This unassuming front hides a gem of a bar. Known for its picklebacks, stick around for their daily special. A favorite being "Old Fashioned Wednesday" focused on specialty Old Fashions and live music. What's not to miss here? The Happy Hour with its half-priced bottles of wine. Bring a group and grab a table under the twinkling lights for a night everyone will talk about. Drink recs: Rosé or prosecco for Happy Hour, any of the seasonal Old Fashions on Wednesday. read more

Used to come here all the time for picklebacks. Then one Friday night they had a bouncer that thought he owned the place and wouldn't even look at my ID. Not surprised this place is gone. read more

My first attempt at checking out The Belfry was foiled when we walked in and found the place completely empty on a Sunday afternoon. I had walked by the bar on several weeknights, however, and had always seen it completely packed, so we had decided that this was not the right time to visit. But when my colleague was looking for a happy hour spot, I instantly thought that that would be the perfect opportunity. We arrived at the bar around 6 pm on the Thursday, and it was reasonably busy, but it did not get crowded until around 8 pm. This gave us the perfect opportunity to enjoy their amazing daily happy hour, which lasted until 7 pm. Specials during this time included $5 select local drafts, $5 house wines, and 50% off all bottles of wine! While some of my coworkers decided to share a few bottles, I was lured away from the discount by the appeal of The Rearden cocktail. This drink included all of my favorite ingredients - tequila, elderflower, lime, mint, and ginger beer. It was light and refreshing with an added zing from the ginger and a smokiness from the tequila. I simply loved it! In addition, while there were no substantial food options, my colleague got a round of spicy pickles to share with the table. The hot red pepper brine sure packed a kick, but the sour pickles themselves had that funky flavor often found in these salty snacks. The 8 ounce helping was pretty small and more for 2 people than the 6 of us at the table. Lastly, the seating arrangement was a bit tricky, as each table could only hold about 6-8 people. We had had double that number and had to spread out among 2 tables. Since each was table round and unable to be pushed together, we mainly had our backs to each other. This was obviously not ideal for us, but would have been fine for a smaller group. Also, while the server was very sweet, she was pretty swamped by servicing all of the tables on her own, which led to some longer wait times. Overall, though, the drinks, prices, and gothic décor at The Belfry offered us a fun celebration spot. read more

This is a gorgeous space. I brought some out of town friends in here for a drink before they had to head to Penn Station. The drinks are pretty good, I enjoy their beer options. Last night I opted for the pumpkin ale they had on draft, very good. The service was great. The bartender gave us space to chat and catch up but also made sure our drinks were always full. I wish their HH had a few more options/ extended until 8, but I am still appreciative that they even have a HH at all. Great place to grab a drink with a friend ( or two) though I don't recommend for super large groups, definitely also gives a great date atmosphere with the lights. A great choice ( probably the best) in this area. 4.5/5 read more

Their pickle back!!! The sour pickled Irish whiskey shots is amazing. Something different. The place has a good vibe, they keep swinging the lights like bells. read more

The Belfry - Sour pickled shots - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

PICKLE JUICE CHASERS?! Ew gross... why would anyone ever do that right?! BUT NO. They are pretty damn good chasers. Apparently this is a thing and Belfrys is notoriously known for picklebacks. A shot of Jameson followed by a shot of pickle juice. Who knew? There are 4 different options for picklebacks. My friends deemed the spicy one was the best so that's what we got. The pickle juice takes away the burn from the Jameson and is quite tasty I might say. The place is a decent size, nice decor and good music. I wish there was some more standing room though or maybe some space for dancing. read more

As a fan of picklebacks, I was pleasantly surprised by this spot. There's four different options for picklebacks (we opted for the regular kind). I didn't like the spicy pickle juice as much but that may be personal preference. Also try out their cocktails - I had the Rearden which had tequila, mint, and ginger and was great. read more

The Belfry - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I've been to the Belfry on two separate occasions. First visit: 10pm on a Tuesday night, after a movie. The place was perhaps half-full, with plenty of seating to spare. My friend and I get to the bouncer, who immediately berates - literally shouting at - my friend for wearing sandals and how sandals are absolutely not allowed. While at the same time allowing us into the bar. Apparently instead of turning us away so we could return when we were properly attired, the Belfry's policy is to let you break the rules, then roast you for it. Cool. Drinks: I ordered one of the signature cocktails. It came with a single 2" by 2" ice cube that took up most of the volume of the glass. Unacceptable for a FOURTEEN DOLLAR COCKTAIL. I understand the concept of "perceived value" but this took it to its illogical conclusion - pay for something, get nothing. Seating: My friend and I go to the nearest four-person table because there is plenty of seating to go around, and the four-person tables have comfortable seating. Not so fast - a waiter immediately comes to us and, rather than asks, *tells* us we need to sit in the two-person table in the corner. So we move over there and quickly finish our drinks, watching the larger, more comfortable table sit unoccupied for the rest of our visit. Second visit: 9pm on a Saturday night. Friend's birthday party. Vouching for my friend here, who reserved two or three tables for his party. We get there - the tables are taken. So we stand around the extremely crowded bar for forty-five minutes. One of the table clears out, so I approach and sit down. Just as soon as I sit down, a waiter - same waiter, mind you, as the previous visit - comes by, shows me a "reserved" tent and the name on it, and says condescendingly, "does this *look* like your table?" So I go back to the crowd and watch as that table gets taken up. Eventually, an hour and a half into our visit, staff is able to muster one four-person table. For twelve people. All other tables are for other guests. So for all the business we could have brought, we have one four-person table and whatever spare ledge anyone could find to sit on. Oh, there was a DJ this time. In a place as small as the Belfry, volume control is important, and let me say as a person who has gone to several extremely loud metal shows in small venues, the Belfry was one of the LOUDEST places I have ever been in. My friends and I quickly gave up on any conversation. Drinks: This time I went basic, Old Fashioned and Gin and Tonic. The Old Fashioned was watered down. My guess is the bartender overlooked the bitters altogether, opting for ice instead. The Gin and Tonic didn't have the Sprite-like sweet-tartness of a good G&T. Just straight quinine flavor. There are bars all around Union Square that do good cocktails cheap. Beauty Bar, right across the street, can whip up these drinks fine, for several dollars cheaper than the Belfry. Blockheads has killer margaritas for basically the New York equivalent of chump change. The list goes on. There is no reason for an "upscale" bar in this area to serve poorly-mixed basic drinks when all of the other options are better, cheaper - and properly managed by respectful staff. Question: If your bar sucks when you're slow, and your bar sucks when you're busy, when does it NOT suck? read more

If there was a perfect bar for me it would be the Belfry. Staged with beautiful lights, equipped with picklebacks and spicy pickles on the snack menu and super kind bartenders, The Belfry is a great go to whenever you are in the area. Their cocktails are creative and their menu even features HH offers.Their special on the Friday night was a bourbon mule($10) and it was awesome. The bartender was friendly and let us have our space but made sure we felt taken care of. A wonderful choice anytime you need a good bar for date night or even catching up with friends. Can't wait to try the pickle martini next time :) read more

The Belfry - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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I used to live across the street and came here a lot. The bartenders are all very nice and really efficient. They are all very creative and have great cocktail experience, not just basic bartending. It always feels like Christmas inside with all the glittery lights! Oh, and it gets CROWDED. Especially late nights and on weekends. I came last year at SantaCon and it was as crowded as any other bar on that day. So, I tried to avoid weekends and days like that one. But for just regular weeknights, this is a really great place to hang out for cocktails. Very Recommended when in the Union Square - East Village neighborhood. read more

Good spot for drinks. They play good music. Gets extremely crowded at night. Made a good spicy margarita.

Solid bar that has good pickle shot or should I say picklebacks... We got some whisky shots with our pickle shots and not everyone was a fan of the picklebacks but I loved it I think its a fun concept. We also got lots of beer and wine. We enjoyed the IPA the most though - nice draft beer. Service was a bit slow as we waited 20 minutes for our beer but the place was very busy. Now lets say this - I came here Saturday night and the place had a giant line outside so try to come here around 9 the latest especially if you're in a group and you want a corner table. The design of this bar is very romantic yet trendy as they have a fairy light ceiling in the back of the place Nice bouncer read more

The Belfry - Pickle shots - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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This is an awesome bar in an excellent location offering a great variety of cocktails. Seating is a little bit limited. We had dropped in around 5pm on a Saturday and had to stand by a back bar, but it was fine! I had the Perfect Pear cocktail which consisted of gin, Elderflower, lemon, and pear. I remembered the crowd being in the 20something range. Staff is super friendly. Would definitely come back to explore other cocktail options. read more

This was a super fun and pretty place to hang out, I had my first pickle back here and surprisingly loved it! The server noticed we were trying to find a place to sit and kindly gave us a table which really made the experience way better. The service was also incredible and we were very well attended to. I would definitely come back! read more

The Belfry - The inside - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Recently discovered this spot and it's becoming one of my favs. Super cute inside and not terribly crowded. Good happy hour. They don't serve food..only pickles. That's okay by me bc I love me some pickles. Crowd seemed a bit older than your typical e village 20 something crew and I live it!! No sign outside, so it's a bit hard to find, but you'll be happy once inside. read more

Pretty, festive space. Our poor waitress was totally overwhelmed on a Friday afternoon and was running around like a chicken with her head cut off trying to keep up with demand. Sparkling rose was blah. Cocktails were OK. The concept of pickles as bar food was entertaining. I would go back to have a drink and some pickles at the bar. read more

Came in for a first date on a Friday. Made a reservation which I recommend. The hostest / server was so nice. Her drink recommendations were spot on and she was super accommodating when I needed to sub some ingredients in a very tasty mezcal drink. Great vibes, drinks and service. I will frequent this place after this great experience. read more

I went bar hopping with a few friends and my wife randomly stumbled upon this gem. We got in pretty easily on a Saturday night and we're blown away by the space. A modest sized bar serving up some high quality drinks. Pricing was pretty reasonable for the type of venue it was. The crowd seemed to be 30-40's and the DJ did an amazing job engaging the crowd. No cover fee, drinks served in nice mason jars and killer atmosphere. I'll be back! read more

The Belfry - The back of the belfry - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I'm almost embarrassed to write this review, because I'm all about picklebacks yet failed to get one here. Shame on me. Seriously. I feel ashamed. And shame isn't a pleasant feeling, people. In any case, thankfully the Belfry has far more to offer than these oh-so-delightful specialty shots. Good cocktails, even better beer and fantastic ambiance--especially for this part of the "East Village". For some reason, I was expecting the Belfry to be incredibly rowdy. Saturday night, right off the L line, nice weather, etc. etc. Not that I knew anything about the Belfry prior to going--this assumption was based on exactly zero facts. I suppose I've just been to enough bars in this area that don't attract my favorite type of people. Call me a judgy mcjudgster, I don't really care. Everyone has their own crowd preference. That's why cliques exist. Anyway, I digress. My point: the Belfry is actually down to earth, boasts a gorgeous interior, and is full of friendly people. The bouncers on this particular night were also quite cheery, which is notable considering "cheery" is not an adjective I'd typically use to describe bouncer-dom. The Belfry is good for just about anything, though I wouldn't recommend it for a date. Too loud. Romantic encounters might need to be limited to mingling. Come here with a couple girlfriends and stand near the bar or come here with a larger party and snag one of many tables for a chill night out. I'd actually go with the latter if I got a do-over--the space for mingling is quite narrow and not really conducive to any sort of natural flow. But we made do. Given the good vibes, no real potential for a subway-at-rush-hour-claustrophobia/rage altercation. You might be wondering why I have yet to cover the drinks. Remember that shame I mentioned? It's already hard to admit my pickleback failure once...and now I'm doing it again. I do love me some self-deprecating humor. Anyway. I had one beer and one cocktail during my visit. I'd say the cocktail menu as a whole is a bit above average but won't blow any mixology enthusiasts away. I had a whiskey-based specialty cocktail which could've been great, but the ratios were off. Way too sweet. Should've stuck with beer. And about that beer--fabulous selection on tap. Mostly domestic with a few international highlights (Belgium, Germany, the usual suspects). They also make a point to serve local beer, which I always appreciate, given that New York boasts a pretty impressive number of good breweries. It comes as no surprise, then, that I went with a super yummy SingleCut beer. You can't go wrong when you buy right. Wait...something tells me I stole that slogan. Oh well. read more

Highly underrated place in East Village. I have always had a good time here, except the time they turned me away because I was wearing shorts. It was 95 degrees out, sue me. One of the things I enjoy the most about this place is the number of underage kids who try to get in, and the bouncers know IDs pretty well, and they turn away a good number of kids. Haha, what a fun time for those kids. God, I'm old. Anyways, my friends all hate picklebacks, but since they're fairly cheap here during happy hour, I always get them. They also do them pretty well here, with different options, so that's just the best place to start the night. Sometimes you just want that sour, crazy burning taste in your mouth to start off that buzz. They have some very good beers on draft, and their seasonal beers are always pretty well selected. My last visit, they had Southern Tier Pumking (delicious, but you can't drink too much of it because it's such a rich flavor), and I haven't seen a place in New York with Pumking on draft, so that was pretty impressive. Overall, with all the different drafts, reasonable pricing, and moderately active crowds, you more than likely to have a great time, whether you are starting the night here, or you stay the whole time. Try a pickleback, you might like it! read more

The Belfry - southern tier pumpking. and a candle, for that smooth sultry intimate vibe - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

The most coolest, chillest and "vibiest" bar I went to in NYC. My sister in law and her friends went the night before and they really enjoyed it. They said it was really chill, mellow and not packed with people. However the next night which happened to be a Thursday was Throwback Thursday where they played alllllll of the songs we grew up listening too. All 1990s and 2000s hits. And it was packed with people. We still were lucky to be able to find a table. The service is great even though the bar was packed. They even had a live band play. Highly recommend. read more

The Belfry - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I love the rustic hipster vibe that comes with this bar. However with that in mind, it was be extremely busy when it is later in the night, BUT I love the beer options and the CHEAP picklebacks they have at the bar. This bar is one of the bars in NYC that offer Abita Purple Haze, which is MY favorite beer. You should give it a try if you like light and comes with a SLIGHTLY sweet aftertaste. The only complaint is that it can get EXTREMELY loud where having a conversation is super hard. Then you'll just have a couple picklebacks to start the night and go somewhere else! read more

My favorite bar in the city! Close to union square, my favorite part of the city. The one thing you have to try when you go there is the pickle-back shot! You basically do a whiskey shot followed by a shot of pickle juice. Yes, I know it sounds disgusting but trust me, it's delicious! Once you try the basic one, go for the spicy pickle back and the Bentley. They also have a good selection of craft beers and pretty good choices for mixed drinks. Their old fashioned hits the spot. The decor and vibe is on point and the place gets lit on the weekends. Cheers! read more

The Belfry - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This bar was great and didn't have much people when we stepped in (4pm on Saturday) but slowly got much much busier as time went on. We got a cozy little table and checked out their menus which were in paper form and on some walls in the back. We got several drinks (all of which were good) but the best was the peach mojito. I do not like peach but actually didn't mind the small flavor of it in this cocktail. We were intrigued by the "pickle back" which we found out is a shot of liquor then a shot of pickle juice. We got the regular with bourbon and my friend got one with mezcal which is similar to tequila. Apart from suffering from my clumsiness and spilling some on myself it wasn't that bad. Surprisingly good considering how sour I expected the pickle juice to be. Our friend actually said she wanted a cup of the pickle juice it was so good (we were not drunk, first bar of the day). Finally, the music selection they played was great. Mainly hip hop, I know I heard Logic and Drake. Would definitely come back, maybe during a happy hour. read more

The Belfry - Looked like a bar that was made in an alley way (both sides of the walk were brick and above the bar looked like a fire escape) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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** No food is served here, with the exception of pickles Service: 5/5 - our bartender was really friendly and chill, no attitude here Decor: 4/5 - dark, clean, can be a little romantic even - good amount of bar seating and a few tables in the front and back. - I liked that there were coat hangers under the bar Drinks: 5/5 - they have a large list of pickleback concoctions to try. Try the tickleback if you like spicy, it was delicious - good selection of beers on tap - blueberry wheat was tasty - 2-1 well and drafts after 8pm - they have a selection of pickles you can order to munch on with your drink, 4$ gets you either string beans, pickles, jalepeno stuffed olives or okra, our bartender recommended the okra and it was delicious. read more

The Belfry - Pickled okra and picklebacks! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

One of the prettiest bars I've been to in the city. It's what I imagine Cobie Smulders would look like if she were a cocktail bar. The Amberjack Old Fashioned is delicious, as is pretty much any choice on the menu. Good music and friendly service top off a pretty perfect cocktail experience. read more

Come to the Belfry for the picklebacks! The wine selection is mediocre, and I have not tried the cocktails, but the picklebacks are alone enough reason to go to the Belfry. They offer tequila or whisky, and I recommend mezcal! The bartenders are always friendly, so much that we found out that one of them had been a TA for my friend's class. They also allow you to sit at the tables without a drink minimum. read more

I've been to The Belfry somewhere between 8 and 27 times, on Thursday, Friday, Tuesday, and Saturday between the hours of 6:00 PM and 3:30 AM so I'd say I've covered just about the entire spectrum. Note to self: Maybe I should tell drunk Kelly to check in to bars circa 2:00 AM so I can achieve #duke status at this place. If you like pickle back shots this is the place for you. They also have $5 PBR and a shot. (I actually just gagged a little bit writing that because I am currently a bit hungover and think that that whiskey shot last night was a big contributor). On Thursday nights, they have a live jazz player and he is fabulous. Don't be cheap - please tip him. So I would give this place 5 stars BUT once I was coming from a soccer game and was in sneakers and was not allowed in. After pleading with the bouncer and informing him that I had just played in my ALL BOYS LEAGUE and SCORED A GOAL he still wouldn't budge. Okay I guess you have the right to have a dress code but I really just wanted to go in and get a pickleback shot and leave. Le sigh. There are also always at least 3 hinge dates going on at this place at any given time, and usually a grouper as well, making this an ideal spot for people watching. read more

The Belfry - Really good pic for sure - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Are you kidding me? I don't need more people at my favorite bar in the world. But I love them so much, it would be a travesty not to express how great the Belfry is. Let's to do a list: - amazing date spot (if you don't accidentally touch during the convo don't bother for the second) - PICKLEBACKS!! The best ever - good cocktails - nice bartenders - it's an awesome end or start to a night - PICKLES are so delicious here I owe many successful dates and the best partner in the world to you - cheers read more

So I had been here once before - had totally forgotten the name. But I remembered the awesome! Recently went again, I got The Bentley and of course, a gin and tonic - I think my friend got the tickleback or something (not sure). Didn't realize the picklebacks were shots... but enjoyed it regardless. Mine was super spicy and yummy! Really liked it. The bartenders are always cool. Always alert to those waiting at the bar - they never let you wait more than a few seconds. Love that. They can mix a drink. Damn good tenders of the bar! They serve everything in mason jars - you feel like you're in Brooklyn! Ha! Gotta say... if I frequented East Side more often, I would find myself here every time :) read more

The Belfry is great. Before I went I did my research, and saw that it had STELLAR reviews. So. I figured why not give it a shot. It was a great time. They have countless pickle backs to choose from (which are a personal favorite). I had about 7 Classics (Jameson). They were soo good. The staff was awesome too. The bartenders were super friendly and really funny. It was such a great time, my friends and I are already planning our next visit!! read more

The Belfry - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

How had I lived my whole life without knowing what a pickleback shot was? Enter The Belfry and their $5 pickleback shots. I had heard of pickleback shots before, but was always turned off by the slightly unpleasant name. After a particularly stressful day, my boyfriend and I stopped by and encouraged by the price and various signs, we tried out the picklebacks. I learned that you take the pickle juice shot before the whiskey (who knew!) from the very nice bartender. Also had a great beer selection and a cool ambiance. Also, their spicy pickles are super spicy, but super addicting. read more

The Belfry - (Spicy!) Pickles, great beer and tasty drinks - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

You know this place is legit when you have to talk loud!! Great place with great music.... awesome vibe. Tried a few drinks, the pumpkin smash was by far their best. read more

Really cute place! Love the ambiance....dark, sultry and candles everywhere. They have a really nice beer selection but it's not cheap. I came here for happy hour which is $1 off all well drinks. Check out my pics for the other specials they have! This place is known for their picklebacks and the best part is they are only $5! What else could you want!? I would def come back here for after work drinks or a night out with friends. The place gets really crowded though. If you come early when it's less crowded it would be a cute date spot. read more

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This place is so incredibly cute inside it makes you happy just to be there. Got there early on a Friday afternoon, the place was hoppin by 6pm. Staff is friendly and customers seem relatively un-douchey. The spicy pickle backs are apparently the reason to go; I'll have to try one next time. read more

Someone mentioned that there was food here. Food? What food? I don't particularly count a can of pickles as food. Would you like a mason jar of vinegar with a bumpy solid floating in the middle of it? Why, yes, thank you. NOT. The drink menu here is alright, but nothing exactly astounding. It took forever to get our drinks and the people who sat next to us got theirs earlier despite coming in way later than us. There's a reason why this place was practically empty on one the busiest nights in the city, during Pride. I would personally say it's because the faux lux interior and ambience of the place doesn't match what it serves. What kind of crowd are you trying to pull in, mate? Try to figure that out first. read more

The Belfry - I don't think they know how to properly extract the flavor of a mint leaf, either that, or this was a shoddy attempt at garnish. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

The Belfry! The Belfry! Come here if you have a love for Pickle Back Shots or if you are trying to impress someone else's that loves Pickle Back Shots! The shots start at $8 and get a bit more pricier depending on how Faaaaannnnccccyyyy you'd like to get with them. The place may seem crowded when you first enter because it's a bit narrow with the bar but if you Lee waking to the back the space opens up. With a lot more seating in the back. The bar is dark making it a bit romantic! Well as romantic as you can get while having Pickle Back Shots! Tasty Pickle Back Shots! Do not come here hungry, unless you want to fill up on Spicy Pickles & Jalapeño Olives, which are tasty in my opinion. read more

This place gets real packed and loud on the weekends. Nice rustic decor with good service. Pickle back shots are awesome and drinks are priced okay. They have no food there but they'll allow you to bring food in, pretty cool. read more

Today I've decided to stop by and make a last minute surprise for my coworker. I didn't make any reservation and they gave me a nice table on the back that fit my whole party of 9 people!! The happy hour at this place is FANTASTIC! All wine bottles half off? YES PLEASE!! :)) At 8pm, they had some super cool live band playing live! Lovely music, good drinks, amazing vibe. Best place for happy hour or for a romantic/fun date Oh! Did I mention the decor? It's the cutest thing ever!!!! Think about Urban Outfitters walk into a bar... yes, this is belfry! :) read more

The Belfry - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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This is a super cute spot, and if you come in early enough, it's very pleasant (not loud). Happy hour specials include half price bottles of wine! What more could you ask for? It's adorably decorated and welcoming, with an especially nice bar staff! read more