East Village Social
“Great prices for great, simple, and delicious food (the mason o' bacon is literally a mason jar filled with bacon).”
“They have my favorite ginger beer (Crabbie's) and my friend ordered their pulled pork sandwich which was delicious.”
“Kitchen is open until 4 am and it puts out some great food, the Sangria is some of the best in the neighborhood.”
East Village Social
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Was walking down the street on a Friday and decided to go in because it seemed busy and like everyone was having fun. All of the drinks they serve are in mason jars, which are cute. Since the weather is nice, they have the front windows open and you can sit on stools near the windows. I had a moscow mule and it was good, but kind of watered down. The crowd here is also nice and not too rowdy!
After years of frequenting Hop Devil Grill and The Belgian Room (may they both R.I.P.), I recently made my way to EVS across the street on a late Saturday night, and after hanging out there, I'm a bit dismayed that I didn't come sooner. I like a good dive bar, and EVS is one of the better dives that I've been to in all of Manhattan, in my opinion. And for a dive bar, it's really not all that grimy, which was a pretty big surprise to me. It's very dimly lit inside, so be careful about running into tables or chairs. The place isn't very big, so I would limit the group sizes to 6 or less. It wasn't terribly crowded when we got there, but it did seem like it was about to fill up quickly at any given time.
During the summer they open the windows, and it's nice to enjoy your drinks in the open space. Sometimes, people smoke outside, but all you have to do is politely ask them to move away from the window, and they'll usually oblige. Also, I was a big fan of all the old school tunes from 50's and 60's they were playing. And not just stuff like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" or "Build Me Up Buttercup"; they were playing the lesser-known songs too. They also mixed in some Adele and Amy Winehouse too, which I'll allow because it didn't seem to out of place with the rest of the playlist, ha. Also, randomly, outside on the benches, there was a a very sultry-looking psychic offering to read palms for $5. She was generally unoccupied the entire night, but managed to snag the occasional intoxicated passer-by.
Bartenders were pretty attentive and friendly, and pretty quick about mixing the drinks. Everything comes in a mason jar (even cocktails), because, you know, New York. I've never tried the food before, but the dishes coming out looked good and the kitchen is open until 4AM, which is good for those late-night eaters. Prices are pretty decent for a dive bar, and they definitely know how to make a strong drink, so don't worry about the value.
I'll definitely be back, and I can see EVS being one of my go-to spots in the area for drinks with friends or even on a (second or third) date.
This place is small, and wasn't too crowded on a Monday night. We hopped up on the seats by the windows for some excellent people watching and so I could charge my phone (I love when bars have charging stations!)
We got here at 7:59pm and took advantage of the happy hour ($20 bottle of wine), so I can't speak to the drinks here, but this was a nice place to spend an hour before dinner.
There was a band that started around 8:15, they were very good. Once the band started, though, I think there was a cover. Not sure how much it is.
It's a wonderful thing when entering a business with low expectations and leaving with the ultimate satisfaction. That essentially outlines every experience I've had with East Village Social, quite literally. And while I'd consider EVS somewhat underrated in this stretch of St Marks, it has never the less become an old reliable for me whenever I'm in the East Village.
I'm not sure if it's dumb luck or just good timing, but whenever I'm here it's almost never too crowded. This is a blessing when nearby Bua (yelp.com/biz/bua-new-york) is packed to the gills and across the street Crif Dogs (yelp.com/biz/crif-dogs-n…) has a massive line of people trying to get into PDT (yelp.com/biz/please-dont…) or just score a souped up hot dog. I wouldn't ever recommend bringing a large group here on a weekend but any weeknight should be fine.
The bar itself is small, quaint for a place that has a divey feel but a pseudo hollywood theme throughout. There is a decent line of beer taps and typically one bartender running the show. Mixed drinks seem to be on the weaker side, so don't be afraid to ask for a heavy pour. It will make a difference in the end. It might have something to do with the super affordable prices, but that would be no bueno. Build rapport with the staff and the drinks will get better in time.
I wasn't all that hip to their tiny kitchen with a cook that kept shuffling in and out of their not-so-clean solo bathroom. One could watch everything from the counter but I keep turning a blind eye in hopes of not getting grossed out. It seems to have worked because everything I've had here food wise was surprisingly decent from the stacked poutine to the tasty chicken fingers. I've even had a decent salad and sandwich here, which is more than I can say about some of the other nearby spots on the street.
And if there was an ideal time, it would be the daytime. Sure the night hour is where it's at, but there is something especially relaxing about taking in a cocktail, enjoying the daytime breeze and people watching along St. Marks.
This bar is very cute. The atmosphere itself is enough to bring me in. However, there isn't that much seating, and the seating that is there (at the bar) is not comfortable at all. They seem to use re-purposed tractor seats? At any rate, my bottom was in pain for the next 36 hours. I haven't tried the food, but it did smell heavenly and I hope to try it sometime soon. It can be overly crowded and hard to get a drink on popular nights, but definitely a place to add to a list of EV bar hopping.
I'm glad I was invited to East Village Social for a couple of drinks and live music! It's such a great place. I lost my jacket there though.
I called the next day and Kobie, the bartender, said he found it and would keep it behind the bar for me to pick up. I was so happy. Kobie is super nice and I ended up having a drink at the bar and hanging out for a bit. The food coming out of the kitchen looked and smelled amazing, but I had a ton of Thanksgiving leftovers and an open bottle of wine I had to get back to at home so I didn't end up ordering anything. I def. want to come back and try the smores skillet though!
I'm starting to really like this place! Happy hour seems like forever, drinks are good, and the vibe is relaxed yet lively at the same time.
It's cute and slightly rustic inside, with wood decor and christmas lights strung from the ceiling, and they play cool, mostly 90s throw back rock music.
The bartenders are also always friendly 🙂
Great vibes all around. Small spot, very intimate. Good live music. Perfect for a couple of drinks. Decent food. Will be back.