151

Good spot to grab a drink down in the LES. Good selection of liquor and beer but really more about the drinks and slushies. The Pina Colada is really tasty too and can’t really remember the last time/​place I had one. Also for the most part not overly crowded and you can hear conversation if you are so inclined to have one with your friends.

I wandered into this place with a friend to meet a guy she had met on Bumble. I had no idea where we were headed, and it was a bit of a «through the looking glass» moment in the best sort of way. This bar is an homage to the era of «Sterno-​luaus and luridly hued Polynesian punches» to borrow a quote from Sadie Stein’s recent blog post in Lenny.
I kept forgetting I was in downtown New York in 2016… In fact, this is exactly the sort of place that would feel at home in East London underneath a vintage store with an obscenely large collection of plaid schoolgirl skirts and second-​time-​around Doc Martens. It is unabashedly kitschy in a self-​aware kind of way (I think we call that «ironic» these days).
I’m ashamed to say I ordered a G&T without even looking at the wildly creative menu of neon hangover-​makers, but I think I was a little dizzy from the psychedelic impression this place made – and perhaps distracted by the shiny metal surfaces and vast quantities of red vinyl. But now I have my go-​to spot for Pu Pu Platter Punch Bowls!
Probably won’t be a regular spot for me, but it’s certainly right up somebody’s alley. Absolutely worth checking out.

I am a gigantic sucker for drinks that you share with your friends.
Perhaps it’s because I often can’t believe there are people that stomach my company (especially on a regular basis), but if there’s a Pu Pu Platter Punch Bowl or a Scorpion Tower, I’m probably going to advocate getting it and downing it together.
And I almost always regret it.
Inevitably, punch bowls and pineapples that are meant to be consumed with multiple straws are unbearably sugary, and not even particularly good deals. And when everyone is predictably soured on the sweetness, I end up being the rum dumpster that has to finish it off.
Well, 151’s group cocktails are slightly better than most, and even if they are too sweet, you’re bound to have a good time.

My boyfriend read about this place somewhere so we decided to give a shot. It was a saturday night and surprisingly it was very dead while everywhere else was packed. We heard that the cocktails are great, however we didnt enjoy the cocktails we got. I couldnt drink more than a sip from mine.

Quiet Dive with character and potential for a turn up if you come with the right friends and they get a diff DJ. I suspect the patrons are pleased with the music selections, so I’ll drink until I’m please also. Speaking of drinks, the bartender (didn’t get her name yet) is cool. Music SUCKS. Can I please borrow the aux cord?

This place was pretty dope. You can’t tell what the f*** it is from the outside tho, I guess that’s part of the appeal? You don’t know if you’re walking into a rap battle with Mekhi phifer or about to get shanked by the Serbian mob. Fortunately, I walk in and it ends up being a cool bar playing old school hip hop music. The clientele is diverse and fun and there were other ugly people there too so I didn’t feel like too much of a donkey. I look like Bob Saget from full house. Aight peace.

I almost want to take off a star for the fact that stepping down into 151 gives me flashbacks to my college single days, when this was my go-​to first date spot, but I won’t. 151 is an LES classic, which has gone through a couple of re-​vamps, and I have to say this most recent tiki iteration is by far my favorite. Big, inventive, sugary-​as-​all-​getout cocktails with extra delicious maraschino cherries — what more could you ask for?
The bar is super dark, so if you want to know for sure what your Tinder date looks like you might want to save this for a second stop, but if you’re looking to get cozy it’s just right. It was also close to empty on a Thursday night around 9, which is lovely in the over-​crowded LES. I tried the Classy as Fuck Pina Colada, which was strong and subtle — not nearly as piña colada-​y as I would have expected, but definitely solid. My partner-​in-​crime went for the Category 5, not in small part (I suspect) because it included the «Wiz Khalifa rum blend,» which we were told was just a house rum blend with an awesome name. It was a classic, boozy tiki drink, and don’t let the inclusion of jäger scare you off — the herbaceous, if a little fratty, addition was just a hint, and it didn’t bring back any traumatic early drinking memories.
Long story short, we finally have a chill tiki bar back on the LES. While it’s no PKNY, not by a long shot, it’ll do the trick when you need to wet your whistle between more notable tiki expeditions.

Like everyone else has said, this is a surprisingly chill bar even though upon walking in, seems a little fancy. Interior slightly reminds me of mulberry project/​darkroom/​pdt. You might miss the location if you’re not paying attention but I love hard to find bars haha. We ordered several rounds of drinks including tiki inspired drinks (~$ 12 – 14) as well as beers and shots. Beer and shot $ 8. They had some $ 5 slush drink special due to the high temperatures, which were pretty strong and tasty. Drinks were well made. The stone cold stunna ($ 14) came in the cutest tiny boot topped off with upside down «Shampagne». Order and see for yourself!
The bartender was pretty attentive and we chatted for a while. I’ll definitely be back with some friends. Good date spot too on slow nights. Not sure how busy it gets.

So I came here on a Wednesday night with a few buddies of mine. We were bar hopping in the area and 151 was on my list of places to check out for a long time now. We go in and it was pretty empty, which was nice but it felt some type of way you know?
I went with a standard whisky sour which was alright, cant complain much there. My friend had a smoothie drink though which was really strong, it took 3 of us to kill that drink which was dope.
I definitely want to come back here on the weekend to see what the atmosphere is like.

Your bouncer, the older man with dreadlocks, was really menacing and inappropriate when I came to the bar tonight. I knew him from the former bar, where he used to make inappropriate passes at me. Tonight he was saying inappropriate things to me in front of my date, and also was angrily accusing me of having been kicked out of the bar previously because I was with a «coked up friend», something that never happened. I think he was strung out on the job and he really frightened me. We felt so uncomfortable that we left and will never go back. You should seriously consider firing him because a bouncer should be protecting the establishment, not menacing customers, making them feel uncomfortable and frightened.

I’m not sure how to feel about this place — came on a Saturday night for a friend’s birthday around midnight. Wasn’t too packed, which was nice, but the people that were there were almost too chill — like they were ending their night. This place is probably better for something like that — with upbeat, oldies for music. Low ceilings and dim lighting — interesting décor.

I’ve come to 151 twice and both times it was on the empty side, which suits me just fine. I think I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that I’ve reached the age where I get excited by a bar that is half empty, and I don’t know if it’s usually this way here or if I’ve just been lucky enough to come on such quiet nights.
I can’t really recall the drinks standing out, but I can’t entirely remember if I’ve ever ordered anything other than beer. They had a Hefe on tap when I came last week and I enjoyed that. I also can’t remember the music but whatever it was it wasn’t too loud or distracting from the atmosphere.
It’s dark, romantic, intimate, completely unpretentious and relaxed. I feel soothed here. Like I can get trashed alone thinking about all the mistakes I’ve made in my life, or play footsie under the table with a cute boy, or trade dirty jokes with old friends. It’s whatever I need it to be. There’s a red back lit sign over the bar that says «There are flowers growing in hell. Let’s go pick them». Welcome home.
Edited to add: Holy hell, the drink that comes in a boot. I don’t know what it’s called, it’s got tequila and gin and it killed me. Amazing, delicious, dangerous. Sorry to the bar staff, apparently I was a bit of a handful.

Went there on a Friday night after dinner, it’s got the low key basement vibe, it’s dark, not much of decors, front area standing room, it’s friday nite and it’s pretty packed, we managed two seats by the bar, I had my old fashioned, considered I was drinking the same thing earlier, I was not impressed w my $ 12 drink! bartenders were busy and husting! I’ll prob return on a weeknight happy hour!

Love it! It’s an unpretentious basement space with low ceilings and wooden décor. It reminded me a little of the Holiday Cocktail Bar but was a little brighter and a lot more fun. Maybe the music is better? The drinks are stronger? The place wasn’t super busy on a Saturday, but that was perfect for my large-​ish group. We could sit, we could stand, we could walk around and enjoy ourselves without bumping into sweaty bodies or waiting forever to get the bartenders attention.
Great place for casual tasty drinks for a group!

Love this place. Casual, quaint with really good drinks. Bartenders are friendly too. I’m definitely coming back for another low key evening.

151 is tucked away from the busy street as a cool little basement lounge. Like the other reviewers mentioned, the main appeal here is the lounge seating along the walls. The leather benches allow for close conversation and allow you and your date to get cozier than you would sitting across each other at a table. Drinks menu is about a page long and they also have 2 different frozen drink slushy options, perhaps a refreshing choice for a summer day I suppose. There are 2 unisex bathrooms in the back of the bar. From a man’s point of view, this usually means they are cleaner than we are typically used to. I suppose from a woman’s POV, it’s prob messier, seats left up, etc. There are also some small plates one can order for snacks – we had the pretzel which was big enough for two people to munch on. It came out hot, fresh, and soft. Bartenders are friendly and very fast with noticing new customers at the bar. Place filled up as the night went on but didn’t get too crowded. Remember to tip your bartenders! :-)

I haven’t been to the place under old management but randomly heard about this place through a friend. I was looking for a place for birthday drinks and this place was perfect. They have a large booth in the front for a group or else you just hang out around the bar. We were able to reserve the booth for coats and purses, and if you wanted to sit. Maybe we got lucky but the place wasn’t too crowded but just crowded enough. I liked the fact that the bar had a dive bar feel, rather than the newer fancy specialty bars that are popping up all over the city. The bartenders were super chill and friendly. This would be my local watering hole if I lived near the area. Didn’t get to try some of their specialty cocktails but will definitely try next time.

Like most reviewers, I came across this place before it was under new management. Was a fan of the low key slightly grungy feel of the place and was a bit hesitant to come back when it reopened. However my only disappointment now was not returning sooner! It’s now more of a cocktail centric bar with a detailed menu and very well made drinks. I’ve tried the drake equation slush, classic daquiri, and mint julep. They were all different but made with the same care.
Only downside is there is really no table service at all so you have to walk to the bar to make an order and the drinks take a while to make so you’ll have to make sure to pay attention. This gets troublesome when the bar gets super crowded and there are only a few bartenders.
Came here on an unexpectedly snowy lower east side friday night and there was still a pretty decent crowd. Everyone trying to escape the storm seemed to find solace in this little place. Recommend!

Definitely a surprise, not your standard LES bar. Downstairs, quiet (Well tuesday night when its 10 degrees out), dark, absolutely great drink menu, with some inventive ideas as well as ciders and reasonably priced for Manhattan. From what I gather the owners of Death & Co. took this over, and while the food snacks weren’t available this night as bartender was alone, who dared to stand her up on a cold night like that? Beat them! I would still return to drink that perfectly dry german wine.

I use to come here all the time last year, before they went under new management. It use to be this low key, semi-​grungy bar, with good music, aka a laptop in the corner, but the bartenders had great taste in music. I was never given a menu at the old 151. It was never that crowded when I use to go, part of the reason we went, good music and low key.
Not much has changed, they now have a cocktail menu, and it isn’t as «grungy» but the décor and vibe hasn’t changed much. Its a little more lounge like now, and again it wasn’t that crowded, low key vibe and good drinks. I actually didn’t get any of their signature cocktails, just stuck with a classic manhattan, but that was good.
I was actually kind of worried when I heard about the new managment, death and co is cool every once in awhile, but I personally think its a little over rated, I was worried this was going to be like death and co. Cant stand inside, have to be seated, long wait times etc. It’s not. Which makes me very happy. To me 151 hasn’t changed that much, so I am still a fan.

I enjoyed 151 before the revamp, and was happy to see the décor/​vibe hadn’t changed too much though the menu was massively different. We each had 3 different cocktails in one evening — our first one was great, (Corpse Reviver #2 & Bee’s Knees) our second ones were not that great (Moscow Mule & Jungle Bird) and the third was just okay (Fish House Punch). The Moscow Mule had TOO much ginger flavor I dare say, and the Jungle Bird tasted like a Christmas candle. O_​_​_​O Trust me, I get no pleasure in saying that.
So, nobody’s perfect! I think for some of the more basic cocktails (gimlets, old fashioned, etc.) they should be a bit cheaper. Can’t win ‘em all. But I liked this place, and would definitely give it another shot.

After reading up that 151 had new management from the creators of Death & Co., I was intrigued to check out this spot and the well crafted libations offered up. The bar is very intimate with a majority of the seating being lounge style seating wrapped along the front and back areas of space. The bar itself seats around 10, so snag a seat there if drinking alone or wanting something less cramped with your date. Otherwise, go for the lounge seating. In all likelihood, you’ll be cheek to cheek with your date and the rest of the people sitting in that section. I especially like the bar section, where there are four small round tables and lounge seating for 8 – 10 people.
The drink menu is fairly simple, just one page but I stuck to classic cocktails like an old fashioned. I went here a couple of times and the drink is consistently made, which I really enjoyed. The prices are fair starting at $ 12, but the caveat is that there’s not any waiter or table service. You’ll have to head to the bar to get your drinks, so you’ll need to sift through the crowd especially if you’re holed up in the super comfortable lounge seating in the front or back. I find that the two bartenders working here are extremely efficient at taking drink orders no matter how busy of a night it is. Have been by Thursday and Friday late nights, and there’s definitely a nice turnout of customers.

My date and I stopped in after dinner at pig and khao. He’s was a regular before the new ownership and I stopped in just 1−2x before. I couldn’t help but feel as if I walked onto a porn set but not a cheap one-​maybe a brothel. You can decided. Dimly lit, decorated all with red and black and leather couches. I had a cheap thrill but it was $ 12 and he had something vodka based. I like the updated cocktail menu. Mine had gin but believe it was infused with lemon. I dug the music– heard some Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and the table next to us wasn’t shy about singing along. I couldn’t help but join in, karaōke though is off the table. At the time we went there wasn’t any DJ. In past visits it was always dead, there was certainly an ample amount of people at 10PM on a Saturday night. I’d come back.

All new owners, all new menu, all new… Well, somewhat new look– Same name.
Regardless, I think it deserves a whole new Unilocal listing.
After multiple citations for serving alcohol to minors, the previous owner of 151 bowed out, and the principal partners of Death & Co took over. The subterranean nightlife spot lay dormant for a few months during its renovation, but now it’s finally up and running again.
The renovation doesn’t appear to be all that renovating– I guess it was a «if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it» kind of a thing. The décor was not the issue with 151, it seemed to be more of a lack of good service/​bartender deal. But along with the sleek, sexy, basement concept, they procured at least one good bartender– Dave was very personable, and could carry on a conversation as well as tend to the room.
They now have some light snacks on their menu– frozen girl scout cookies, pretzels, even an Elvis inspired sandwich. They have a few draft beers and offer beer-​and-​a-​shot deals, ranging from $ 8-​$ 12. Happy hour from 5 – 7. They also have a Radler list– beer mixed with fruit juice, and combined with liquor; I’ll definitely be back to try one.
With their dim lighting, chill vibe, and not obnoxiously loud music, the new Rivington 151 is conducive to the lounge atmosphere that Im fond of.
Welcome (back) to the neighborhood…

PEOPLE – She’s back up and running. .. and with a great new look!!!
I love a dive bar. As an ex-​pat of NYC myself (having been in the nightclub/​bar/​restaurant world for many years), there is something noble and honest about a dive bar. It’s a place to go when you don’t want the burden of pretense or being «on.»
This place was always that. I don’t know a single person who didn’t have a bleary eyed post-​Riv 151 morning at SOME point in his Manhattan days. Call it a right of passage.
The bar just REOPENED and they are opening «soft,» which is in good keeping with the history and the vibe.
Get out and support it. It’s going to be the new old standby in no time, so be a part of that. I know I will be. I’ll buy you a drink. Actually, you buy me a drink – I’m the one who told you about this awesome place. See you there.

From the guys behind Death & Co. and Nitecap comes 151, a cocktail bar that is the reincarnation of what had previously been known as Rivington 151. I’m not sure what’s so alluring about incorporating the address into the business’ name, but in any case, 151 is now being run by people who obviously know a thing or two about cocktails. While jaded New Yorkers will bemoan the opening of another new cocktail lounge in an era when speakeasies and cocktail lounges seem to be opening up at a dizzying rate, 151 isn’t your average cocktail lounge. I came by here last week during the soft opening, and I can confirm that the cocktails did indeed meet my expectations. While the specialty drinks menu is pretty short, the two drinks that I sampled were both pretty delicious, with the Negroni Gone Way Wrong (gin, campari, sweet vermouth, lemon sorbet, prosecco) in particular winning me over after just one sip.
For those of you who had visited 151 in its previous incarnations, you are probably aware that this subterranean space isn’t the most roomy, but the renovated décor, with dark wood paneling and low lighting, gives it a pretty intimate ambiance. Prices ($ 12 for specialty drinks, $ 8 – 10 for most other drinks) are comparable to what you’d find at your average NYC speakeasy or cocktail lounge. There is also a menu of bar snacks and sandwiches, though I did not get around to trying any food.
I imagine that I’ll be coming back to 151 for dates (my new go-​to Coffee Meets Bagel first date spot? Shhhh don’t blow up my spot) or for a chance to sip on a nice cocktail without having to deal with the throngs of people and hour-​plus wait times associated with the more established cocktail lounges. Can’t wait to come back for some more Negronis.