If you’re a man’s man (which I’m obviously not), you’ll like New York’s oldest continuously operating pub (est. 1854), and one that famously kept out women until a lawsuit in 1970 ended the bigotry (it was a landmark case that ultimately outlawed discrimination in all public places in the city). With sawdust on the rough wooden floor; yellowing photos, and newspaper clips chronicling all of the famous people who got smashed here (Abraham Lincoln was one of them); and a jumble of relics in every nook and cranny (the handcuffs hanging from the ceiling once belonged to Houdini); it’s an evocative place to hang out . . . if you’re smart enough to visit before 4pm in the afternoon. After that point it gets ugly—kind of like the frat parties I pretended to like in college—with out-of-towners jammed together tighter than in a rush-hour train, shouting over the din.
New York City› Nightlife
McSorely’s Old Ale House
15 E 7th St. (btw. Bowery and Second Ave)
Our Rating
Neighborhood
East Village
Transportation
Subway: 6 to Astor Place
Phone
212/473-9318
Web site
McSorely’s Old Ale House
Map
15 E 7th St. New York CityNote: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.