Basic Bar & Pizza's original East Village location (410 10th Ave) closed after nearly two decades; Far Corner Bar & Pizzeria took over the space in 2025. The ownership group announced in January 2026 that the Basic name would return to a new East Village address, but an independently confirmed reopening could not be found as of this review.
A secret East Village speakeasy hidden inside Neighborhood behind a wall of kegs, which Roger recommends booking a week ahead by text for, praising its whiskey cocktails and anything made with egg whites.
From the order notes
Whiskey cocktails · Egg white cocktails
Go for
A novelty speakeasy experience · Booking ahead for a group
A shipping-container beer garden and event space in East Village, built around rotating food trucks, an on-site bar, and a dog park, with a happy hour offering 50% off food and drinks.
A low-key rooftop whiskey-cocktail bar above a Gaslamp hotel; Roger says the list is smaller than Whiskey House or Aero's but the Old Fashioned or Sazerac still hits, alongside tasty tater tots.
