Here Are The 14 Best Bars In The West Village: Ranking

WEST VILLAGE, NY — The West Village is famous for its restaurants and bars, but which watering holes are the very best in the neighborhood?

TimeOut New York recently created a list of the 14 best bars in the West Village, which includes some world-famous establishments, along with lesser-known spots.

Here is TimeOut's ranking of the 14 best local bars, for the next time you're trying to decide where to get a drink.

1. Dante: 79-81 MacDougal Street

Here's what TimeOut has to say about the previous No. 1 ranked bar in the world.

"Come for the negroni, stay for the vibe and just move right in for the pasta. It's that simple, pleasure-seeking ideology that embodies Dante, the beloved MacDougal Street Italian café turned small plates restaurant and cocktail bar. "

2. Bandits: 44 Bedford Street

Here's what TimeOut had to stay about the routinely celebrated Bandits bar.

"The drinks are as impeccable as the vibes at this corner block spot that looks like it’s set in the middle of your favorite sitcom. Grab your nearest and dearest and settle in for a casual and indulgent night – go for the smash burger with one of the “dressed-up” beers (the Dosa Cart, made with mango coconut curry hot sauce and wheat beer, is truly delicious)."

3. Little Branch: 20 7th Avenue South

Here's what TimeOut had to say about the slightly lesser-known Little Branch bar.

"As befits cocktail progenitor Sasha Petraske’s liquid legacy, the drinks at this clubby, low-ceilinged Village rathskeller are nigh perfect. If you choose to deviate from the menu, just give the neatly attired, polite bartenders a base liquor and a hint of your mood, and they can tailor a drink on the fly."

4. Katana Kitten: 531 Hudson Street

Here's what TimeOut had to say about the Katana Kitchen bar that continues to get placed high in the best of the best watering hole rankings.

"Try the genever-spiked Meguroni, which comes in a simple, subdued ceramic glass, but it’s bursting with flavor thanks to its mix of earthy red bitters and whispers of buttery cinnamon notes from the aged umeshu. The bar’s elaborate cocktails and flawless service are directly and playfully juxtaposed against its grungy dive vibes, from the vintage pop-culture posters to the checkerboard floors."

5. Venice Bar at Saint Theo's: 340 Bleecker Street

Here's what TimeOut had to say about the first of the Bleecker Street bars to make the ranking.

"Aptly named, Venice Bar, like Saint Theo’s exudes a sultry Venetian energy alongside a drink menu intended to celebrate the start (aperitivo) and the end (digestivo) of the night. Depending on the mood you’re in, their take on the classic Death in Venice—which they make with mezcal—is a perfect drink to both kick off and wrap up an evening."

6. Bar Pisellino: 52 Grove Street

Here's what TimeOut had to say about Bar Pisellino.

"The Italian jewel box sells coffee, pastries and sanwiches during the day and cocktails for an aperitif or late-night drinking."

7. The Happiest Hour: 121 West 10th Street

Here's what TimeOut had to say about The Happiest Hour.

"The bi-level bar is crammed with mid-20th-century curios—a ’60s pop soundtrack; mod, half-moon booths; waitresses in Chuck Taylors—but it’s the customizable cocktails and breezy vibe that win over the crowd."

8. Anfora: 34 8th Avenue

Here's what TimeOut had to say about Anfora.

"The roughly 250-bottle natural wine list focuses on Old World varietals from smaller producers while the kitchen turns out Mediterranean specialties like plates of charcuterie, pizza Bianca flatbreads, conservas and dips."

9. Julius': 159 West 10th Street

Here's what TimeOut had to say about Julius'.

"Established in 1862, this is New York’s oldest operating gay bar. You can feel a rich sense of history and community here: The walls are lined with historical materials, and the venue has been used as the backdrop for films such as Can You Ever Forgive Me?"

10. Employees Only: 510 Hudson Street

Here's what TimeOut had to say about Employees Only.

"Of all of the city’s craft cocktail joints Employees Only is among the most populist, with enough nerd-baiting tipples on the menu to please aficionados without alienating everyone else. Easy sipping libations include the floral Provencal, a silky blend of lavender-infused gin, vermouth steeped with herbs de Provence and Cointreau."

11. The Garret: 296 Bleecker Street

Here's what TimeOut had to say about The Garret.

"Turn left at the ketchup dispenser,” a red-capped burger flipper will tell you after you’ve spent ten minutes lost and confused at the West Village Five Guys. Yes, tucked in back of the patty joint is a clandestine staircase leading to a second-floor loft, rigged with glass chandeliers, a fireplace mantel tumbling with dusty hourglasses, and a well-stocked bar run by Hotel Chantelle commodore Kyle O’Brien and Riff Raff’s alum Gavin Moseley"

12. The Spaniard: 190 West 4th Street

Here's what TimeOut had to say about The Spaniard.

"The Sheridan Square gastropub is stacked with whiskey, preppy young professionals and the group’s signature worn-in, old-world touches: jewel-tone leather banquettes, maritime paintings and exposed-brick walls and ceilings."

13. Blind Tiger Ale House: 281 Bleecker Street

Here's what TimeOut had to say about Blind Tiger Ale House.

"Since its arrival in 1995, Blind Tiger has achieved legendary status thanks to a meticulously curated program and some of the city's best bar food. The 28 taps ($6.50--$11), two casks and one gravity keg (usually $7), plus more than 80 bottles ($7--$55), make this the first port of call for brewhounds who want to track downpours they can't find anywhere else."

14. Kobrick Coffee Co.: 24 9th Avenue

Here's what TimeOut had to say about Kobrick Coffee Co.

"Let’s be real—coffee cocktails have never been cool. But when a century-old roastery debuts a bar program serving inventive iterations of those once-disreputable java drinks in the Meatpacking District, it piques our interest."

You can read TimeOut's full breakdown of the best West Village bars on its website.