The Best Literary Bars in New York City
From historic taverns where Dylan Thomas drank to modern bookstore bars hosting the city's sharpest reading series, here is where to drink with writers.
New York writers do not just sit in solitary apartments. They sit at the bar. The history of American literature is permanently tied to the city's taverns, where arguments were settled, advances were spent, and manuscripts were allegedly written. If you want to drink with that history, you have options. We tracked down the rooms that still feel vital in 2026. This is a guide to the places where the literary scene actually lives today. Some are classic pubs that refuse to change. Others are modern bookstores that smartly added a liquor license. Grab a title from The 30 Best Novels About New York City and pull up a stool.
What Makes a Great Literary Bar
A true literary bar is not just a room with bookshelves glued to the wall. It requires a specific alchemy. The lighting must be dim enough to look good, but bright enough to actually read the menu and your paperback. The music should be audible but never aggressive. You need bartenders who know how to pour a proper drink and know when to leave you alone.
Most importantly, the best literary bars have a lived-in history. You can feel the arguments that happened in the booths. You can sense the late nights, the celebrated book deals, and the brutal rejections. Some of these spaces survived Prohibition and the whims of New York real estate. Others are brand new, proving that the city still cares about print.
The Best Literary Bars in New York City
White Horse Tavern
West Village · 567 Hudson St · $$ WebsiteMap
This is where Dylan Thomas famously took his last drinks, but the tavern is more than a ghost tour. Run by new owners as of a few years ago, the patio scene stays loud, but the wood-paneled interior still holds that historic mid-century gravity. Grab a booth, order a beer, and soak in the history of a room that has hosted everyone from Jack Kerouac to James Baldwin.
Go for: A weeknight pint when the crowds thin out. Know before you go: It gets busy on weekends, so aim for an off-hour if you want to read.
KGB Bar
East Village · 85 E 4th St · $ Map
One flight up in a former Ukrainian social club, KGB Bar is the undisputed king of the literary reading series scene. The red walls, Soviet propaganda posters, and cheap drinks remain unchanged. On any given night, you might hear a National Book Award winner or an MFA student reading their first published work.
Go for: The free nightly readings at 7 p.m.. Know before you go: It is cash only, and seats fill up fast for big names.
Book Club Bar
East Village · 197 E 3rd St · $$ WebsiteMap
A fully functional independent bookstore that smoothly transitions into a wine and espresso bar. Book Club Bar is a rare room where you can buy a paperback at 10 p.m. and read it in a comfortable leather chair with a glass of natural wine. With large cozy seating and floor-to-ceiling shelves, it stays open until midnight every day.
Go for: A quiet weeknight date or a solo reading session. Know before you go: They host frequent poetry discussions, book clubs, and comedy nights.
Pete's Tavern
Gramercy · 129 E 18th St · $$ WebsiteMap
Operating continuously since 1864, Pete's Tavern survived Prohibition by posing as a flower shop. O. Henry supposedly wrote "The Gift of the Magi" in the front booth, and the pressed-tin ceiling and original rosewood bar remain exactly as they were. It leans heavily into its history, but the beers are cold and the old New York charm is fully intact.
Go for: The 1864 House Ale. Know before you go: The sidewalk seating is great, but the real atmosphere is inside the main dining room.
The Ear Inn
Hudson Square · 326 Spring St · $$ WebsiteMap
Housed in the 1770 James Brown House, The Ear Inn has been pouring drinks since 1817. It is one of the best dive bars in the city and completely unbothered by modern trends. It sits so far west it almost falls into the Hudson River, but the longshoreman history, nautical decor, and occasional poetry nights keep the literary crowd returning.
Go for: A pint of Guinness and a burger. Know before you go: The neon bar sign outside is famously painted over to read "EAR".
Old Town Bar
Flatiron · 45 E 18th St · $$ WebsiteMap
With its towering mahogany bar, massive mirrors, and working dumbwaiter, Old Town is a 130-year-old sanctuary. It was a favorite haunt for writers like Frank McCourt and poet Seamus Heaney, and it remains a place where you can actually hear your friends talk. The creaky wooden booths and pressed tin ceilings are perfect for nursing a beer and complaining about the state of publishing.
Go for: A cold beer and a hot dog. Know before you go: Check out the famous Hinsdale porcelain urinals in the men's room, patented in 1910.
Blue Bar at The Algonquin
Midtown · 59 W 44th St · $$$ WebsiteMap
This is where Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, and the rest of the Vicious Circle traded insults over lunch in the 1920s. The hotel recently renovated its spaces, but the Blue Bar retains its plush jewel tones, Edwardian furniture, and Al Hirschfeld drawings. It is undeniably a hotel bar, but drinking a martini here feels like participating in a vital piece of Broadway and publishing history.
Go for: An unapologetically expensive classic cocktail. Know before you go: There is an actual Round Table in the dining room you can walk past on your way to the bar.
Bookmarks Lounge
Midtown · 299 Madison Ave · $$$ WebsiteMap
Perched on the 14th floor of the Library Hotel, Bookmarks is a rooftop lounge dedicated to the written word. The cocktail menu features literary puns (think the "Tequila Mockingbird"), and the space offers a glass-enclosed greenhouse for colder months. It is a slightly corporate Midtown crowd, but the views of the New York Public Library architecture below make it worth the elevator ride.
Go for: After-work drinks with a view. Know before you go: The dress code leans business casual, so leave the sweatpants at home.
Pete's Candy Store
Williamsburg · 709 Lorimer St · $ WebsiteMap
A 1920s candy shop transformed into a neighborhood staple, Pete's is famous for its narrow performance room. The tiny stage has hosted early sets by massive indie artists, but the bar also runs serious open mics and reading series. It feels intimate, creative, and exactly what you want a Brooklyn venue to be.
Go for: Free live music or a low-key reading. Know before you go: Happy hour runs until 7 p.m. on weekdays with $6 drafts.
Franklin Park
Crown Heights · 766 Franklin Ave · $$ Map
This sprawling beer garden is home to the legendary Franklin Park Reading Series, which consistently draws major authors and a packed house. Even when there is not a reading happening, the indoor and outdoor space is a great place to sit with a draft beer and a book. With two bars and a huge patio, it is a cornerstone of the Brooklyn literary community.
Go for: The reading series, usually held on a Monday night. Know before you go: You can order a burger from the adjoining Dutch Boy Burger window.
P&T Knitwear
Lower East Side · 180 Orchard St · $$ WebsiteMap
More than just an independent bookstore, P&T Knitwear is a massive space with an in-house cafe, an amphitheater for author talks, and a free podcast studio. You can browse a heavily curated selection of New York history books, grab an espresso or a beer, and settle into one of the comfortable reading nooks. It celebrates the Lower East Side immigrant history brilliantly.
Go for: An evening author panel or a weekend afternoon reading session. Know before you go: The cafe frequently hosts a happy hour for writers with discounted drinks.
The Dead Poet
Upper West Side · 450 Amsterdam Ave · $$ WebsiteMap
Founded by a former high school English teacher, this narrow pub celebrates the lives of famous writers. The mahogany-paneled walls are lined with portraits and quotes, and the cocktails are named after literary heavyweights. It gets rowdy on weekends, but early evenings are perfect for a pint and free popcorn.
Go for: A casual neighborhood pint. Know before you go: If you share a birthday with a famous dead poet, you might score a free drink.
Molasses Books
Bushwick · 770 Hart St · $ WebsiteMap
Pioneering the modern bookstore and bar hybrid when it opened in 2012, Molasses Books is a Bushwick staple. It is open until midnight every day, allowing you to trade used books for bar tab credit. The space is small, bright, and usually filled with neighborhood creatives drinking cheap beer and reading paperbacks.
Go for: Late-night reading in a cozy corner. Know before you go: Seating is very limited, so be prepared to stand or lean if you arrive during prime hours.
The Center for Fiction
Fort Greene · 15 Lafayette Ave · $$ WebsiteMap
The Center for Fiction is an entire building dedicated to storytelling, but the real draw for a casual afternoon is the cafe and bar. You can browse the massive bookstore on the ground floor, then grab a glass of wine and read in a space designed specifically for book lovers. It feels less like a noisy pub and more like the city's best private library, open to the public.
Go for: A glass of wine before one of their major author events. Know before you go: The space is heavily laptop friendly during the day, but shifts to a more social atmosphere in the evening.
Bemelmans Bar
Upper East Side · 35 E 76th St · $$$ WebsiteMap
Located inside the Carlyle Hotel, Bemelmans Bar is named for Ludwig Bemelmans, creator of the Madeline children's books. His whimsical, 24-karat gold leaf murals cover the walls. It is one of the best cocktail bars in New York, complete with white-jacketed waiters and live piano music.
Go for: A flawless, freezing cold martini. Know before you go: There is a cover charge for the live entertainment (usually around $10 to $35 depending on the act and time).
Julius'
West Village · 159 W 10th St · $ WebsiteMap
Julius' is the oldest operating gay bar in New York City, famously the site of the 1966 Sip-In protest. Long before that, it was a regular hangout for writers like Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams. Today, it remains a relaxed, unpretentious room with great burgers and a palpable sense of history.
Go for: A burger and a beer at the worn wooden bar. Know before you go: It achieved official New York City landmark status a few years ago, cementing its legacy.
The Shout NY take: Great writers need great rooms. Tip your bartender, buy a book, and read the good stuff.
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Questions, answered.
- What is the oldest literary bar in NYC?
- Pete's Tavern and the Ear Inn are two of the oldest continuously operating bars in the city, with the Ear Inn dating back to 1817 and Pete's Tavern to 1864.
- Where can I hear a reading at a bar in New York?
- KGB Bar in the East Village and Pete's Candy Store in Williamsburg host regular, long-running reading series. The Franklin Park Reading Series in Crown Heights is also a neighborhood staple.
- Are there bars inside bookstores in NYC?
- Yes. Book Club Bar in the East Village, P&T Knitwear on the Lower East Side, and Molasses Books in Bushwick all serve beer and wine alongside their shelves.
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