New York City area bars and nightlife

Best bars in Chinatown

Best bars in Chinatown: start with Katz's Delicatessen, Birria-Landia, and Clinton St. Baking Co.. Use the 15 places below to build a plan around this theme; each place has source-backed details behind its description.

Within 1.0 mi of Chinatown center · center-radius discovery, not a neighborhood boundary

Real places and events — checked, sourced, kept honest.

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15 places

Places to start with

Katz's Delicatessen

Source-backed place · Food and drink

Katz's Delicatessen

New York City's oldest deli, famous for its legendary pastrami on rye and deep roots in the Lower East Side's immigrant history.

1-2 hours $$ History 5 sources
Birria-Landia

Source-backed place · Food and drink

Birria-Landia

A legendary New York City food truck specializing in Tijuana-style birria tacos, founded by brothers José and Jesús Moreno and fa…

30-60 min $ Food 5 sources
Clinton St. Baking Co.

Source-backed place · Food and drink

Clinton St. Baking Co.

A legendary Lower East Side staple since 2001, this family-run American bakery and restaurant is world-famous for its all-day pan…

1-2 hours $$ Food 6 sources
Mercury Lounge

Source-backed place · Theaters and music

Mercury Lounge

An intimate Lower East Side music venue known for its rich history and capacity for 250 guests, located in a building that once h…

2-3 hours $ History 6 sources
Tickets Ticketmaster
Café Lyria

Source-backed place · Food and drink

Café Lyria

A stylish SoHo coffee shop blending modern New York energy with authentic Greek warmth, specializing in honey-infused espresso dr…

30-90 min $$ Photography 3 sources
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club

Source-backed place · Theaters and music

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club

A world-renowned Off-Off-Broadway pioneer founded in 1961 by Ellen Stewart, this experimental theatre club serves as a global hub…

$ Architecture 6 sources
McSorley's Old Ale House

Source-backed place · Bars and nightlife

McSorley's Old Ale House

Established in 1854, McSorley's Old Ale House is purportedly New York City's oldest Irish tavern and continuously operated saloon…

$ History 6 sources
Nom Wah Tea Parlor

Source-backed place · Food and drink

Nom Wah Tea Parlor

New York City's oldest dim sum parlor, Nom Wah Tea Parlor is a historic throwback gem on Doyers Street, serving Hong Kong-style d…

$$ History 6 sources
Reservations Resy
Perelman Performing Arts Center

Source-backed place · Theaters and music

Perelman Performing Arts Center

Known as PAC NYC, this cutting-edge venue is the cultural keystone of the World Trade Center site, hosting a global exchange of t…

Architecture 5 sources
Nuyorican Poets Cafe

Source-backed place · Theaters and music

Nuyorican Poets Cafe

A legendary Lower East Side bastion of Nuyorican art, poetry, and hip-hop, currently undergoing a major three-year reconstruction…

Free History 6 sources
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

Source-backed place · Theaters and music

Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

A premier cultural center in Greenwich Village, this 860-seat theater owned by New York University provides a professional perfor…

Free Architecture 5 sources
St. Ann’s Warehouse

Source-backed place · Theaters and music

St. Ann’s Warehouse

A powerhouse of the American avant-garde, this performing arts institution transforms a pre-Civil War tobacco warehouse into a fl…

Architecture 6 sources
Chinatown Soup

Source-backed place · Food and drink

Chinatown Soup

A curated community hub at 16B Orchard Street, Chinatown Soup blends an inclusive cafe with an artist space dedicated to art, jus…

Free Art 6 sources
Fourth Arts Block (FABnyc)

Source-backed place · Theaters and music

Fourth Arts Block (FABnyc)

A vital hub of East Village creativity, FABnyc manages one of New York City's only two official Cultural Districts, preserving a…

Art 6 sources
IATI Theater

Source-backed place · Theaters and music

IATI Theater

Founded in 1968, IATI Theater is a vanguard of Latinx performing arts in the East Village, specializing in bold, experimental, an…

Art 5 sources

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Plan smarter

How to use this list

Best first stop Katz's Delicatessen A monumental rye-cured pastrami sandwich cured up to 30 days, famous for the 'When Harry Met Sally' filming spot table.
Suggested shape

Start with Katz's Delicatessen and Mercury Lounge. Then use the Nearby location picker to swap in food, events, or a shorter walk based on where you actually are.

Best for
History Food Solo Travel Quick Stop Groups
Source depth

65 public sources across the top 12 places

What should I start with on this New York City list?

Start with Katz's Delicatessen, Birria-Landia, and Clinton St. Baking Co., then use the map to add nearby food, events, or a shorter walking route.

How does Gyde choose places for Best bars in Chinatown?

Gyde ranks source-backed places by fit for this theme, visitor usefulness, category coverage, and local context. The top 12 places on this page currently reference 65 public sources.

What should I verify before going?

Check official sources for current hours, ticket prices, closures, construction, and event schedules before you leave.

Editorial method

How this guide is built

Evidence

Source-backed places first

12 of the top 12 places show public source links, with 65 source links total.

Recommendation logic

Fit beats inventory volume

Gyde weighs theme fit, category variety, local context, and route usefulness before sending you to a New York City place page.

Before you go

Freshness still matters

Last content update among these picks: Updated June 2026. Check official hours, ticket prices, closures, and weather before leaving.

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