Holiday Cocktail Lounge — Restaurant in New York

Holiday Bar: Where the Pony Beers Flow and the Judgment Is Free

Holiday Bar is not just a bar—it’s a lifestyle, a mindset, a state of being. Nestled in the chaotic wonderland that is St. Marks, it’s the kind of place where you go in for “just one” and come out three hours later full of theories about astrology, the 2003 Knicks roster, and why you definitely could have been a DJ.

Let’s talk about the pony beers. Tiny. Cold. Adorably noncommittal. They’re the flirtatious side-eye of beverages. You’re not drinking—you’re sampling life. And because they’re so small, you can responsibly drink twelve and still convince yourself you’ve made good choices.

But here’s the real dream: summer at Holiday Bar, posted up at one of the outdoor tables like a caffeinated gargoyle of judgment. Just you, your sunglasses, and a rotating cast of St. Marks pedestrians straight out of a casting call titled “People Who Might Be In A Band”. Every few minutes, someone walks by wearing something so confusingly cool you re-evaluate your entire wardrobe. This is the sport. This is the Olympics. This is why we wait all winter.

Inside? It’s low-key grungy in the best way. The lighting says “we don’t want you to see the time” and the music says “you will bop your head, even if you’re sad.” The bartenders are chill but also psychic—they know what you want before you do. They’ve seen things. They’ve poured beers for poets and possible cult leaders.

10/10. Cannot wait for it to be warm enough to sit outside, drink tiny beers, and silently roast strangers with love. Holiday Bar, you’re my problematic East...

My fiancé and I hit up the holiday bar mid day on a week day. We loved the ambiance and were blown away by the customer service.

The bartender manager Eric welcomed us and whipped us up delicious cocktails after finding out what we liked (as should any great bartender).

We had a conversation about difference between good and great bartenders. Eric was so pleasant and wished us a big congrats for our engagement the day before.

We asked him his favorite things to hit up close and was spot on with the recommendations.

He even suggested we head over right away if we wanted a seat at a happy hour down the block.

Then when the check came turned over I realized he had given us our cocktails for Free! He even was hesitant to accept a $20 bill as a thank you.

Hey Eric if you are reading this you are the difference between good and great. Learning what your guests tastes are what they have going on in their lives. You made us feel special. You have customers for life. Thank you!

Hope we can throw back some tequila next time we are in town.

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i used to got to this place 25 years ago for $1 jack and cokes any time my friends and I were in the city. it was a lovable dump of a bar. it was part of our crawl that included dallas BBQ (closed), McSorley's, Burp Castle and Peculiar Pub.

life gets away from you, right? the years rolled by and the next thing i knew decades had passed since i had been here. but the location still holds a lot of nostalgic value for me.

found myself in the neighborhood recently and just had to see if it was still there. indeed it was. i took the friend who was with me, told him all the stories, and said "let's check it out"

It's a lot different than it was. but in a good way. it's comfortable, relaxed, the perfect neighborhood haunt.

the thing I loved- the legacy of the old crap hole seems to be alive and well. super stiff drinks for cheap. my buddy and I both raised our eyebrows when we tasted our $12 old fashioned's. we definitely got our...