Whether you're looking for a comfy spot to read, a good place to write, or somewhere to wax philosophical about the dueling merits of Hemingway and Fitzgerald, New York City has some of the best literary bars in the world. You may even end up having a pint next to a published author (and you'll definitely be within thirty feet of forty aspiring authors).
Cafe Loup(212) 255-4746
105 W 13th St,
New York, NY, 10011
More a place for writers to gather, Loup is adorned with pictures of artists, gazing out at the current masses of graduate students from the New School's MFA program, who mill around after workshops while older, established members of the literary set can be found dining at tables throughout the place, sipping wine and cocktails served up by one of the city's best bartenders.
Chumley's(212) 675-4449
86 Bedford St,
New York, NY, 10014
While Chumley's is still under the knife after a chimney collapse shuttered it in 2007, the owners are gunning for a 2012 reopening for this former haunt of Cummings, Steinbeck, Faulkner, O'Neill, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and countless other luminaries of the Lost and Beat Generations.
Freddy's Bar & Backroom(718) 235-3713
627 5th Ave,
Brooklyn, NY, 11215
Co-owner Donald O'Finn's visual art—check out the mesmerizing mix between the original Psycho and it's shot-for-shot remake—runs pertually in the new location of Freddy's, so it makes sense that the bar has become a meetingplace for artists in the South Slope, including musicians of all stripes, and provides a home to two monthly reading series: Whisky Coke and Spoken Word New York. On slower weekday nights, it's not hard to have a table all to yourself as a literary office, although be warned: the music and the crowds can get loud.
Kettle of Fish(212) 414-2278
59 Christopher St,
New York, NY, 10014
Kettle of Fish is a bit of a mixed bag, what with its attraction to college students and Packers fans, but on nights when things are shoulder-to-shoulder and ass-to-elbow, the back room and fireplace alcove are fantastic places to read or write, and the beer is exactly right for a writer's wallet. The bar's current location used to be the legendary home of The Lion's Head, a lightning rod of the New York literary scene, and it's former location above the likewise legendary Gaslight Cafe made it a favorite haunt of Bob Dylan and a slew of poets.
KGB Bar(212) 505 3360
85 East 4th Street,
New York, NY, 10003
This red devil of a bar hosts a non-stop onslaught of readings, from literary magazine launches to events like the NYU Emerging Writers Series, and with its cash-only, tap-less bar and reasonably reserved nights off from hordes of literati, and low lighting, it isn't exactly conducisve to reading, but it's a stellar place to get some writing done.
Lolita(212) 966-7223
266 Broome St.,
New York, NY, 10002
Monday through Wednesdays, at the very least, Lolita is the perfect place to sit back and read or write, with not-too-loud music the only thing fighting for your attention (and maybe the occasional attractive stranger). The bar also hosts the bi-weekly Ginsberg-Gainsbourg reading series in their basement.
Pete's Candy Store(718) 302-3770
709 Lorimer St,
Brooklyn, NY, 11211
With a backroom that thankfully cuts off readings from the overall noise of the front of the bar, Pete's is more of a gathering place for the literati, although on quieter nights and during warmer seasons, the backyard provides the perfect place for a pint, a smoke, and a Moleskine.
Pete's Tavern(212) 473-7676
129 E 18th St,
New York, NY, 10003
For the more upwardly mobile writer, Pete's provides an opportunity to plop down some shekels for dinner, seclude yourself in a booth, and get some work done. During warmer weather, there are check-clothed tables outside.
The Half King(212) 462-4300
505 W 23rd St,
New York, NY, 10011
Hosting roughly fifty literary events a year, including their weekly Monday Reading Series, Half King is the best place in Chelsea to hang out with other writers.
Union Hall718.638.4400
702 Union Street,
Brooklyn, NY, 11215
Just inside the door, you'll find a cozy alcove of comfy chairs and couches, set apart from the generally roaring bocce courts by an ell of floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Those with genius-level focus may want to read or write here, but the safer bet is a literate conversation with friends. There's also music, comedy, and the occassional reading to be had in the bar's basement.
White Horse Tavern(212) 989-3956
567 Hudson Street,
New York, NY, 10014
It may be a little crushed on most nights to get any substantial writing done (perhaps in the back room), but this place is still haunted by the ghosts of a century's worth of poets and writers, from Dylan Thomas to Anais Nin!
