New York Dearest
The guide, $35
A place · Bar · East Village · on 1 of my list

Goodnight Sonny.

Worth it, says Antonina. Goodnight Sonny is one of the best East Village bars for happy hour, especially if you love oysters ($18 for a dozen).

Antonina Pattiz
Antonina PattizI went myself · from my Best bars in the East Village
Where Goodnight Sonny appears on New York Dearest

It's on 1 of my list. Each entry below is what I wrote about it there, with my verdict on that list, the fullest first.

Best bars in the East Village

No. 5 on that list6 min from the subway
Worth it
  • Cost$18
  • SubwayL to 1 Av, 6 min
  • Address134 1st Ave., New York, NY 10009
  • From my guide, updated September 2026.

Goodnight Sonny is one of the best East Village bars for happy hour, especially if you love oysters ($18 for a dozen). It’s easy to assume that the neighborhood is reserved for dive bars and speakeasies exclusively, but Goodnight Sonny doesn’t check either box.

Instead, I’d consider this a regular cocktail bar. Airy and bright, the large windows flood the space with natural light in the daytime, replaced by candles after sunset to shift the mood for the intimate evening crowd. Oozing French bistro vibes, the bar feels relaxed and welcoming, I think it’s a great spot to catch up with friends.

Unpopular opinion. Unpopular opinion. Dive bars are more fun than rooftop bars, and I’ll stand by that forever.

Read it on the list
Worth it, says Antonina. Been? Say if you agree.
Goodnight Sonny

Nearby, from my lists

Worth it, within a ten-minute walk
Missing something?

A closure, a price that moved, a better one next door.

Tell me and the desk checks it before anything changes here. When I answer, it lands on this page and in your inbox.

Tell me

The letter

One email a week when New York changes. A place closes, a date lands, I finally try somewhere. Written by me, not a robot.

One a week at most. Unsubscribe in one click.

Goodnight Sonny

East Village