Corner
When arguing about which bar to hit next on the Lower East Side, the group can usually agree on Spitzer’s. This happy, lively place features wide communal tables and forty beers on tap, but don’t let the frivolity keep you from eating. There’s something for everyone: sliders, burgers, grilled cheese, and a fried chicken the menu calls “epic.” Believe it.
Spitzer’s Corner, 101 Rivington Street (at Ludlow Street); 212-228-0027.
Lola Brooklyn
With its eccentric, almost junkyard-style decor, everything about this Fort Greene restaurant is refreshingly low-key and unpretentious. The menu is straightforward (fish and chips, fajitas), the cocktails are yummy, and there’s a sweet outdoor space that's perfect when the weather permits. We guarantee you’ll want to hang out for a while.
Lola Brooklyn, 387 Myrtle Avenue (between Clermont and Vanderbilt avenues), 718-858-1484
Pork Slope
Top Chef star Dale Talde’s most fun restaurant is the rowdy Pork Slope. And while there is obviously plenty of pig up for grabs, that’s hardly where the finger-licking ends; there's also spicy chicken nuggets, buffalo chicken taquitos, and some of the best nachos in New York City. You can swallow it down with the many beers available, or the seemingly endless list of bourbon, rye, and whiskey.
Pork Slope, 247 Fifth Avenue (between Garfield Place and Carroll Street); 718-768-7675.
Highlands
If you are seeking authenticity from your gastropub experience — not just burgers and beers — look no further than Highlands. The restaurant isn’t just Scottish in name and appearance, though the pheasant wallpaper is nice. You’ll find bangers and mash, beef wellington, and that blasted haggis on the menu, along with endless whiskey options.
Highlands, 150 West 10th Street (at Waverly Place); 212-229-2670.
The Wren
If the term "gastropub" still manages to conjure up a dude scarfing down a burger and swilling a pint, then consider the Wren the antidote. The clean, downright feminine space offers a roasted carrot sandwich and smoked trout pâté, and the cocktails contain pinkies-up add-ins like strawberry-lime cider and cherry liqueurs. For the ladies who drunch, if you will.
The Wren, 344 Bowery (at Great Jones Street), 212-388-0148.
The Spotted Pig
This popular eatery claimed to be the first gastropub when it opened in New York in 2004, and while that might be a bit of a stretch, how many bars with food earn a Michelin star? If you can handle the wait, the warm, rollicking atmosphere contrasts the surprisingly elegant British-Italian menu. And, hey, you might even spot a celebrity.
The Spotted Pig , 314 West 11th Street (at Greenwich Street), 212-620-0393.
Hospoda
Do you know a beer nerd? Are you a beer nerd? Then head up to Hospoda, a Bohemian beer hall where the drinks and food are inspired by the Czech heritage (hospoda translates to pub in Czech). The bartenders can advise you on the mouth feel of your beer, and the menu features plenty of schnitzel and a whole section of hot dogs.
Hospoda , 321 East 73rd Street (between First and Second avenues), 212-861-1038.
Wilfie and Nell
Seeing as it is in the West Village, Wilfie and Nell is typically packed with pretty young things. The restaurant encourages patrons "not be shy in squeezing in wherever they find space," which people definitely do. The plates are, of course, hearty and meant to be shared, from the seasonal fried pickles to the Guinness lamb stew.
Wilfie and Nell, 228 West Fourth Street (between Seventh Avenue and West 10th Street); 212-242-2990.
The Breslin Bar & Dining Room
The Spotted Pig's chef and co-owner April Broomfield ran with a good thing when she opened the Breslin, which is even more British-looking than its predecessor. The tartan, dark wood, and oil paintings of animals prepare you for a menu heavy on meat and cheese. Wash it down with the their own cask-conditioned ale, the Spotted Pig Bitter.
The Breslin Bar & Dining Room, 16 West 29th Street (between Broadway and Fifth Avenue), 212-679-1939.
Allswell
Bedford Avenue gets a little more swanky with every passing week, but one place that still feels homey and relaxed is Allswell. Everything is comforting, from the calico, quilt-like wallpaper to the fried chicken sandwich and the well-researched domestic beer list.
Allswell, 124 Bedford Avenue (between 10th and 11th streets), Brooklyn; 347-799-2743.
The Penrose
Yes, the Upper East Side can be hip — in its own posh-old-lady kind of way. The Penrose's sprawling space resembles a bed and breakfast in Vermont, albeit it with one of the best whiskey lists in the city. The beer, wine, and cocktail menus are similarly surprising and fun, while the food is simple and delicious: think burgers, mac and cheese, and fried pickles.
The Penrose, 1590 Second Avenue (between 82nd and 83rd streets); 212-203-2751.
Dear Bushwick
Bushwick's food scene keeps right on surprising. The imaginative menu at Dear Bushwick features items like charred clams with buttered toast, or a side of fried corn on the cob with smoked paprika maple butter (yes, butter is a key aspect here). The cozy space also seems to have a permanent antique-y Instagram filter over it, with old birdcages and vintage wallpaper everywhere you look.
Dear Bushwick, 41 Wilson Avenue (between Melrose and George streets), Brooklyn; 929-234-2344.
Distilled
If your office is in Tribeca, you already know that there aren't a ton of chill bars to hang out after work with colleagues. Distilled aims to be that bar, and its massive capacity means you won’t be all smushed together, either. There are loads of beers, cocktails, and even "mead" options, and the grub is remarkably upscale. Consider it your new neighborhood spot.
Distilled , 211 West Broadway (between Franklin and White streets), 212-601-9514.
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