Great vibe! Chill, authentic downtown scene with a nice mix of natives and tourists. Good service, friendly bartenders, fun for all read more

2A - Fun for birthdays! - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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I popped in to 2A on a whim while waiting on seats at a nearby restaurant to open, ordered a light lager, sat on the sill by the picture window facing the corner of E 2nd Street and Avenue A, listened to the Indie rock music from circa 2004 that was playing from the speaker while watching the world of the East Village go by, and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this process. There's also seating in the back of the bar that is tucked away and cozier if that's the vibe you're looking for. 2A has officially been added to a running list I call "good bars". read more

Okay, I consider myself the foremost connoisseur of currywurst. I've traveled the globe looking for that evasive, coy little hot link. Germany, India, both poles. And never have I found a more succulently sublime banger bathed in the eastern-spiced tomatoey condiment that sets my heart beating like a virgin rabbit as the currywurst at 2A. Head chef, Tom Clark, is the master of cradling those snappy Saxon dogs in cloud-like buns baked right on the premises. Don't walk, don't run...nay, hitch a ride on a ray of light and devour the BEST currywurst anyone in human history has ever been blessed to consume. Bravo, 2A! Bravo. read more

Came here around 7/8pm on a Friday and had a wonderful time. The bartender was great, made us feel welcomed and poured us some great drinks. I got the frozen margarita which was TASTY (highly recommend) and my friend's gin and tonic was great, we like it strong. Overall we had such an enjoyable time. Definitely worth checking out, a nice spot with some good drinks. read more

2A - Frozen margaritas, gin & tonic - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This was the second bar of the night for my friends and I and we couldn't have gone to a better place! Walked in around 10pm on a Saturday night and was able to find a comfortable table! Bartender was amazing and better yet, you're allowed free popcorn on the house. What is better than that?! Wanted a Hot Toddy as I was sick but they didn't have that so ended up with a glass of red wine and vodka soda's for my friends. For a round for a group of 4, bill came to around $45 with tips so it's not bad at all - typical NYC pricing if I must say! Do yourself a favor and bookmark this so you don't have to look for the next bar when you bar hop! read more

The moment I walked in Bartender named Charolotte just stared at me like she was in some trance and then she said "hey you look fucked up" I told her how can I be fucked up since I had just arrived there. Then she said "are you going to make trouble?" After I got my drink she told the people at the bar that she thought I was a freak. I moved away from her and sat in the back. She came over and sat close to me and said in a confidential manner that she hated working there and she hated the owners and customers were rude and there was no security and they had her working the whole three floors (not even sure what she meant). Just a minute ago she was obnoxious and rude to me and now she was telling me all this stuff. This is behavior that is similar to bi polar symptoms. When I left the bar Charolotte and two of her associates surrounded my car and started violently pounding and punching my car all the while screaming that I was too drunk to drive. They scared the bejezus out of me! This was the most traumatizing experience I've ever encountered. Please stay away from this horrible place. I'm seriously thinking of filing a case against this bar! read more

Came here late, the night before Halloween. Great place to sit outside and people watch! Bartenders are great and drinks were good. I guess I had too much of a great time that I left my purse there. I came back the next day, before my flight back home, to see if I left my purse there. Tom took the time to look for it and did not find it. He told me to write down my name and contact info and he will call me if they find it. I just figured it was gone. A few days later he called me and said that they found my purse! He took it upon himself to mail it to me! I just got it today and cannot be more thankful! Thank you Tom! read more

2A is one of my favorite places to pull up a seat at the bar and enjoy a beer/shot combo. And when sitting outside, they make a great spiked apple cider to keep you warm. Will always love this neighborhood spot. read more

Dragged my ass down here on a Saturday night for a birthday party and was all psyched to be in the trendy, hipster 'hood with all the cool kids. I was kinda disappointed when I walked into 2A and realized it was dead, given that I had just passed about 15 hopping bars. On the up side, there were plenty of seating options. The bartender, sadly, did not know how to make a Dark and Stormy (?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?), but did whip together a tasty concoction with 3 different types of rum. Now THAT'S a dedicated bartender. The music was too loud given that there wasn't anyone there to enjoy (or hate) it. The birthday girl was sloshed by the time I got there (and kept hugging me and telling me she loved me despite the fact that this was our first meeting), so my friend and I decided to bail after our first drink. There was nothing too compelling about the bar itself to make us want to stay. We had more fun once we got home. Zing! read more

This is just a bar. A nondescript, regular, normal corner bar. There are no games, no crazy specials, and no gimmicks. Just decently priced booze in a good location. And I love it. It's the perfect place to go do what you are supposed to do in a bar: Drink. Without even trying, the owners of this place have achieved the perfect bar balance. It's not deliberately, over-the-top grimy, like a few nearby dives I could mention. It's not some pretentious cocktail bar, where it'll cost you a bill to get drunk. There is no hype around it at all. There is never a line to get in, but unlike almost every other bar I'm aware of, I've also never seen it empty. In fact, everything about 2A is completely unremarkable, except that the bartenders are funny, and awesome. One of them looks like Judah Friedlander, right down to the hats he wears on 30 Rock. Or maybe that was a dream I had. read more

Had a few drinks at 2A and was amazed by the service. There is charming decor and romantic lighting. Limited seating at the bar where the bartender engages with customers, she was the best part! There is more seating in the back and you can take your drinks outside, too. read more

"Classic EV Loungive" Don't let the couches fool you. They have been here since the 90's. And have so many stories to tell you about the girls/guys who've hooked up on them. But thats what gives it charm. All the features you want -- cheap drinks, seating, cool bartenders, two floors, and great view of the scene on the street. Its worth a late night finisher or a mid-night quick stopover. Seriously, I don't want to even admit how long I've been going here. But it is a classic Lounge / Dive = "Loungive" in this area, here pre-gentrification. read more

This is a swanky little place I popped into in the fall in the middle of the day. They had their giant beautiful windows open, and I have to admit; I'm a sucker for windows. I got a frozen cocktail they had been advertising on their sign and I enjoyed it, but remember it being in a smaller glass and I paid around $10. The bartender was very nice, and we had a lovely chat. This is a bar that I've seen get pretty crowded, but I appreciate that it's almost a bit of a hidden gem. It's not talked about, but probably should be. I'm definitely coming back, especially when they open up the windows!! 4/5 read more

I don't leave many reviews but this place was atrocious. The bartender was rude and racist, making our group feel unwelcomed. We will never go there again. A group of about 7 of my coworkers randomly stumbled on this place after a celebratory holiday break dinner. My coworker asked about drink specials and was told about a 2 for 1. I went to the middle of the bar and waited for about 3/4 minutes without a look from the bartender. My coworker, a white women, walks up and gets served immediately. She puts me on her tab and I shrugged it off as a simple oversight although the bar wasn't really busy. After finishing my drink I went to the bartender to inquire about the 2 for 1. I was abrasivly told I had a drink. Again, chalked it up to the stress of being the only bartender. I ordered the group their second drinks. Promptly after I thanked him for his time and handed off the drinks and he announced to the entire bar " I want a tip!". A group of patrons turned around and he exclaimed "Not you, them!" Pointing at us, although we had tipped him VERY WELL in the first round. And he didn't know if we were going to order another round. We promptly left, leaving our drinks unfinished. As the only group with the 3 black women in the entire bar, I felt singled out attacked. I hope this isn't a patterned read more

Gritty, classic east village bar -- always an option for a quick beer. Not too pricey and super laid back

I hosted a birthday party here in 2016 and had a seamless booking experience. The manager at the time was prompt, kind, and willing to reserve the bar's entire seating section for a group of about twenty people. My first impression was so strong that I decided to host my own birthday party here last weekend (April 2018). I booked the party nearly a month in advance, and the result was a nightmare. On the evening of the party, the bartender (who claims to have "worked [there] for twenty years!") had "no idea" about my booking. He seemed unwilling to contact management regarding the issue, and instead proceeded to clumsily juggle drink orders for walk-in customers while "figuring out" my 'situation'. He finally cleared half of the seating section promised to me and profusely apologized to those customers for the inconvenience. Unenthusiastically offering my group the four now-empty tables, I explained that they would seat less than half of my reservation. When I asked for seating to accommodate my full party, he asked if I wanted the "f***ing tables or not", and when I rejected his meager offer, he told me to "sit the f*** down." I replied with some choice, colorful words and left the bar, luckily finding some grade-A hospitality at Drexler's just a few doors down-- a highly recommended local alternative. I am floored by this establishment and its decision to keep such an ignorant, rude staff member employed. He was uninterested in making amends and never offered an apology (or even a drink on the house for our troubles). If you encounter such unprofessionalism, I encourage you to reach out to management, but to be honest, I now wouldn't bother going to the bar in the first place. read more

It is what it is. Stop by for a few drinks in the summertime and you'll have a chill evening.

*read in movie-guy trailer voice* in a city. where vapid, spoiled children ruin a once legendary bar scene. one establishment. blights over-priced happy hours and spoiled shit-bags with free popcorn and 2 for 1 beers. this summer. spring. fall. and winter. 2a. is. two. fuckin. aaaaaaaye. read more

2A was a stop on the NYC Whiskey Walk this year. We got there about 3pm, when the bar would usually be closed but it was open just for this event. This was one of our favorite bars on the walk! It was very small and packed inside, but intimate, with a homey and down-to-earth feel. The bar walls were all windows and I think some seats in the back that we didn't get to see. The bartenders were great and accommodating, easily dealing with the large crowd! read more

2A - Inside - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Do you like alcohol? Do you like beer? Do you like rad bartenders and music. Do you like.kice music and DJs? Are you a fun person? Then go hit up this place always something going on all 3 FLOORS. What else do you need? read more

I came here once back in 2010 and met Jenny Lewis and Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, so four stars for that bad assarie. $8 for a well shot and Johnny Knoxville juice. +1 for this review revealing how much of a grand dad I've now become. read more

Great old dive, perfect corner bar for a night out with moderately cheap drinks. It's a place for locals and that's who they cater to. Best part about it is each floor has a different vibe to check out! 10/10 Tom is the best bartender around and always up for a great chat if it's not to busy! read more

Love 2A! So nice to see you again. Truth is, I've loved 2A since 1996 when I made my first visit here. Alphabet City was a lot different back then. Not like 1970s different, but certainly not like it is today. What's great about a place like 2A is its staying power. In a City where change is a constant and gentrification is a runaway train, 2A is one of the few anchors that can bring me back to my City-living days of the 90s. And boy, were those some days! It's remarkable I can even remember as much as I do. 2A is a dive, in the best sense of the word. Its strategic location on the corner of 2nd Avenue and Avenue A (duh) allows the tight space to feel more spacious thanks to lots and lots of big windows on the front and side of the building. Snag a stool up front on the corner of the bar, and you'll be set for a long night of stiff drinks and some of the best character watching in the City. Like any good dive, you can count on a lot of interesting drunk people stumbling in and out of the door. Service is fast and friendly. And despite the rough-and-tumble nature of the place, you won't find any pretentiousness or people starting trouble here. It's a neighborhood bar, filled with cool neighborhood peeps and those who once lived here and want to relive some of the good old days. Love me some 2A! read more

*sniff* ... *sniff* Hmm. Smells like stale beer. Yup. Must be a dive bar. A dive bar that's been around. This bar has beer soaked into its soul. You gotta kinda love that about this bar. It's also got these huge windows on the first floor, so you feel like you're in a cage in the zoo and all the tourists are walking by checking you out: "Hey look, Ma, look! It's hipsters! Hipsters...in their native environs! And... and... they're drinkin' beer! Didja evah?" The other good thing is, they have cheap beer. 2-for-1 at happy hour with tokens to claim your second beer. Not a humongous list of draughts, but hell, ya gotcher basic requirements, Bass, Stella, Guinness. As an added bonus, you have a plethora of cool people, hipsters (duh), older folks, and mutants hangin out. Yes, that's what I said, mutants. What would a dive bar be without some mutants? You know what I'm talking about, don't pretend like you don't. I'm talkin' about those people whose skin color is some weird shade of greenish gray, who look like they haven't seen the underside of showerhead since they invented... SOAP. Those people. Yup. Always makes for good entertainment. Especially with beer. All in all, a fun experience. Extra fun if you like mutants. And beer. read more

Let's talk about 2A. At first, I would give it a decent 2 stars because if this is your scene, it's perfect. Nondescript, with all the little details that people subscribing to the hipster subculture would appreciate, weird, funky music, and awkward patrons. But this night, there was no ignoring a specific patron who not bothered several girls there and harassed me to no end. He would touch me randomly, and despite my asking him not to, he would return and deliberately touch me. I told him to fuck off and he started slinging racist, sexist remarks. When anyone asks you not to touch him or her, you DO NOT TOUCH HIM OR HER. I should have pepper sprayed that fuck. He passed by again, prodding my shoulder. I tossed my drink on him down the stairs. Fucker comes around again, and at this point, I've had it. I'm about to break my glass and give him a new face. But that would be contradictory to my wish for non-contact. Instead, I explained the situation to the bouncer. Renewing my lack of faith in authority and men, the bouncer only warned him. He told me to let him know if the guy does anything further. Annoyed, I tried to just forget everything. This final time, right before the fucker leaves, he touched my friend and squeezed, and I mean squeezed the back of my neck. I never felt so violated, and was on the verge of tears. 1. Why does a female have to suffer this sort of treatment? 2. I am sure I was being targeted as a minority. I could not believe he had another older lady friend with him as he went around squeezing girls like they're dolls. I'm not blaming the bar nor the bouncer for what this guy did to ruin my experience and time here. But I am extremely disappointed by the bouncer's lackadaisical attitude. That really left a sick feeling in my stomach. I told him on the way out, and he only said that I should have told him, and he'd have kicked him out. He should have done so in the first place, and the guy was on the way out anyway, like I want to follow him out to the bouncer just sitting there at the front door, flirting. There should be no tolerance for this sort of behavior. Girls should not go here, as there is no respect for them, from the patron at least, nor the bouncer, and the establishment he belongs to. read more

Let me get this straight. I buy a drink and you give me a little chip? Ok... then I give you the chip next time I want a drink and it's free? Got it! I like this game... Let's play again! 2 for one Happy Hours and nice corner location in the EV make this a good spot to meet a friend. It's a "dive bar" but that's AOK in my book. read more

Very chill bar. I'd never heard of it until we did an indie improv show here (hint: check out the upstairs area for events). All types of people hanging around. There's a few decent beers on tap, such as Bronx Pale Ale, and they do 2-for-1 with the tokens. A good place to chat with friends and catch up. read more

Ugh.. Another one bites the dust. Used to be a cool place. Not so much any more. Certain bartenders are a$$holes. Club in the basement now with a second bouncer to make sure you look cool enuf?! Been coming to this joint for 15 yrs.. Not liking it these days. read more

The genius of this bar lies in its name: 2A. It's at the intersection of E. 2nd Street and Avenue A. So when you're well into your night and need to figure out another bar to head to off the top of your head, just remember the name: 2A. Also very helpful if you have friends who need to meet up with you. This is the primary reason why I've visited this place more than any other in the East Village. Silly, but I am really terrible at night-life decision making. Aside from it's super-convenient name, this is a pretty great bar for a very small group (I'd say 5 or less) or date. The couches both upstairs and downstairs, soft lighting, and great indie rock background music makes this a nice spot to chill and chat. Or you could stand and get hammered. To each his/her own. read more

This may be the only bar that I've ever actually liked. It's all about the upstairs. Especially on a weekday night, it's so much less crowded and noisy than you'd ever think possible. You sit on a couch with your drink and your pals, talk, and gaze out at the great 2nd-floor corner view through the floor to ceiling windows. As a person currently living in a tiny, crowded apartment with roommates, it's a like a momentary glimpse of what it would be to be civilized and rich. Next time it snows, I'm grabbing someone and heading over to 2A. I also have to really praise the bartender who was upstairs the last time I was there, for a friend's birthday party - Lindsay. She was not only tolerant of our cake plus birthday candles, but took a piece of cake and bought the birthday girl a drink. Oh man. A bar where everyone has a good time and you can hear each other speak. Who knew it was possible? read more

I am frequently tempted to wax poetic about this gritty city. These moments usually happen after a few cocktails. The euphoria gets exacerbated when I entertain visitors. You see: as any New Yorker will tell you, we love to show off. I took some colleagues to 2A after a dinner at Lil Frankies for a nightcap and the view of Avenue A blew their socks off. Its a beautiful dingy panoramic of a place at once unsentimental and softhearted. 2A is in fact a dive bar, but it is a dive bar that embodies the spirit tough romance in the city. Sure its a little crappy, but its moody and dripping with texture. The wrought iron staircase leads one up to an urban heaven, from which you can watch people scurry against the bitter cold or bicker in the heat of summer. I wouldn't recommend 2A on the weekends. It is a magnet for the nuevo-urban who tend to think they've accomplished something by living in a condo in a once-hardened city. Really, we're all just living a sitcom--only our senses of humor are more refined. read more

Walking through the Lower East Side on a Friday night is not something I do regularly. But sometimes you have to - say post theatre, or post dinner. Then you find yourself with the daunting task - ok - let's try to find someplace where we won't get crushed to death. We walked for about 15 minutes before stumbling on 2A, which was the first bar we'd seen that wasn't already packed to the gills by 11pm. So, major points there. We enjoyed a comfy spot on the couch. Reasonably priced drinks, good beers on tap, and good music. (Mostly The White Stripes and an 80's mix.) Music was loud but still able to converse over it. Started to get crowded later on, but still not as bad as it could have been. Would definitely go back. It's a little dark, sexy, and dirty, and relaxed. read more

2A is the best damn bar in the East Village for people-watching. Big windows looking out on the corner of Avenue A and 2nd Street. Great bartenders - especially the amazing Tom Clark (don't miss The Treehouse - his live band jam session on Sunday nights upstairs). Big shout out to the irascible Donovan as well. Happy hour is 4-9pm every damn day of the week. And they've got a popcorn machine. They've recently installed a DJ booth upstairs so DJs on the weekends and they restarted the 2A tradition of projecting movies on the big, brick wall across 2nd Street. Bottom line? It's just a great bar and even though they've turned over the staff a few times since I first started going there (around...umm...20 YEARS ago ;-) 2A is still one of favorite spots to chill on the planet. Sunday afternoon Happy Hour crowd is an all-local session with homemade Bloodies by Mr. Clark. Respect! read more

I bookmarked this place weeks ago and finally got a chance to check out the place myself. Sadly, I came AFTER Happy Hour but you know I'm coming back here on another day to take advantage of their cheap beers. You already know. I'm not sure if they check IDs all the time but for weekends they do have a bouncer that does just that. First floor is much more chillax almost like a dive-y speakeasy if you can even call it that. Second floor is the party floor where they be spinning those classic Hip-Hop beats and ones that only your momma would know. I didn't really care for the tunes to be honest but the vibe was good. It is also an excellent spot to grab a drink and people watch mostly on the second floor but the windows on the first floor is wide and clear enough to do people watching as well. Service - Drinks were being pumped out like a club by the upstairs bartender so you know you getting your drink promptly. It was more packed at the bar upstairs versus downstairs or any other area of this 2 floor space for that matter. For a Saturday night it was just the right amount of people and I easily found a seat and just watched sexy people walk by. For some reason that ignited my creative side and I pretty much starting memo-ing down stories to write later. Good stuff. Clientele - were very mixed. I don't just mean racially, but also type. You can find anyone from single mom to Wall Street dirt bag to sexy hipster. If the first floor cracks up to be a good time as well then this might very well be a new regular rotation for me. read more

After Boys Night Out, Brian H. and I wanted to grab some more drinks. Being Friday night though, every bar seemed hopelessly packed and, consequently, pretty loud. We were both in a chill mood, so we were more interested in a place where we could get a seat at the bar and actually hear each other. A couple of places clearly failed miserably with this criteria, but then we chanced upon 2A. It's literally a corner bar situated, obviously enough, on 2nd street and A avenue. It has plenty of exposed windows looking out on to either street which really betrays the animation of East Village at that late hour. The bar itself is pretty narrow though, and there is really nothing to fixate the eyes on inside, except the bottles and taps. Selection was okay, and the prices were tame. We ended up talking quite a bit and it never took more than a moment to summon the bartender over when we wanted something more to drink. Good but not memorable. 3.5 stars read more

We went here last night. For some reason, my friend and I (both white passing) were allowed to go upstairs without a problem and two of our black friends were denied access to the upstairs. When approaching the manager about the issue they said there was a private party upstairs and that we had to leave. Even if there was a private party why was there someone working there that literally didn't blink when us two (white passing folks) went upstairs and when our two black friends literally trailed behind us they couldn't get in? read more

This is a great place right by my apartment. It is a bit of a dive, but it's still cool and chill. The upstairs is nice with a good shot of Avenue A and 2nd street. The drinks and prices were okay. But I like this place mostly since it's chill - you can sit upstairs, enjoy a drink with friends and just hang out. read more

2A - View from the upstairs - Avenue and 2nd Street - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

2A gets the big fiver from me. Long before I moved to the city, when I would come visit friends in the E Vill we would go to 2A and enjoy the good tunes and awesome 2nd floor street corner vantage point. Now that I live here I continue to use 2A as a crutch; a failsafe, a happy place. Never a bad time and often a GREAT time. Great for not being overcrowded, reasonable ($4) pints, good-looking but not stuck-up people. Solid for an after-dinner drink on a date, or a late night feeding frenzy. It's definitely on the "chill" side, so don't bring your friends here if they're looking for a dance party, but that ain't my steez. Chef recommends. SHIP IT. read more

Walking the streets with my cousin I spotted a sidewalk sign that said "90's hip-hop upstairs" I'm all in! So we walked into the bar and the first floor is a completely different crowd. I spotted like 40 year olds..idk... But the second floor, which is called 2A is a gem! We walk to the second floor and I was serenaded with 90's hip-hop like the sign said. There was live painting going on by like 3 artist. While they painted I was groovin'. Then there was an impromptu "burlesque not burlesque" show by these 4 women dancing about student loans lol...idk about that lol really random, it was cute and only lasted about 10mins so no reason to be bored. They have comfy couches that I sat on. But this place is not big at all!!! So find a good spot and hold on to it! Thank goodness I got a seat. I'll be back! read more

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DO NOT GO HERE. Went to this place last night to grab a few pre-drinks before seeing a band at the Mercury Lounge. Was drawn in by the street sign, 2-for-1 drinks happy hour. Immediately after ordering drinks for my girlfriend and I, the bartender rudely informed me it was cash only. We asked him how much our drinks were, and while I got out cash, leaving a $2 tip for 2 drinks, he looked at our tip and was said, "You know I work for tips." As the night went on, things got worse. The drinks were awful, the bar tender complained repeatedly that a $1 tip per drink was not enough, and even told my girlfriend off. I hope this place goes belly up. There are so many better options in the area. read more