Mars Bar 25 1st St. (@ 2nd Ave.)
East Village
212.473.9842
Mars Bar:
“Sit elsewhere fat slob,” reads one of the many messages scrawled on the graffiti-covered walls of Mars Bar. As you order a whiskey on the rocks, you can’t help but notice forlorn men falling asleep at the counter. “It’s a bar where people come to hide,” explains a bartender. Mars is indeed a getaway for vagabonds, disgruntled 20-somethings, and even celebrities (James Gandolfini, Kirsten Dunst, and Elijah Wood have all been spotted here). There’s an odd sense of community too—bartenders share candy bars with patrons and the regulars tend to donate their art to the walls. Don’t forget that this rundown dive only holds 40 drunks, so come on a weekday; weekends are infested with Hot Topic rats and NYU scenesters.
