east village nyc walking tour

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Things to Do in the East Village

This post is about things to do in the East Village, including free and nighttime activities, as well as where to eat, shop, and see art. 

The East Village is a great area to visit and is largely known for its history of immigration in NYC.

But, it's also famous for its vibrant food scene, vintage stores, street art, innovative theater, quirky museums, and unique public gardens.

And, as local tour guides, we have the honor to take visitors through the East Village on some of our daily walking tours.

Some of us live here or have lived here, so we know a thing or two about the area.

And, in the video below, local guide Tom takes you on a humorous virtual walking tour of the East Village.

So, without further ado, let's get on with the post.

• Things to See and Do
• Plan Your Visit
• Places to Eat
• Things to Do in NYC
• Where to Stay in NYC

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

1. Experience Three Centuries of History 

Discover New York’s Dutch roots at St. Mark’s in the Bowery Episcopal Church, built in 1799.

Walk past the  DeutscheAmerikanische Schützen Gesellschaft clubhouse, which was built in 1888, when the East Village was known as KleinDeutschland (Little Germany).

Visit the former site of CBGBs, the club where punk rock was born in the 1970s.

Go shopping at Trash and Vaudeville where the Ramones, Blondie, and punk bands bought their clothes.

Whether you are interested in New York City's pre-20th Century history or its punk rock era, the East Village is for you.

For the punk rockers, check out the  Rock Junket’s Rock and Roll Tour  or take a free tour of the neighborhood by Free and Funky Tours (runs daily).

For the history buffs, take a look at our  self-guided tour below .  

2. See Street Art  

Murals can be seen all over the East Village.

The most famous location is the wall on the corner of Houston St. and Bowery. 

In 1982, legendary artist Keith Haring painted his first iconic large-scale mural. 

You can also walk the Mosaic Trail , a unique and well-known series of street lamp posts decorated with bits of broken china, tile, and mirror shards, all found for free.

TIP: If you love street art, take a look at our post on the best places to see street art in NYC  or check out our Lower Manhattan street art and graffiti tours , which take place near the East Village.

3. Check Out the Food Scene

The East Village is known for its wide range of cuisines that reflect the ethnic diversity of NYC.

Prices can be unbelievably cheap too! (See our restaurant section below .)

At various times throughout the year, we offer a pay-what-you-wish East Village Food Tour .

This is ideal if you want a taste of what the East Village offers.

Check our calendar to see if the tour is running while you are in New York City. 

Another option is to check out Food on Foot Tours.

They offer two different food tours of the East Village. Their tours cost around $50 and sample a wide variety of cuisines.

This company's tours are included for free for holders of a New York Pass , one of the many tourist passes. 

For an in-depth look at the cultural and political history of the East Village, check out  Free and Funk Tours' East Village Tour .

4. See Innovative Theater

• Blue Man Group  

At the Astor Theater since 1991, this off-Broadway performance troupe has been entertaining audiences of all ages.

Tickets are very affordable as well. 

The Public Theater

The Public stages a wide variety of top-notch performances by cutting-edge playwrights. 

The Public is also the sponsor of New York’s annual  Shakespeare in the Park which is a must-do activity in  the summer in NYC .

• Theater for the New City  

Theater for the New City (TNC) was founded in 1971 and is one of NYC’s top Off-Off-Broadway theaters.

Their Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts is held every May.

Find out more from our post on things to do in May in NYC .

TIP: Find out about concessionary tickets from our post on how to get cheap Broadway tickets .

5. Go to a Museum

Museum of the American Gangster

80 St. Marks Place. This space once housed a ‘speakeasy’ (an illegal bar during the Prohibition era) and local gangsters Al Capone and Lucky Luciano drank here. 

Groupon sometimes has promo specials for the museum.

Merchant's House Museum  

29 E. 4th St. Built in 1832, this elegant red-brick and white-marble row house was lived in by the same family for almost 100 years. 

Ukrainian Museum

222 East 6th Street. Opened in 1976, it is considered the largest museum in the U.S. that exhibits and preserves artifacts and art of Ukrainian heritage.

6. Community Gardens and Parks 

The East Village is known for its community gardening movement that began in the 1970s when the neighborhood was undesirable to live in. 

Locals turned these lots into makeshift gardens. This was an illegal use of private land but activists fought and won the right to use this land as community property.

Today, there are 39 legal community gardens in the East Village.

One of our favorites is the Creative Little Garden on 6th Street between Avenues A and B.

The largest green space in the East Village is Tompkins Square Park . It’s an entire block wide and three blocks long. 

There’s a big playground inside, as well as basketball courts, a dog run, and plenty of benches.

Walk to the eastern edge of the East Village to the East River Park .

See our self-guided tour below for more details.

7. Explore Little Ukraine

The area of the East Village between 6th and 7th Street between 1st and 3rd Avenues is known as Little Ukraine because of the large number of Ukrainian immigrants who settled here after World War II.

Though the Ukrainian population has dwindled, you can still find remnants of the Ukrainian presence in the collection of folk art at the Ukrainian Museum .

Be sure to try  pierogi at Veselka , an East Village icon!

8. People-watch on St. Marks Place

The three-block stretch of East 8th Street between 3rd Avenue and Avenue A is also named St. Marks Place ( map ).  

Its energy is undeniable.

There is a buzz here 24 hours a day. This makes it ideal for people-watching, a favorite pastime of locals. 

Here you can find cheap, but very good restaurants, CD and even record shops, sidewalk vendors selling funky jewelry, rock and roll T-shirts, crazy wigs and so much more. 

9. Have a Drink at a Speakeasy, Pub or Dive Bar

With dozens and dozens of watering holes in the neighborhood, it is hard to pick out the best bars in the East Village.

Here are the top spots by type of atmosphere.

• Zum Schneider
• Burp Castle

Speakeasy/Cocktail Lounges

• Please Don't Tell
• Angel's Share
• The Ready Rooftop Bar
• 7B  (aka Horseshoe Bar) 

If you prefer to have someone guide you to the best spots, there are plenty of great pub crawls and cocktail tours in NYC.

10. Shop for Vintage Clothes 

No other neighborhood comes close to the quantity and quality of the vintage, thrift, and designer consignment shops. 

Here are some of the best vintage shops:

• No Relation Vintage - 204 1st Ave
• Cure Thrift - 111 E. 12th St.
• East Village Thrift Store - 186 2nd Ave
• AuH2O - 84 E. 7th St
• Buffalo Exchange - 332 E 11th St

For vintage shopping aficionados, you can take this highly-rated  vintage shopping tour !

For a list of other types of one-of-a-kind shops, see below .

PLAN YOUR VISIT

The East Village is known for its edgy vibe, vibrant nightlife, inexpensive delicious food, and unique shopping. 

For history lovers, there is a lot to see in the East Village.

If you do decide to check out this neighborhood like no other in NYC, here’s our guide to the East Village

How To Get Here

The East Village is located within the greater Lower Manhattan District.

It is surrounded by Greenwich Village to its west, the Lower East Side to its south, the East River to its east, and Midtown Manhattan to its north.

Regardless of how you get here, we recommend using this Google Maps link to get directions to the East Village .

Multiple subway lines take you to different parts of the East Village. 

• 6 train to Bleecker Street Station or Astor Place on the western boundary
• N or R trains to 8th Street - NYU Station
• F train to 2nd Avenue
• L train to 1st Avenue 

Take a look at our posts on the subway for helpful tips:

• Navigating the Subway System
• Which MetroCard to Buy

How Much Time To Spend Here

To get a feel for the East Village, including sampling some great (and inexpensive) food, check out some unique shops, and do some people-watching, give yourself about 3 hours.  

If you want to enjoy a sit-down meal instead of snacking, set aside 4-5 hours. 

Add in another 2 hours if you want to see live music, attend a slam poetry reading, or see a performance.

Sample East Village Itinerary 

• It is best to visit midday as the neighborhood is less active in the morning. 
• Start at Astor Place and use our self-guided tour or explore as you like.
• Stop for a bite at one of the restaurants recommended below then continue with the self-guided tour if you wish. 
• Along your way, do some shopping or relax in Tompkins Square Park or a community garden 
• For those who like a good drink, enjoy great savings during “ Happy Hour ” (usually between 4 pm and 7 pm) in one of the many bars in the East Village.
• For an evening out, you can have a sit-down meal or grab a snack then enjoy a comedy show or theater performance .

Nearby Neighborhoods

When you are done visiting the East Village, you can walk west to Greenwich Village or north to Union Square and Gramercy Park . 

For more of the East Village vibe, but a bit more laid back, head south to the Lower East Side .

From there, continue south to Chinatown for a total change of pace and great, cheap food!

RESTAURANTS 

It is quite a task to choose from among the hundreds of dining options in the neighborhood.

Not only is the food quite inexpensive, but ethnic diversity is also unbeatable. 

Rather than recommend by price point, we have chosen the best of the many cuisines you can find here. 

Note that all these restaurants are kid-friendly for children who like a variety of flavors.

Price range: $5-$20 per person . 

• Japanese Ramen Ippudo   
• Jewish Food B & H Dairy (Open since 1938!)
• Ukrainian Veselka
• Moroccan  Café Mogador
• Thai  Somtum Der
• Vietnamese Madame Vo
• Hot Dogs Crif Dogs
• Chinese  Hunan Slurp
• Vegetarian  Superiority Burger
• Indian Malai Marke or any of the restaurants in “Little India” on  E. 6th Street between 1st and 2nd Aves
• Late-Night Snacks - Ray’s Candy Store

These restaurants will cost a bit more, between $20-40 per person . They are well worth the cost.

• Deli  Katz's Deli
• Italian  Franks
• Sushi  Hasaki  
• Pizza  Johns of 12th Street  
• Venieros Pastry
• Van Leeuwen Ice Cream  
• Public Theater

  Live Music

• DROM Live performance of diverse bands playing rock, jazz, electronica, hip-hop, and world music.
• Parkside Lounge Eclectic array of live music including acoustic and electric performances. 
• Rockwood Music Hall 3 stages seven days per week
• Webster Hall

Performances and Readings

• The Red Room at KGB Bar    
• Nuyorican Poets Cafe   

Comedy 

• New York Comedy Club   
• Laughing Buddha  
• Anthology Film Archives
• Angelika Film Center

The East Village is known for its unique shops:

Strand Book Store

This is one of NY's most legendary bookstores.

The Strand sells new books at concessionary prices, used books at a bargain, and rare books for reasonable prices.

Toy Tokyo  

A small shop jam-packed with anime figures, collectibles & art toys.  

Obscura Antiques & Oddities

A quirky store with curiosities like skulls & taxidermied animals.

A-1 Record Shop

The East Village was for decades a mecca of vinyl record stores. Many have closed over the years, but some great ones, like this one, remain.

SELF-GUIDED TOUR OF THE EAST VILLAGE

This tour starts at Astor Place. Use this Google map link  for directions . 

This map is interactive. Click on the square icon on the top right of the map to open to a larger view.

A - Astor Place 

This short two-block street, running east from Broadway to Lafayette Street is named after John Jacob Astor, who was the richest person in America when he died in 1848.

At this intersection is a large pedestrian triangle called Alamo Plaza named after artist Tony Rosenthal’s 1967 sculpture “Alamo”, a massive eight-foot-square steel cube painted solid black.

The Alamo is more fondly known by locals as The Cube and is a popular meeting place.

Stop B - Astor Place Theater and Colonnade Row

Home to the Blue Man Group performance troupe, the Astor Theater is located in what were once the private homes of some of New York City’s wealthiest families, like the Astors and the Vanderbilts back in the 1830s. 

Originally there were nine Greek Revival mansions known as Colonnade Row.

Of the nine buildings, only these four remain and were among the first buildings to gain landmark status in 1965 under the city’s newly created Landmark Preservation laws.

Stop C - The Mosaic Trail 

Throughout the streets of the East Village, you will see street lamp posts decorated with bits of broken china and tile, mirror shards, and any other colorful free materials that the “Mosaic Man” could find.

These lamp posts are the markers of the Mosaic Trail. ( Here’s a map of most of the lampposts ).

Since the late 1980s, Jim Power, a Vietnam War veteran (nicknamed Mosaic Man by The Village Voice newspaper), has been creating these whimsical mosaics without any financial support other than donations of items to decorate the poles.

Many of them commemorate important events in New York history or people from the neighborhood.

At first, he was a target of the city’s Anti-Graffiti Task Force, but now he is allowed to work his magic with official city permission.

Stop D - Cooper Union at Cooper Square and Astor Place

This highly prestigious and competitive private college was founded in 1859 by industrialist/philanthropist Peter Cooper, who believed that a good education should be available to everyone regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, or social/economic status.

He mandated that the school would always be tuition-free and it wasn't until 2015 that a financial fiasco caused the school to lose its massive endowments and Cooper Union now charges $40,000 a year.

The building is most famous for the prominent individuals who have spoken there. In 1860, the then-presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln gave his famous "Right Makes Might" anti-slavery speech.

More recently, President Barack Obama spoke there in 2010.

Stop E - McSorley's Old Ale House  15 E. 7th St. bet. Bowery and 2nd Ave

McSorley's is one of the oldest alehouses in New York, opened in 1854. This bar is included in our Self-Guided Historic New York City Bar Tour .

McSorley’s has served up its home-brewed ale to notables Abraham Lincoln, Babe Ruth, and Theodore Roosevelt.

The décor – from sawdust on the floor to the long wooden bar that serves only beer – is like a time capsule.

Whether or not you order a pint of beer, step inside to see the hundreds of photos and memorabilia on the wall.

Stop F - German-American Shooting Society Clubhouse  12 St. Marks Place bet. 3rd and 2nd Aves.

At the time the DeutscheAmerikanische Schützen Gesellschaft clubhouse was built in 1888, the East Village had a huge German immigrant population and the neighborhood was known as KleinDeutschland (Little Germany).

This building is one of a handful of reminders that the area was once primarily German-speaking.

Look up at the façade of the building to see the engraving that reads “ Einigkeit Macht Stark” (“Unity provides strength”).

Stop G - Hamilton-Holly House 4 St. Marks Place bet. 3rd and 2nd Aves.

Named for Alexander Hamilton’s widow who lived there in the 1830s, this mid-19th century Federal-style building is an elegant standout on what was once one of the city’s fashionable upper-class streets.

Stop H - Ottendorfer Library  2nd Ave bet. St. Marks Place and 9th St

Founded in 1884, Oswald Ottendorfer, editor of a widely read German-American journal, helped create one of New York City’s first free libraries.

Ottendorfer wanted to help German immigrants assimilate into American society with access to reading materials.

Next door is the Die Deutsche Poliklinik (German Dispensary), financed by Oswald’s wife, Anna Ottendorfer, to provide poor German Americans with free healthcare.

Stop I - Fillmore East  102 2nd Ave bet. 6th and 7th Sts.

From 1968 to 1971, the ground floor of this building (now a bank) was the Fillmore East, the East Coast counterpart to hippie/music promoter Bill Graham’s Fillmore in San Francisco.

Though only opened for four years, dozens of the best musicians and bands of the 1960s and early 1970s appeared on its stage including Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner, The Doors, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Chuck Berry, Miles Davis and so many more musical legends.

Stop J - George and Ira Gershwin's Home 91 2nd Ave bet 5th and 6th Sts.

This was the childhood home of these brothers, two of the greatest song composers of all time.

Their individual and collaborative pieces include the overtures Rhapsody in Blue , Strike up the Band , and the musical Porgy and Bess . (image to the right)

Stop K - New Middle Collegiate Church 112 2nd Ave bet. 6th and 7th Sts. 

The congregation was founded in 1628 and is one of the oldest continuous Protestant congregations in North America.

The church was built in 1891 and is known for its Tiffany stained-glass windows.

Stop L - Yiddish Theater Walk of Fame  corner of 2nd Ave and 10th St.

In the 1880s to the 1920s 2nd Avenue between 10th Street and Houston Street was known as the ‘Yiddish Rialto’ because of the nearly two dozen theaters that put on dramatic plays, operettas, and comedies performed in Yiddish.

Yiddish Theater was enormously popular in the East Village and many of the performers went on to have successful careers outside the Yiddish Theater.

The Walk of Fame, which are plaques placed on the sidewalk, commemorates some of the most beloved Yiddish Theater.

Embedded in the sidewalk are plaques with the names of the great Yiddish theater performers including Fyvush Finkel, known for his role in the TV series Picket Fences .

Stop M - St. Marks on the Bowery 131 E 10th St.

This is one of the oldest sites of continuous worship in the city, built in 1799 on the Stuyvesant estate.

Peter Stuyvesant was the last Dutch colonial governor of New Amsterdam before the British took control of the colony and renamed it the City of New York.

Stuyvesant is entombed in the church’s graveyard.

The church itself shares space with several arts organizations, including Danspace and the Poetry Project known for its Annual New Year’s Day Marathon Reading -- 24 hours of poetry readings by such luminaries as Eric Bogosian, John Cage, Yoko Ono, Amiri Baraka, Patti Smith, and Philip Glass.

Stop N - Tompkins Square Park Ave A to Ave B and E. 7th St. to E.10th St. 

The heart of the East Village, this park is named for Daniel D. Tompkins, once Governor of New York (1807-1817).

This piece of land was part of the massive Stuyvesant estate during the 17th century.

By the 19th century, Tompkins had purchased the land and it was marked for development as a public square.

The Square was the site of two serious New York City protests, in 1857 and again in 1875, over the bad economy and lack of jobs.

In 1878, the square was landscaped into a park that was enjoyed by the primarily German residents of KleinDeutschland .

By the 1980s the East Village had become a dangerous neighborhood and the park was a safe haven for the homeless who would sleep in the park in a small make-shift community.

At the same time, the area was becoming gentrified and the radical, open-minded spirit of the East Village was being replaced by greed and high rents.

On July 31, 1988, the police suddenly and unexpectedly enforced the park’s 1 a.m. curfew, essentially telling locals, homeless or not, ‘get out of your park now’.

A week later a protest was held against the gentrification of the neighborhood.

Clashes between protestors and the police became two days of rioting, with the police being blamed by newspapers, activists, and local politicians, for the escalation of violence.

Over 100 complaints of police brutality were filed.

The Tompkins Square Park Riot has been commemorated in a scene in the musical Rent and a song by famed musician Lou Reed.

Stop O - Charlie Parker’s house 151 Ave B bet. 10th and 9th St.

Legendary jazz saxophonist lived with his family in this landmark brownstone from 1950 to 1954.

It was here that he composed some of his most influential works.

Stop P - Former site of CBGBs (John Varvatos shop) 315 Bowery bet. 1st and 2nd St.

At this location in 1974, a live music venue opened and it was called Country Bluegrass Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers .

This became known by the now-famous acronym CBGB and OMFUG .

CBGBs is the birthplace of punk rock, at least in the United States.

It all started with The Ramones, a group of long-haired, leather-clad guys from Forest Hills, Queens.

Other bands that got their start at CBGBs are Blondie, the Talking Heads, The Police, Patti Smith, and dozens of other punk/new wave bands.

By the 1990s, the neighborhood had become gentrified with new luxury boutique hotels and restaurants.

Rents sky-rocketed and CBGBs weren’t turning a profit.

It was forced to close in 2006. The site is now a John Varvatos menswear boutique.

Knowing that the site would be a shrine to CBGBs, the store covered its walls with original memorabilia, posters, and albums of the bands that performed at the club.

Step inside the shop, they are very welcoming to people who want to say they stood on sacred ground.

Just for fun, here’s a  video of Blondie performing at CBGBs in 1977 .

RELATED POSTS:

• Things to Do in Greenwich Village
• Things to Do in the Lower East Side

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The 15 Best Things To Do in the East Village NYC

Originally part of the Lower East Side, New York’s East Village, through its multi-cultural influences and being considered as the birthplace of punk, developed into its own exciting personal identity in the 1960s, thus forming its own neighborhood in the so-called “Village” of New York City. This guide will cover the best things to do in the East Village.

You'll also love this:

• The Best Bars in the East Village NYC
• The Best Restaurants in the East Village NYC
• The Best Things to Do in Downtown Manhattan

Musicians and artists flocked to East Village back in the day and populated the area. Once you step into the neighborhood, you just get this gritty rockstar vibe. It’s pretty much a miniature Williamsburg in Manhattan and also very similar to the Lower East Side. In the early eighties, the art galleries in the East Village were one of the first to feature exhibitions by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. With its very own personality, East Village is a neighborhood worth checking out.

By the way: you’ll find many more New York City spots in our Loving New York travel guides !

Table of Contents

My TOP 5 Things to Do in the East Village

• St. Mark’s Place   – From the fifties to the seventies, St. Mark’s Place was the home of various artists and musicians. Today, it is mainly filled with bars, restaurants, and stores, but you still feel the creative and edgy vibe. (Address: St. Marks Pl and 2nd Ave, Subway R W 8th Street NYU and Subway 6 Astor Place)
• Astor Place  – Cooper Union is located in this area. Many art schools and architectural offices are also found here. Abraham Lincoln held his famous Cooper Union speech in February 1860. (Subway R W 8th Street NYU and Subway 6 Astor Place)
• Proletariat –  Inconspicuous, but our insider highlight among the bars in the area. (Address: 102 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009, Subway  R W 8th Street NYU and Subway 6 Astor Place)
• McSorley’s Old Ale House –  The city’s oldest pub is another pub that we recommend and a true New York establishment. (Address: 15 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003, Subway  R W 8th Street NYU and Subway 6 Astor Place)
• Strand Book Store   – For the bookworms out there, make sure to check out this place which is one of the largest used bookstores in the world. (Adress: 828 Broadway, New York, NY 10003, Subway  R W 8th Street NYU, Subway N Q R W 14th Street Union Square and Subway 6 Astor Place)

Where is the East Village located?

As you can see on the map below the East Village is located right in the center if Downtown Manhattan . From here, the Meatpacking District as well as the Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan are within walking distance.

How to Get To the East Village in New York

• Metro: You can take the 6 all the way to Astor Place. The W and R also run to the 8th Street-NYU station while the F train drops you off at 2nd Ave. the station which is between East Village and Lower East Side .
• Hop on Hop Off Bus : Stop 7 of the downtown loop of BIG BUS or stop 14 of the downtown loop of Gray Line Sightseeing. Here you find more about Hop on Hop off in NYC . My tip: the tickets for the buses are included in many of the New York City passes – which one is the best for you, you can see in my Pass Comparison for New York !

🥇 Look no further: That‘s the only New York Travel Guide you need (300+ pages and 700+ reviews on Amazon)

Check out our preview here .

The 16 Best Things To Do in the East Village of NYC

It’s an eclectic neighborhood with a lot of personalities. Considered to be the birthplace of punk, there are a bunch of things to do in the East Village.

East Village Haunted Manhattan Walking Tour

On this haunted walking tour you’ll explore one of the oldest neighborhoods in Manhattan: the East Village (and Alphabet City). And at night! There are 13 haunted locations on the list – from historic pubs to the Public Theater to a subway stop known for its “ghost train”.

Go vintage shopping at No Relation Vintage

L Train Vintage is a thrift store chain based primarily in Brooklyn – but it also exists under the name “No Relation Vintage” in the East Village. Here you can find stylish second-hand clothes at a bargain price. 

Ukrainian Museum: Dive into the Ukrainian History

This is another specialty museum in the East Village . It was established in 1976 and is considered as the largest museum in the US that exhibits and preserves artifacts, articles, and art of Ukrainian heritage. Every year there are many exhibitions that the museum displays to the public. 

Support the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space

This museum pays homage to activists from the East Village and has transformed abandoned spaces into community spaces and gardens. To learn more about the museum, visit their website here .

Play arcade games at Barcade

Nostalgic for arcade games and want to relive your childhood? Then head on over to Barcade. There are multiple locations in NYC, such as Williamsburg and the East Village . Barcade has the classic arcade games that you’re accustomed to such as Pac-man, Donkey Kong and Tetris. The only difference between your childhood and now is that if you wanted to (and we don’t encourage this), you can play drunk. Yes, they serve beer. Arcades and beer is an amazing time.

Enjoy an Event at Webster Hall

This former speakeasy turned rock n’ roll club (known as the Ritz), turned to what it is now today, a concert and events venue was established in 1886. It’s been serving the people of the East Village with numerous events and concerts each year.

McSorley's: Have a beer in New York's Oldest Ale House

McSorley’s Old Ale House is a true legend. The pub is the oldest in town (opened in 1854) and best of all, not much has changed since then. Old wooden floors covered with sawdust, old newspaper articles and a bartender like from a Hollywood movie make McSorley’s a very relaxed place.

Kenka NYC: Eat the most authentic Japanese food

Authentic Japanese cuisine in the East Village for those who love Sushi & Co. Itadakimasu!

Watch rare independent movies at the Anthology Film Archives

If you’re a movie fanatic and you use quotes that come from movies then pay a visit to Anthology Film Archives in the East Village . The place has independent movies that you can’t really find anywhere else. 

Buy a book in the famous Strand Book Store

If you are looking for a specific book or if you just want to browse through books undisturbed, you should definitely go to the Strand Bookstore on Broadway. The world’s largest bookstore offers you a wide range of historical, classic and modern books on a surface of 5,100 m2.

Proletariat: Visit one of my favorite bars in the East Village

A small bar that sprays with atmosphere and individuality. Altogether only 20 people fit in, because the bar consists of 2 small tables and a long bar counter. On a small blackboard is written with chalk, which kinds of beer are available today, where they come from and what makes them special.

Moxy NYC: Spend a night in one of the best hotels in the city

4 Stars | Such a stylish hotel! The Moxy NYC in the East Village is the sister hotel of the Moxy Chelsea NYC and is a boutique hotel at its best. The interior is a blast, the people super nice and the location top-notch. Can highly recommend!

St. Marks Place

From the fifties to the seventies, St. Marks Place was home to many artists, writers and musicians.

Visit one of the speakeasy bars in the East Village like Please Don't Tell (PDT)

The bar “Please Don’t Tell (PDT)” is an absolute insider tip. The brilliant thing about it: from the outside you can’t see it at all – you can find the entrance via a telephone booth in the hot dog shop. The Please Don’t Tell was opened in 2007 and is one of the Speakeasy Bars.

Astor Place

South of East 8th Street is Astor Place – the site of the Cooper Union – where many art schools, architecture offices and schools can be found today.

Bar Primi: Enjoy a negron at one of the best Italian restaurants in NYC

The Bar Primi is a small pasta shop that offers brunch, lunch and dinner with great Italian wines. Of course the typical Italian desserts are not missing. Everything is handmade – from the pasta to the sauce – and the authentic interior makes you feel as if you have made a little detour to Italy.

Impressions of the East Village in New York City

Once you step into the East Village you start to feel it’s atmosphere right away. In the fall, winter and spring , college students roam around the premises. It’s a busy neighborhood because of NYU and there’s always a buzz going around. There are vintage stores, AMAZING restaurants and there’s always something going on.

Going Out in the East Village

Bowery & East Village

Bowery is a street and neighborhood right next to the East Village. It’s fairly small so we decided to pair it with this insider guide. This area features a lot of bars, lounges and some really good eats. There’s a small outdoor food court as well that features tacos and sushi. It’s definitely a nice little area to check out whenever you’re in the East Village.

Best Attractions in the East Village

Many of New York’s major New York attractions  are located in this part of Manhattan so make sure to add them to you travel itinerary:

01 Anthology Film Archives

02 astor place, 03 museum of reclaimed urban space, 04 st. marks place, 05 ukrainian museum.

Many of the attractions and tours in NYC are included in one of the New York City passes. So you can easily and quickly save up to 70% – how does it work?

You can see that in my ultimate 👉   New York Pass comparison , here you can see my personal 👉   New York Pass Reviews after more than 20 visits to New York and our free New York Pass Advisor answers the question: “ Which New York Pass is the best? ”

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Best Tours in the East Village

There are no special walking tours just for this neighborhood. Instead, there is a huge selection of walking tours in the adjacent Greenwich Village and Lower East Side, which is very similar to the East Village.

These are the most popular walking tours that we can recommend to you:

01 A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour

The A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour is a combination of sightseeing tour, bus and walking tour. It starts not far from Union Square Park in Manhattan: with your New York guide you drive to Brooklyn to get to know one of the most important neighborhoods like  Sunset Park, DUMBO, Bay Ridge and also Coney Island. 

On this sightseeing tour you will learn where movies like Goodfellas, Once Upon in America or Annie Hall were filmed and you will stop at two of the best pizzerias in Brooklyn. Because pizza and New York simply belong together!

02 Gangsters and Ghosts Tour in NYC

Immerse yourself in the rich history of New York City with an intriguing Gangsters and Ghosts walking tour. Join your guide for a unique journey into the city’s past, exploring its infamous crimes, notorious gangsters, clandestine deals, and haunted structures. Meander through a variety of downtown neighborhoods, including Little Italy, Chinatown, and the West Village, as you soak up chilling tales of spirits and mobsters. Experience downtown Manhattan’s history on this one-of-a-kind tour, gain insightful knowledge about local history from your guide, and explore several neighborhoods all in one fascinating journey.

03 NYC Lower East Side Walking and Food Tour

The Lower East Side is still an absolute insider tip among the neighborhoods of New York City and a part of Lower Manhattan that I love to visit. There are countless authentic bars and delis, some of which have been family-owned for more than 100 years and are thus an important part of the community.  

The NYC Lower East Side Walking and Food Tour deals exactly with these small spots and stores and is therefore a TOP Thing to do for foodies!

04 2-Hour Cupcake Tour of Greenwich Village

If you’re into sweets and desserts you should try the famous Cupcake Tour. Sample colorful cupcakes at boutique bake shops, and build your own custom cupcake during this 2-hour tour in Greenwich Village. New York clearly has the best cupcakes and this will be the chance to try the best of them.

05 Friends of the High Line Walking Tours

The High Line Park takes you along the old tracks of the elevated railway to the Meatpacking District. Thanks to the initiative “Friends of the High Line” the park exists at all, because originally the construction was supposed to be torn down. And the best thing? They offer free tours!

06 Ghost Tour of Greenwich Village NYC

Greenwich Village is for me one of the most beautiful neighborhoods of New York and has a lot to offer. But it also has a haunted side in stories, which will be shown to you on this walking tour. This ghost tour through Greenwich Village is full of spooky tales of lost children, phantoms and celebrity ghosts – and not only at Halloween a popular tour. 

Along the way, you’ll learn many interesting anecdotes as you stroll through Washington Square Park, West 10th Street and the campus of New York University. The Greenwich Village Ghost Tour is a real highlight!

07 Ghosts of Greenwich Village: 2-Hour Private Walking Tour

Do you like stories about ghosts? Then this private haunted tour of Greenwich Village in the evening is a great option! In two hours, you’ll hear lots of haunted stories about people who have suddenly disappeared or are haunted around Washington Square Park and New York University. And of course: also a lot about this beautiful neighborhood of NYC!

08 Greenwich Village Pizza Walk

Pizza and New York simply belong together! Next to the famous Brooklyn Pizza Walking Tour, this tour through Greenwich Village and Little Italy is one of the most popular food tours in NYC. Included in the price are 3 slices of pizza from different stores and during the tour you will also learn a lot about these neighborhoods from a New York guide.

09 Greenwich Village Walking Tour

Greenwich Village has a reputation as a magnet for Bohemians and intellectuals. Generations of artists and writers have given the neighborhood its free-spirited identity. From Bleecker St. to MacDougal St. and Sheridan Square, this tour will show you some of the best sights in Greenwich Village and tell you the story behind them.

10 Manhattan Neighborhood Private Customized Walking Tour

You already have an idea of which neighborhoods and sights of New York you want to see? Then this walking tour is perfect for you, because you can create your individual route with your New York guide. 

Each of the many neighborhoods has its own charm and character, which is what makes New York so charming and interesting. Therefore, the right mix can show you the best picture of the city. Combine Times Square and Broadway with Greenwich Village and Soho, or schedule Greenwich Village or Chelsea with the High Line. The beauty of this private tour is that you set the schedule. If you particularly like a place, you can just stay longer!

With over 350 positive reviews, this private walking tour of NYC is one of the best!

11 New York West Village Food Tour

Go on one of the famous Food on Foot Tours. During the 3-hour tour, you will discover many great little restaurants and bakeries. A total of 6 of them are on your program on this walking tour, which is one of the most popular in the West Village. For foodies this tour is a must!

12 Pride Walking Tour

Learn about the most significant historical event in the LGBTQ movement, the Stonewall Uprising in 1969 in NYC. Visit famous LGBTQ sites, like the Stonewall Inn, on a 1 hour and 15-minute walking tour beginning at Christopher Park.

13 West Village Ghost Pub Crawl

The West Village Ghost Pub Crawl presents an exciting journey through the haunted corners of the bohemian West Village. Meander through charming, tree-lined streets with 19th-century brownstones, engaging in a thrilling ghost hunt throughout the neighborhood. Your guide will lead you through a series of haunted landmarks including a piano bar, a famous speakeasy, a popular inn, and a historic carriage house, each harboring its own spectral inhabitants. Embark on this spirited expedition to uncover the ghostly mysteries hidden in one of New York’s spookiest neighborhoods.

If guided tours interest you, be sure to check out the Best Walking Tours NYC !

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Best East Village Restaurants NYC

01 a10 kitchen.

Looking for a budget-friendly brunch spot in the East Village? A10 Kitchen, located right by Tompkins Square Park is where it’s at! I cannot stress enough that the prices are unbeatable for this part of town. In fact, all of their dishes are under $20 and the crafty cocktails won’t set you back more than $15. 

And hey, if you’re planning a boozy brunch with pals, you can all chip in for a pitcher of their scrumptious brunch cocktails, talk about a steal! As for food, you can’t go wrong with their classic offerings. My personal favorite? The B.E.C Sammie. This delicious breakfast sandwich is served on brioche bread with crispy bacon, perfectly fried eggs, and Irish cheddar cheese.

02 Angelica Kitchen

Fresh, vegan food has been served here since 1976. Many of the ingredients are organically grown and Fairtrade certified.

Are you looking for a more exotic meal? Check out Balade, a cozy Lebanese spot tucked away on 1st Avenue. This 2020 OpenTable Diner’s Choice awardee will lure you in with a chic vibe and a unique brunch menu served all day on weekends. 

The Hummus Shawarma platter, featuring hummus, beef shawarma, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, sumac, and tahini sauce is a must-try. But if you’re in the mood for something unconventional, don’t miss their Lebanese-style pizza or pita pizza. Just a short stroll from the iconic St. Marks Place, Balade is definitely among the best brunch restaurants in the East Village.

04 Bar Primi

05 Beetle House NYC

Created to honor and celebrate the horror culture, Beetle House NYC is a year-round Halloween-themed party. With pieces and props inspired by the works of Tim Burton, Alfred Hitchcock, Bram Stoker, Washington Irving, Edgar Allen Poe and others, Beetle House is a must-see as one of the main Halloween theme restaurants in NYC.

If you’re just stopping by for drinks, there’s no need for reservations – just slide up to the bar and order your Coco Skellington or your The Beetle’s Juice. If you are stopping by for the $55 prix-fixe dinner, which includes main courses like Edward Burger Hands and Sweeney Beef, it’s best to call in advance to reserve your spot.

Take a look at the incredible decorations and make your reservation at Beetle House’s official website.

Looking for more recommendations? We’ve got you covered! Here you find the Best East Village Restaurants NYC .

Best East Village Bars NYC

And these are my personal recommendations when it comes to bars in the East Village – you will love it!

01 Amor y Amargo

The Amor y Amargo is one of the bars we really love! From the outside it is totally inconspicuous, but when you go inside you will immediately feel the charm of the bar. Such spots are what makes New York for me (similar spots are the Proletariat and Fools Gold NYC in the Lower East Side for me). It is small, cozy and absolutely relaxed – just great!

03 Crocodile Lounge

The Crocodile Lounge is the Manhattan version of the Alligator Lounge. Also here you get a free pizza with every drink. So enjoy it!

04 Death & Company

Recognized as one of the 50 best bars in the world, Death & Company in the beautiful East Village is also one of our favorite spots to go out in NYC.

05 Empellón Al Pastor

Empellón Al Pastor is a bar in the East Village with margaritas, beers, and various cocktails. The drink menu consists mainly of different types of margaritas like a ‘mezcal,’ ‘spicy cucumber,’ or ‘blood’ margarita. They also serve a rotating menu of specials that typically involve innovative Asian-Mexican fusion dishes. These specials are announced every Thursday, and they change a week later. Some of these interesting bar snacks include steamed birria dumplings, shrimp toast torta, and chicken nuggets with Sichuan salsa. It is best to follow @empellonapastor on Instagram for more updates about the bar snacks menu and different cocktails. 

Looking for more recommendations? We’ve got you covered! Here you find the Best East Village Bars NYC  and the Best East Village Rooftop Bars NYC .

Shopping in the East Village

Shopping in this neighborhood can be one of the best things to do in the East Village, but you need to know where to look. Just like many hip and creative neighborhoods, there aren’t many mainstream department stores. What you will find however are pretty cool vintage and second-hand thrift shops. These stores will carry clothing from different generations which would diversify your closet. Check out either L Train Vintage (204 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10009) or Metropolis Vintage (43 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003).

Best East Village Hotels NYC

Staying in the East Village has many advantages. You’ll always be surrounded by some of the best atmosphere, bars, restaurants, cafes, and shops in NYC. If you decide to stay in the neighborhood please check out these amazing hotels.

01 Moxy NYC East Village

02 East Village Hotel

3 Stars | The spacious studios at the East Village Hotel are equipped with a kitchenette , dishwasher and cooker. So it’s great if you are on a budget and don’t want to constantly eat out. Astor Place underground station is a ten-minute walk from the hotel.

03 The Bowery Hotel 

5 Stars | This luxurious boutique hotel offers first-class service and great views of the city from the cozy rooms. If you want to explore New York by bike, you can rent one for free at the hotel. 

04 The Standard East Village

4 Stars | The Standard East Village is the sister hotel of The Standard High Line and is equally stylish and clean. The location in the East Village is perfect for those who appreciate the food scene. What sets The Standard in the East Village apart is the beautiful design and clean decor. I’m a very big fan of that – and the view from your hotel room is unmatched!

Unlike many other hotels in this star category, the rooms are relatively spacious, and you can admire the city wonderfully through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Only one thing bugged me a bit: the closets are too small.

Neighborhoods nearby

If you’re in the East Village, make sure to check out these nearby neighborhoods.

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East Village History Tour

Artists, oddballs & provocateurs: east village since the 1950s, explore an iconic and exhilarating neighborhood.

Around the middle of the 20th century, the area east of Third Avenue between Houston and 14th Streets began a transformation from what it had long been — a working-class immigrant neighborhood — to a unique, exhilarating, and sometimes dangerous one teeming with artists, oddballs, provocateurs, and future icons. In the following decades, new generations would find their way to the East Village and continue to enrich this beguiling and contradictory mix: a great neighborhood to live in that also fed a creative spirit and became one of the city’s most famous nightlife destinations.

Book the walking tour now!

On this tour, we’ll tell you the story of the East Village since the 1950s, focusing on the many subcultures that took root and flourished here, and on the nightlife that continues to draw people to this day (yes, even during COVID)!

Tour participants will even be encouraged to share their memories of the East Village and talk about some of their favorite spots.

Your guide will be a 15+ year resident of the neighborhood who has spent many an hour in the East Village eating, drinking, walking, biking, playing music, photographing and otherwise indulging in all the wonders the neighborhood has to offer.

A recent review for our East Village Tour:

“We enjoyed the tour tremendously. Krikor was terrific — knowledgeable, engaging, amusing! I really enjoyed his in-depth stories about the lives and times of St. Marks and the East Village.”  -David B./Los Angeles

Tour Highlights

Get ready to discover…

• Meet artists, musicians and writers like WH Auden, The Velvet Underground and Nico, Joey Ramone, Keith Haring and Lady Bunny.
• Experience the incredible array of subcultures that have flourished here, from 1960s hippies to the downtown cool of the 1990s
• Find out how punk music was born here and dominated the look of St. Marks Place
• Spend some time hanging in the neighborhood’s center, Tompkins Square Park
• Learn about the increase of wealth since 2000 and how it’s created a debate over the future of the neighborhood
• Local institutions and businesses like Veselka, the Fillmore East, Manic Panic and the original Hare Krishna temple

Walking Tour: 2 hours (we will send you the meeting place when you book)

Person – Walking Tour $40.00 (Best suited for ages 16+) 

Private Tours available! Book a walking tour with our guides in New York City or a live online experience that makes a fun socially distanced event for your family, organization, or group of friends. Click to learn more

East Village resident Krikor Daglian

Looking to study up before the tour?

Prep for our East Village Tour by listening to the podcast episode “St. Mark’s Place: It’s Party Time in the East Village!”