NYC's Best Irish Bars for Celebrating St. Patrick's Day 2016

St. Patrick’s Day in the city often brings to mind bar crawls—at least, what’s visible of them at street level. Tucked behind the doors and in dark corners of sawdust covered bars sit the true revelers, throwing back pints of Guinness, maybe listening to live music or partaking of some bangers and mash. Here are some of the bars in New York where you can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day like you really mean it.

Covered in lots of sawdust and zero pretensions, Molly’s is the perfect place to relax on a drinking holiday. It’s dark and cozy and offers enough Irish-style fare to keep St. Patrick’s Day observers…observant. (287 Third Ave.; 212-889-3361)

The perfect dive, Iggy’s offers a jukebox that’s more likely to be playing heavy metal than Irish folk music…but perhaps not on St. Patrick’s Day? The beer is cheap for New York, and no one will judge you for day drinking. (132 Ludlow St.; 212-529-2731)

Combine live music and a daily 11 AM to 7 PM happy hour and you’ve got a venue that knows how to celebrate March 17th. Guinness is always on tap, and the environment is definitely friendly. (519 2nd Ave.; 212-686-1210)

A lively venue in the Bronx, this Irish pub does a great job balancing kitsch with comfort. Customers tend to describe the place as authentic, which in part means it caters to regulars. On St. Patrick’s Day, the clientele, though, is sure to expand. (445 W 238th St., Bronx; 718-884-7127)

Definitely higher brow than the usual “give me a pint” pub, The Dead Rabbit still manages some quaint charm. Cocktails go for a steady $16, some of which sneak in lots of Irish whiskey—like the Rollerball, which mixes Teeling Single Grain with Bushmills, raspberry, nectarine, lemon, fennel, and bitters. (30 Water St.; 646-422-7906)

One of the oldest bars in New York, this no-frills establishment is perfect whether it’s March 17th or not. It’s like Molly’s but…older, and the beer options are either a) light or b) dark. (15 E 7th St.; 212-473-9148)

Though it’s unclear how Irish the Village Pourhouse is throughout the rest of the year, it definitely turns green on March 17th. If you’re the type to bar crawl your way through St. Patrick’s Day, this bar offers a brunch to start the long, drunk day that includes bottomless brunch cocktails/draft beer. Of course, this is a ticketed event. (64 Third Ave.; 212-979-2337)

Nitehawk Cinema
Not an Irish bar in the least, this movie theater with a liquor license will show the classic film, “Leprechaun,” at 9:30 PM on St. Patrick’s Day. Have a beer or several while watching a young Jennifer Aniston face off against a vicious little man with a pot of gold. (136 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn; 718-782-8370)

Photo via Flickr user Joopey