Friday, July 26, 2013

Pete's Tavern --Classic Old Place near Gramercy Square

The only thing that gives me pause about Pete's Tavern is the feeling I have always had that it is a little too much a kind of tourist place...but read the reviews and decide for yourself..

Pete's Tavern

247 reviews Rating Details
129 E 18th St
(between 3rd Ave & Irving Pl)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhoods: Union Square, Gramercy, Flatiron
(212) 473-7676
Nearest Transit Station:
14 St - Union Sq (4, 5, 6, 6X)
14 St - Union Sq (N, Q, R)
Union Sq - 14 St (L)
Delivery:
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
No
Takes Reservations:
No
Price Range:
$$
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Wi-Fi:
No
Good For:
Dinner
Music:
Juke Box
Best Nights:
Thu, Fri, Sat
Happy Hour:
Yes
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Smoking:
No
Coat Check:
No
Noise Level:
Loud
Good For Dancing:
No
Ambience:
Casual
Has TV:
Yes
Caters:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Review Highlights   What's this?

  • "Pete's, one of NYC Oldest bars, is a great drinking experience." In 32 reviews
  • "The service was great, the place is a total old school pub." In 16 reviews
  • "I'd also highly recommend their burgers (they're huge, but tasty." In 30 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Useful | Funny | Cool | Total Votes | Friends' | Elites'

247 reviews in English

  • Review from

    4/22/2013 1 check-in here
    Declared "the oldest bar in NYC" (but isn't everywhere) Pete's Tavern is certainly loveable. With it's warm, old-timey decor and friendly bartender, you are sure to feel right at home popping in for a quick drink while trying to avoid the Union Square crowd.

    Avoid the pretentious and grab a pint here.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 15 reviews
    5/23/2013
    I've eaten here twice.  First time had a regular cheeseburger and it was OK, nothing special.  2nd time shared the mozzarella sticks & sliders.  Mozzarella sticks are pub standard, nothing special just shaped like triangles instead of sticks, and the sliders are pretty bad.  $7.75 for a Guiness isn't exactly a draw either.  I see no reason to go here again.

    Service was really good.
  • Review from

    • 38 friends
    • 33 reviews
    4/5/2013
    Love this place been here twice. Both time was for company xmas dinner it had the upstairs to ourselves and we had our own entrance and exit which was so convenient for smokers and going out for a break.

    we had open bar the food was fantastic we had little appetizers the guys would walk around with it. Cant really remember what we had but i remember it was tasty.

    service was excellent everyone was friendly i think we having it here again this year.
  • Review from

    7/9/2013
    Came here with out of town friends.  This place is really only good for drinks.  The food was in edible.  Burger was overcooked and served with stale bun and overfried fries.  The chicken pasta dish made me wished I was at Applebee's.  There are plenty of other old taverns serving respectable food like Walkers in TriBeCa.
  • Review from

    7/10/2013
    Salad was chunks of iceberg lettuce on a plate. Prime rib was overcooked and dry. The veal piccata made me feel extra guilty about the baby cow that had to die for it.

    Apparently this place is good for drinks. My advice is to drink as much as you possibly can until your tastebuds pass out. Yes, I've been watching too much Gordon Ramsay, but this was a bloody kitchen nightmare.
  • Review from

    3/17/2013 1 check-in here
    I love Pete's tavern. It's such a non-pretentious hidden gem in union square.

    The bar tenders are friendly and attentive. If its not crowded they will have a chat with you and make you feel very at home.

    It has a fun decor and a cheap jukebox!

    They have pretty good beer on draft and good stiff mixed drinks.

    The food is good as well. Just your typical bar food, but it's big portions and not expensive at all

    If I lived closer, I would definitely make this my go-to place.
  • Review from

    • 120 friends
    • 201 reviews
    2/26/2013
    I didn't eat here - this review is for the bar only.

    My mom made me come here.
    Really - upon learning I was coming to NYC for two weeks, my mom (a NY expat) told me I MUST to go Pete's.
    This is where she spent a lot of her wild and crazy single days in the late 60's and early 70's.

    Gotta say - she was right. It's a very comfortable neighborhood bar. Love the history in the building, and I had a blast. We sat at the bar, had cocktails, chatted with the bartender and the regulars - and all made fun of the Oscars as a group.

    Pete's was the perfect place for me to get away from my head for a bit. Forget all the silliness outside in the real world and truly just be in the moment.

    I need to find a Pete's in Phoenix - what this place did for me went way beyond the buzz I'd usually get from that much Maker's Mark!
  • Review from

    1/15/2013 1 check-in here
    Historic but not stodgy at all.  I stopped in while wandering the streets of NYC.  Had the prime rib, pasta w/ sauce, beers & egg nog.  Glad my friend was hungry because we split the meal which was a bit too big for me to finish on my own.

    The prime rib was delicious and the horseradish sauce was excellent as well.  The pasta was also pretty satisfying.

    I will definitely be back since Pete's is a hidden gem.  The staff are attentive without being fussy; the food is first rate & the egg nog is the perfect libation when it's cold outside.
  • Review from

    3/19/2013
    I came here for dinner this past Saturday, the day before Saint Patrick's Day. The place was decked out for the holiday and the bar itself was packed with people, but my two friends and I were seated immediately in the back dining area, no problem.

    Our waiter was very nice and attentive, and suggested a good beer to try when the one I ordered was tapped.

    The food itself was okay - I ordered from the special St. Patrick's Day menu and got shephards pie. One of my friends got fish and chips and the third ordered a pasta dish. My meal was only warm (not hot) and a little bland.

    The back dining area was cold, and the booth we were sat in was way too small for two people on one side but we made due. The booths would work better for two people only. Literally everyone that walked by hit me, and other wait staff kept bumping into me without apology despite the fact you would think they would be used to people not fitting in the booths.

    I would return to try out the bar only, or to try it out when you can sit outside. Otherwise I don't think I will be back.
  • Review from

    12/22/2012
    As a speakeasy fan and book lover, I adore Pete's because of its O. Henry connection. It's not a speakeasy, but it has the authenticity of operating even through Prohibition.

    It's not fancy or overly decorated. Pete's feels cozy and comfortable, especially in the winter, and I always return in December for delicious eggnog. They make the traditional brandy variety, as well as whiskey and rum. I tried brandy this time since I wanted to be authentic, but I must admit that I liked the rum version much more. And best of all, the eggnog is topped with whipped cream!
  • Review from

    • 29 friends
    • 243 reviews
    1/5/2013 2 photos 1 check-in here
    Oldest bar in NYC. Oldest bar that's still a bar that is.

    It looks like it's a fun neighborhood bar with here and there the tourists. It's really not as pricey as I expected (due to it being famous for it being the oldest bar in town).

    Bartenders are friendly. Food smelled good, but we didn't eat it, as we had dinner reservations elsewhere.
    • Outside
    • My love has been here too
  • Review from

    1/5/2013
    This is an institution.  A REAL New York bar/restaurant.   There's the  old wooden bar up front, which is fun to saddle up and drink while choosing songs from the jukebox.  Then, it's a classic American/American Italian menu that is many pages long.  Plus great daily specials.  Oh, and they will cook you anything.  The red meat is great. Burgers and steak never let down.  Great chicken/veal piccata or marsala.  A place for  classics.  Also, great calamari, you know, a place like that.  Drinks are stiff, waitresses angels.  An old-school maitre'd.  This is a place I will go my whole life.
    In warm months, great outdoor tables.
  • Review from

    5/12/2013
    The food is tasteless and service is OK. I wouldn't recommend coming here for brunch.  But on a brighter note, the mimosa was the best part of the meal.
  • Review from

    11/21/2012 1 check-in here
    Pros: The bar is cool looking and old

    Cons: Crowded beyond belief, rude bus person who was irritated it was so crowded and kept being NASTY to me about moving when I had absolutely no where to move, expensive, loud, full of boring after work manhattanites

    Sorry, it is true.
  • Review from

    4/20/2013
    We stopped by this Pete's Tavern yesterday after work for a co-worker's farewell. And it was really crowded and a bit smaller than people would have liked for all of us to stand around and drink. And in the meantime, waiters and patrons keep squeezing in between us to get through. We eventually got a spot outside since it was a pretty nice night out. :) It is considered the oldest tavern in NYC. And they have a lot of pictures up of celebrities that have stopped by this place like Johnny Depp and Jeremy Renner. Pretty cool. I didn't get to try the food so I can't comment on that. But there was free hor d'oeuvres being passed around. I tried the pigs in a blanket. It was good.
  • Review from

    1/4/2013 1 check-in here
    You really can't go wrong at Pete's. The atmosphere is everything I look for in a bar, but then you get into how they actually have decent pub grub as well as play awesome music, and it's just a home-run.

    The staff is always really patient with you, even as you start being over-served. (their fault anyway, right??)

    It's especially nice and cozy around Christmas at Pete's :) love this place and love this area of the city
  • Review from

    • 1 friend
    • 29 reviews
    11/30/2012
    Visited Pete's Tavern last Sunday and sat at O'Henry's table.  Love the cozy atmosphere.  The service was good and so was the food.  We ordered a bunch of appetizers that were all delicious.

    Pete's Tavern is a neighborhood gem.

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