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    The Library

    3.8 (432 reviews)
    InexpensiveDive Bars
    Open 12:00 pm - 4:00 am (Next day)

    The Library Photos

    Business Info

    THE LIBRARY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Juke Box
    Loud
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - The Library

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    Reviews With Photos

    Tito's soda
    Debbie K.

    Dive bar! Affordable drinks. Punk rock blasting. Place was fully decorated for Halloween. They have a juke box as well.

    Ambiance
    Kendra M.

    Not many places like this still alive in the East Village- suprisingly fresh drinks and top notch service in this old dive delightfully covered in graffiti, flyers and stickers. Dark and musty in the best sense, catch a happy hour scene and people watch for fun.

    Annie W.

    Checked out this dive bar, which was giving moody, grunge, yet casual hangout spot. It was dark in the back where they have a projector playing videos which was a cool touch in addition to their decor. After our visit, read from other reviewers that they have a BOGO happy hour with drinks but we did not get this deal/or see anything about this when we went on an early Saturday evening. The music at some point went from heavy metal vibes to mamma mia which I didn't mind but thought was interesting. The beers were solid and we were served quickly at the bar.

    Love this bar.
    Daniel O.

    Love this bar. A dive bar in the Bowery/Houston area.. A much welcomed escape from the people while still getting to experience the people, if that makes sense. $5 Gansetts is decent price. Bonus: They have a jukebox loaded with tons of punk/metal CDs. $5 gets you 15 songs.

    Jon F.

    Great dive bar with modest prices for a NYC bar. Also clean restrooms for a dive bar is a plus. Come here for draft beer to start out the night! Good service depending on which bartender is one shift. I got a great one.

    Bathroom door
    Shawn H.

    If you love dive bars like I do, this is your spot. Friendly service, ice cold beer, free flowing shots, no tv, eclectic bathroom and cool art all at cheap prices.

    Kai E.

    Great music and good vibes at this divey spot. I wanted to read a book at The Library (because lol) but but ended up just chatting with some strangers at the bar and had the best time. Thank you Bridget the bartender for making an out of town-er feel at home. *$20 minimum for cards if that matters to you

    Ingrid S.

    It's been so long since the last time I've been to the library that I'm pretty sure I remember when drinks here were $3-4 and not around $8. Lol. But the magic of The Library is that the drinks are still two for ones. And that deal goes on until 8pm. So your drink is back to being $4 essentially (kind of). I appreciate that to keep track of your buy back that they give you plastic dinosaurs. It's still an utter dive. But they now have some canned seltzer cocktails in addition to a pretty good rotation of tap beers. There's a movie projection screen in the back room which I'm struggling at remembering if that was always there. It's a classic dive in the east village that will really never be all too bad.

    Heart nips!
    Justin V.

    One of the best dive bars I've been to. New York is filled with great dive bars but this one is one of the best. Popped in for a drink in between shovelling food into my face hole and loved it. The bartender was lovely and had a lot of great advice of where to get great eats in the neighbourhood. Some dude was doing deliveries and sat down at the bar. He asked for a "Jack and Coke, no ice, no fruit, no straw". It was perfectly New York in its direct simplicity and I enjoyed watching him down a couple of them. Tons of character from his accent to his stainless steel rings. This guy alone made my day. Will definitely come back to enjoy the nightlife.

    The front
    Dilip J.

    Omg, free drink for every purchase during Happy Hour(same price)... WTF. Recipe to become a functional alcoholic... Again

    The happy hour was both fun and super cute (referring to the little cute animals they give you as tokens to exchange for your next drink during the happy hour. My one friend I went with (work friend, M) gave me his cause he didn't want another. Now I have two little animals (fish, giraffe) being used as decoration!

    Kate H.

    picture this: 7 women crowded in a booth where half of them use she/they pronouns and go to liberal art school. we are 2 long island iced teas deep into the night with a side of pastrami from katz deli. we're discussing what's the best rom com of all time, and i see a look of despair on my lesbian friend michelle's face. is something on MY face? (very likely) is her ex behind me? (highly unlikely) NO IT WAS NONE OF THEM SHUT UP. i see pain spread across my fellow art students faces one by one, i'm the odd one out trying to register what has stunk up the vibe in our booth. suddenly. a whisper in the crowd, i hear take me to church by hozier playing on the jukebox. i scream out loud. not becuase im drunk mind you, it was actually so disrespectful whoever cued hozier in a dive bar. like i'm having a night out with the gals and you wanna make me have religious guilt on a good friday?! i just wanna know who cued it so i can tell them to never have aux again, like read the room bruh. i also felt this way when someone cued the smiths an hour later but u internalized it.

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    5 months ago

    Neighborhood favorite. Perfect level of filthy with a great bar staff. Always comfortable and a good time.

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    1 year ago

    Had a great time. Amethyst is so welcoming and warm. Thanks to her I'll be back soon.

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    2 years ago

    Terrible service outside of one bartender named Beth who was excellent. The other bartender actively ignored me. Just overall weird spot.

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    7 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Popped in here on Halloweekend. Good dive bar, loved the vibe. The drinks were strong, good for the price.

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    2 years ago

    The bartenders are authentic and very interested in their products and connecting the customer to the perfect cocktail!

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    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - The Library

    They do serve wine or wine cocktails?

    Yes. They serve booze

    Is this bar strict with IDs?

    YES. 21 and up only with valid us issued I.D. Or passport.

    Do they have a weekend happy hour?

    View All 5 Questions

    Review Highlights - The Library

    The drinks are standard Manhattan prices, but they usually have weekend specials and happy hour is buy one get one.

    Mentioned in 21 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Whiskey Tavern

    Whiskey Tavern

    4.5(927 reviews)
    0.8 miChinatown
    $$

    Whiskey Tavern is the most awesome bar ever. Colin is an absolute sweetheart that stops at nothing…read moreto ensure his bar patrons are having a great time! It's a classic after-work watering hole for the finance workers, consultants, and attorneys who populate the area. The decor is awesome, and makes you feel fuzzy and at home!!! But let's talk about the real star of the show: the burger. I've had my fair share of burgers in NYC, but this one takes the cake. The patty is juicy and flavorful, cooked to perfection with just the right amount of char on the outside. The bun is soft and pillowy, holding everything together without getting soggy. And the bacon is mmm mmmmmmm PERFECT!!! Trust me when I say it's worth braving the sea of suits just to get your hands on one of these bad boys. So if you find yourself in Chinatown after work or on a weekend night out with friends (or even alone), do yourself a favor and stop by Whiskey Tavern for some great drinks (not watered down!) and an unforgettable burger experience. You won't regret it! But the REAL reason this place is so special is the PEOPLE. This place is like the bar from that show "Cheers", but in 2026! Just the most amazing people Ever running the show. Their professionalism and personalities make the food and drinks that much more deliciousSometimes you wana go, where everybody knows your naaammmmeee.....sometimes you wana go to WHISKEY TAVERN!!!!!!!!

    This place is a party! They play great music, have wonderful staff and a fantastic back room! When…read moreit's your birthday they have a special giant candle to blow out

    Photos
    Whiskey Tavern - They printed our names and posted it on the bar. Awesome touch to set themselves apart from all the others who places visited.

    They printed our names and posted it on the bar. Awesome touch to set themselves apart from all the others who places visited.

    Whiskey Tavern - BBQ Chicken Wings

    BBQ Chicken Wings

    Whiskey Tavern - Inside

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    Inside

    Vig Bar - Bar

    Vig Bar

    3.9(225 reviews)
    0.4 miNolita
    $$

    A bit too young for my taste but the bartenders here and nice and work quickly…read more Music was fine from what I remember, a little fratty. They have sports playing on TVs above the bar so that's nice if you want to dissociate a bit. Came here after a birthday dinner and had a El Spicy Rico which was actually pretty good. I wouldn't choose to come here just because the demographic and music, but if I were 21, I could see myself coming here.

    I recently had my birthday party in the back room at the Vig Bar and 100% recommend! Cancion, the…read moreevent coordinator, was extremely responsive beforehand and answered all of my questions in detail which made the planning process super easy. Upon arriving, I was immediately greeted by the manager and other staff to make sure I was all settled for my party, which I really appreciated. This space has a partnership with a pizza place up the street to order food but also provides flexibility to bring in your own food which a lot of places do not allow. They also allowed me to bring balloons and cake which many places also don't allow. I had around 40 people and there was plenty of space to sit down or stand. It wasn't too loud so I was able to have a conversation with friends while also enjoying the music. The music was great and we even stayed afterwards to enjoy the DJ and the vibes were still strong. If you're looking for a private space, this is the perfect spot for your party! My friends are still talking about how cool this space was and were very impressed!

    Photos
    Vig Bar - Pickle back shots

    Pickle back shots

    Vig Bar - Bar area

    Bar area

    Vig Bar - Pickle back shots

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    Pickle back shots

    The Library - divebars - Updated May 2026

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