The Best Bars in the East Village, New York

Death and Co opened on East 6th Street in 2006 and helped set the template for the modern New York cocktail bar. The room stays dark and seated, and the menu runs long. Reserve ahead, and aim for a weeknight counter seat to watch the build.

Amor y Amargo on East 6th Street is a small bitters focused bar where the drinks lean spirit forward and stirred. The counter holds barely a dozen seats. Best for a sharp drink before dinner rather than a long group night.

Angel's Share hides behind an unmarked door inside a Stuyvesant Street izakaya and enforces a no standing, no large groups rule. The cocktails are precise and Japanese influenced. Arrive early, since the wait builds fast after 8pm.

PDT is entered through a phone booth inside Crif Dogs on St Marks Place, one of the city's first hidden bars. It takes same day phone reservations that fill within minutes. Call the moment the line opens for the best shot at a seat.

McSorley's on East 7th Street has poured since 1854 and serves only its own light and dark ale, two mugs at a time. Sawdust covers the floor and a century of clippings cover the walls. Go in the afternoon to beat the crowd.

The Holiday Cocktail Lounge on St Mark's Place is a restored neighbourhood institution with a long bar and a quieter back room. Drinks stay classic and fairly priced for the area. Good for a low key round on a weeknight.

Burp Castle on East 7th Street is a hushed beer bar where staff shush loud tables and the taps rotate through Belgian and craft pours. Murals cover every wall. Best for a slow conversation over a strong glass.

Decibel on East 9th Street is a basement sake bar that has run since 1993, with dozens of bottles and a cramped, papered room. The list is the reason to come, not the space. Go early on a weeknight for a table.

Mace on East 9th Street builds its menu around single spices, each cocktail named for the ingredient at its centre. The list changes often and the drinks are inventive. Best for drinkers who want something new.

The 11th Street Bar is an unhurried local pub with a back room, regular trivia, and a steady East Village crowd. Pints stay cheap for the neighbourhood. Good for an easy night without a plan.