The East Village is the ideal neighborhood for endearing dive bars, swanky cocktails (some of the best in the city) and charming pubs. Most weekdays, the area swarms with savvy locals in search of the best happy hour in the East Village. If you’re in the same boat, this guide is for you.
Visiting New York City? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out our helpful guide on Where to Stay in New York City (The best neighborhoods for first timers +3 to avoid). Don’t have time? Here’s my favorite hotel in NYC, hands down.
Best Happy Hour in the East Village
(Click here for the table of contents)
Happy Hour Deals in the East Village (Table of Contents)
You might enjoy reading my quick guide on: 15 Iconic Things to Do in the East Village
Drop Off Service
Instagram: Drop Off Service
Happy hour: Monday-Friday 3pm-7pm | Saturday & Sunday 1pm-7pm
Address: 211 Avenue A, New York
Named after a laundromat that used to occupy the space, Before Drop Off is a dive bar serving the most affordable happy hour deals in the East Village. Offering $3 craft beers and $5 well drinks, you wouldn’t know about the deal without being told because the bar doesn’t have an online presence (the closest thing you’ll find is an instagram page).
From the ambiance and friendly staff to the great beer selection, this feels like a local’s joint through and through. We try to time our visit before the happy hour rush (which is usually after 5pm when people get off work), because the bar gets packed quickly (the happy hour prices are unbeatable).
A10 Kitchen
Website: A10 Kitchen
Happy hour: Tuesday-Friday 4pm-7pm | Saturday 1pm-7pm | Sunday 1pm-8pm
Address: 162 Avenue A, New York
From $13 burgers to $9 chicken wings, A10 is a prime destination for happy hour in the East Village for anyone eager to score a deal on a meal. Catering to the crowd, the restaurant serves great pub fare (the mac and cheese deserves a shout-out), which is half the draw, the drinks are equally impressive.
Libations include pitchers of margarita ($21), mojito ($23) and sangria ($30), or – if you’d prefer to shake things up — there’s a good selection of happy hour cocktails for $7-9. It’s rare to find a place that offers deals on food and drinks, don’t sleep on this spot.
Upstate Craft Beer & Oyster Bar
Website: Upstate Craft Beer & Oyster Bar
Happy hour: Daily from 5pm-7pm | Menu
Address: 95 1st Ave, New York
Seating less than 20 people at a time, Upstate Craft & Oyster Bar is one of my favorite spots for happy hour in the East Village. Sourcing everything from local producers, you won’t find a single freezer in the place (if it’s not fresh, it’s not on the menu).
The only constant at Upstate is great service and an impressive lineup of oysters. There’s more than a dozen options to choose from (east and west coast varieties). During happy hour, you can score half a dozen oysters and a beer for $12 (not a typo, just a super generous deal).
While the oysters are the draw, don’t sleep on the other menu items like the beer-steamed mussels and tantalizing fettuccine with clams. I’ve enjoyed several meals at Upstate and have yet to be disappointed, the seafood prices are some of the fairest in the city. This is one of my favorite spots in the neighborhood, highly recommend.
Bibi Wine Bar
Website: Bibi Wine Bar
Happy hour: Daily until 8pm | Menu
Address: 211 E 4th St, New York
Bibi is one of the most charming wine bars in New York City. A popular neighborhood haunt, the intimate wine bar teems with locals, especially during happy hour when $8 glasses and $28 bottles make it a prime destination for inexpensive date nights.
Pair your bottle (or glass) with a charcuterie board and linger for a little while. Bibi has a way of making the evening hours slip by without notice, which is perfect for those pesky first-date jitters. Visit on Mondays for $18 wine flights because there’s always something interesting to try.
Tile Bar
Website: Tile Bar
Happy hour: Monday-Thursday 5pm-8pm | Friday 4pm-8pm | Weekends 3pm-8pm
Address: 115 1st Ave, New York
Self-dubbed the best dive bar in the East Village, Tile Bar couldn’t be cozier, especially during the evening hours when it swells with locals. Charming the neighborhood for forty years, don’t expect instagram-worthy wallpaper or trendy cocktails, this is the place to go for cold beer, great vibes and some of the best happy hour in the East Village.
Offering $5 drinks (well cocktails and beer), Tile Bar is a great destination to pregame before embarking on your East Village jaunt. Visit often enough and you’ll be on a first-name basis with the bartender, it’s that kind of joint.
Ama Raw Bar
Website: Ama Raw Bar
Happy hour: Monday-Thursday 5-7pm | Friday-Sunday 3-6pm | Menu
Address: 190 Avenue B, New York
Ama Raw Bar is an Asian-inspired raw bar serving some of the best happy hour oyster deals in the East Village ($1.25 a pop!). As far as drinks go, you’ll find $11 cocktails (don’t sleep on the lychee martini) and a handful of beers and wine. There’s also $11 champagne, which is the perfect accompaniment to oysters in my book.
The Winslow
Website: The Winslow
Happy hour: Monday & Friday 4-7pm | Tuesday-Thursday 4-8pm | Saturday & Sunday 12-4pm | Menu
Address: 243 E 14th St, New York
Specializing in expertly-crafted gin cocktails, The Winslow is one of the few proper gin bars in New York City. Don’t just take my word for it, there’s more than 20 gin-forward cocktails on the menu. This is a great place to get your feet wet if you’re curious about the spirit.
As for happy hour, you’ll find a daily gin and tonic for $8, otherwise, opt for the tried-and-true $20 beer bucket (tecate or miller light) or $6 draught beer. Gin fanatic or not, there’s no denying The Winslow deserves a mention on this list of the best East Village happy hour deals.
The Belfry
Website: The Belfry
Happy hour: Monday to Friday 5-7pm | Menu
Address: 222 E 14th St, New York
The Belfry attracts locals with a subtle charm inherit to old places with brick-lined walls and well-worn wooden floors. The fact they host one of the East Village’s best happy hour deals is mere icing on the cake, with $2 off beer and wine alongside $10 espresso martinis and margaritas.
More impressive, bottles of wine are half-off during happy hour, making this a popular destination for groups. The Belfry is also known for their variety of pickleback shots, which aren’t part of the happy hour promo but are less than $10 a piece. Opt for the pickle martini if shooting back pickle juice instinctively tempts you to clutch your pearls.
Bar Veloce
Website: Bar Veloce
Happy hour: Daily from 4-7pm | Menu
Address: 175 2nd Ave, New York
Inspired by the popular wine bars in Italy, Bar Veloce is an ideal East Village happy hour spot to enjoy prosecco, rosato or red wine for $7 a glass before your dinner reservations kick in. Food doesn’t make an appearance on the happy hour menu, but the regular menu is full of tantalizing Italian appetizers.
Happy hour aside, Bar Veloce’s wine selection is stunning. Featuring reasonably-priced bottles of wine from Italy, the variety spans the gamut. My husband and I enjoy splitting a bottle with a group of friends while catching up over bruschetta and cheese boards, it’s always a great time.
Cooper’s Craft & Cocktails
Website: Cooper’s Craft & Cocktails
Happy hour: Weekdays 12-7pm
The skilled mixologists at Cooper’s Craft & Cocktails are dedicated to delivering a memorable drinking experience, ensuring each cocktail is crafted with precision and attention to detail. Every weekday from 12 to 7pm folks can enjoy select cocktails and beer for a fraction of the cost (as little as $7!).
The fun doesn’t stop with happy hour, every day brings a new special. Here’s what you’ll find:
- Mezcal Mondays
- Taco & Tequila Tuesday
- Old-Fashioned Wednesdays
- Tiny Tini Thursdays
Jose Luis
Website: Jose Luis
Happy hour: Sunday to Friday 4-7pm | Menu
Address: 186 Avenue B, New York
Specializing in knock-out tapas every day of the week, Jose Luis’s generous East Village happy hour menu takes things a step further with $5 drinks and half-priced tapas. I’m partial to the grilled octopus and patatas bravas. Ask to be seated in the outdoor patio for the liveliest vibes.
East Village Happy Hour Deals (Post Summary)
- A10 Kitchen
- Jose Luis
- Drop Off Service
- Upstate Craft Beer & Oyster Bar
- The Winslow
- Ama Raw Bar
- Bibi
- Tile Bar
- Bar Veloce
- Cooper’s Craft & Cocktails
- The Belfry
Best Happy Hour East Village (Map)
Further Reading for the East Village
Where to Eat in the East Village: 20 Memorable East Village Restaurants (Foodie’s Guide)
Happy Bars in the East Village: 12 Exciting Bars in the East Village (You Won’t Soon Forget)
East Village Bakeries: 10 Top-Notch Bakeries in the East Village
Best Bars in the East Village: 15 Exciting Bars in the East Village (You Won’t Soon Forget)
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And there it is, a quick roundup of the best happy hour in the East Village. Cheers!
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