Choose your location
Sun / Jan 24
Choose a neighborhood
The Lower East Side has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a mostly poor immigrant neighborhood and New York’s center of Jewish culture. While a slew of synagogues and historic Jewish sites remain, the neighborhood is now known more for its edgy shops and uproarious nightlife.
By day, the winding streets are full of gritty, successful artists and trendy shoppers alike checking out the offerings at the many artisanal restaurants, vegan bakeries, and delis or browsing for deals at the numerous vintage stores on Orchard and Ludlow.
But at night, some of the loudest, craziest, wildest, and most drunken bars in Manhattan spring to life in the Lower East Side, drawing crowds of edgy punks and rocker-chic girls to the myriad venues crammed into a five-block radius, where partiers might witness the next White Stripes or hottest international DJ.
Although live music blasts out of jam-packed indie haunts late into the night, the crowds don’t go home once the set ends – they just move on to the all-night booze and dance fests at the bars along Stanton and Broome Streets.
The Lower East Side may have roots as a poor ethnic enclave, but the only remaining vestige of its past is the melting pot of partiers looking to drink until dawn.
20s / 30s / Artists / Button-downs
Party Earth Review Obviously taking its name from its cramped digs, The Skinny is a long and narrow neighborhood bar that attracts one of the quirkiest crowds in town. From sporty young professionals ... more
174 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002
30s / Bar / Bar Food / Burgers / DJ
Party Earth Review A staple of Lower East Side nightlife, Pianos hosts a steady lineup of up-and-coming indie artists that keeps its diverse clientele coming back again and again. The main bar sports ... more
158 Ludlow Street
New York, NY 10002
20s / 30s / Bar / Bottle Service / DJ
Party Earth Review A bi-level mix of upscale nightclub and rocking live music venue, the versatile Fat Baby caters to a diverse uptown/downtown clientele. Club-savvy hipsters, young, rebellious socialites ... more
112 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002
20s / 30s / Alternative / Artists / DJ
Party Earth Review Downtown scenesters looking to get away from the finance crowd may want to check out GalleryBar, a bi-level gallery and hangout that effortlessly blends seedy nightlife and artsy culture ... more
120 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002
20s / 30s / Artists / Classic Rock
Party Earth Review Founded by the same people who created the downtown super-dive Welcome To The Johnsons, Sweet Paradise Lounge is another small and shadowy dive bar with a loyal following of rockers ... more
14 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002
20s / 30s / Affluent Hipsters / Bar
Party Earth Review The Delancey provides hipsters and hops chasers with a three-floor hang that features a gritty rock venue, an intimate night club, and a rooftop bar with breathtaking views of the Williamsburg ... more
168 Delancey Street
New York, NY 10002
Ambient / Artists / Bar / Chic / Chill
Party Earth Review Secreted behind an art gallery and directly above sister establishment Home Sweet Home, Fig. 19 is a small speakeasy with big-time exclusivity. Patrons won’t find velvet ropes, however ... more
131½ Chrystie Street
New York, NY 10002
20s / Alternative Music / DJ / EDM
Party Earth Review From its secret location to its art deco décor to the camouflaged drinks, the Back Room takes the speakeasy theme seriously – and literally too. Once past a tattered sign for the fictitious ... more
102 Norfolk Street
New York, NY 10002
30s / 80s Music / Artists / DJ / Dance
Party Earth Review There’s no beating around the bush when it comes to getting into Above Allen – patrons either have the look or they don’t. Those who do make it past the double doormen will find themselves ... more
Thompson Hotel, 190 Allen Street
New York, NY 10002
Artists / Baseball Caps / Beer
Party Earth Review Lovers of whiskey and Old West-themed bars have struck gold at The Whiskey Ward, a Lower East Side dive that takes its extensive drinks menu very seriously. A pool table and a jukebox ... more
121 Essex Street
New York, NY 10002
Budget-friendly / Casual / Jeans
Reviewed by Ivy K.
"My take: The Boil, serving Cajun/Creole cuisine, is a tiny seafood haven located in the Lower East Side. After waiting and starving for almost an hou ..." more
139 Chrystie Street
New York, NY 10002
20s / Artists / Balcony / Bar / Casual
Party Earth Review A Lower East Side live music venue with a darkly sleek motif, Tammany Hall hosts some of the city’s coolest events, catering to crowds who like to straddle the line from modern to down ... more
152 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002