Charles Hanson’s 169 Soul Jazz Oyster Bar
“A leopard print pool table and strands of mini lanterns dangling from the ceiling add to this hipster environment.”
“The dumplings and the mac 'n cheese were quite delicious (I sometimes secretly wish I could just call and order from their menu).”
“I heart your emptiness on Sunday afternoons and your PBR + shot for $3 and your proximity to Chinatown and my house.”
Charles Hanson’s 169 Soul Jazz Oyster Bar
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Has Pool Table: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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If you come here while waiting for a table at Mission Chinese, as I did, you're doing it wrong. 169 should be the point of your night. I was expecting a generic dive-bar experience but this is far from it. The mermaid, the dinosaur, the aqua aesthetics…be ready for an over-the-top vibe and don't fight it. You need to get a table and get to texting your (cheap) drink orders and enjoy.
This place is crazy inside. It is a total dive. A friend of mine who is from White Plains brought me here and I ordered Prosecco and then a Dark and Stormy. They use Square to process credit card payments. There is a small stage where people can get up and do Karaoke. The décor looks a bit like Dia De Los Muertos inside. There is a lot of odd knick knacks in here, and it reminds me so much of Jimmy Valentine's Lonely Hearts Club. With all the lights on the place is probably dusty and the bathrooms are gross to say the least. But I do appreciate the selection of music playing, I heard quite a lot of funky tunes.
It's not worth waiting in line outside for, but if you find yourself here and there's no wait come on by and check it out.
It can get super crowded inside as it's so narrow. A lot of jostling and Excuse Me-ing.
The clientele can get kind of annoying as they think this is the hippest, trendiest spot in all of NYC.
I'm not sure who said drinks are cheap. A well whiskey and soda (which by the way they served me coke instead of seltzer) and a tap beer came to $15 with tip. That's not exactly cheap.
There's an 8 foot white dude with dreads that belligerently runs into people. I'm not sure if that's a kitschy nightly staple or just something that happens whenever I'm here.
Music is real good. Was live the last time I was here.
The po boys are real good, too. The ordering by text on your phone is great. Also closing tabs is very easy with the mobile phone square swiper. More bars need to adopt that.
So overall it can be fun if it's not too crowded, you got some money to spend, and a tolerance for other people who think that they're the greatest thing in New York. Not really worth traveling for.
Perhaps one of the best things going for 169 Bar is the ability to text your order from your table. If you've yet to try it, you're seriously missing out.
Great I went to beer and shot specials and they have an amazing Cajun food menu staff is really friendly gets crowded early
This bar has been around the neighborhood for as long as I can remember. As everyone has stated this is a divey bar, nothing fancy, serves you alcohol.
The decor is not for everyone, it's a bit of a hodgepodge of items that gives the bar its character. I'm not a huge fan of the neon color lights, maybe I was not in the mood but they gave me a slight headache.
The alcohol is affordable and you can get more for your money here than a lot of other places nearby.
If you're looking for something simple for you and your friends make sure to stop by. The crowd is super laid back and everyone is really friendly.
My one critique is the bathroom cleanliness, but that seems to be the down fall of many establishments.
It's hard to describe 169 accurately. Calling it a dive bar doesn't do justice to the decor, relative cleanliness, cocktails and the fact that they shuck oysters.
Sure, there are still divey elements – like sticky tables, broken beer taps, and gaudy signs on the wall. They try really hard to nail the NOLA experience.
In terms of beers, they don't charge dive prices ($7 for a Six Point can? Come on, guys…). But they also have a cocktail menu. I couldn't go without trying the "169 Famous Bloody Mary". It was pretty damn good. Never thought pickled okra in a cocktail would make sense, but it does. Ours were missing the rimmed glass though, but can't place too much fault as the bar was pretty full.
Get there early if you want a seat. Otherwise, there's awkward standing room only because the area behind the bar stools is pretty tight.
Like I mentioned, there's an oyster corner listing the day's specials. Not too bad in terms of prices ($20 for a dozen). Went with the Kumamoto's and the Beau Soleil's. Not the greatest, but miles better than Blue Points.
I'm told some wild stuff goes on after hours, but what happens in 169…
an incredibly cheap and effective bar…so much so i spent a good $100 there last night. just diana and i, ordering everything to our fancy – coconut shrimp, $6, oysters, 3 for $5, artichoke in garlic butter sauce, $6, pulled pork mac, $7 – in between the usual suspects for a monday night – woodford reserve, well tequilas, hot sauce and pbr. the funny thing is, its not like the food is all that good. if you ate this shit outside, at a restaurant or something, you probably would feel critical. but then ur in a bar. so you cant judge things the same way. and aside from being bitchy in yelp reviews, when you live in the moment, shit comes in waves. im hungry. im thirsty. i need to go to the bathroom. and this place makes all those bar-going problems easy. food till 4, cheap booze and no line for the bathroom and after a few too many for your bladder, you head over to that ultra tagged bathroom, wash ur hands with soap thats in a sirarcha bottle. pop back out between the people pounding shots and looking generally seedy, sit down in the retro aqua marine disco ball bar, complete with its french star trek vhs's playing in the background, and ur in a blast from the past. the food, i means its not a fucking restaurant but as far as bar food its a dream, a welcome departure from the $14 buffalo wings they serve everywhichfuckplaceelse. ill be back and ill definitely be talking this weird place up.