NYC Bars Similar To Orchard Bar

September 9, 2006 10:11 AM

NYC bars similar to the closed Orchard Bar.

My friends and I used to go there every once in a while, and don't know any similar place now that it's closed. What was in Orchard Bar? Basically, dancing and good, indie-ish music - they would play, say, The Arcade Fire and The Smiths as opposed to the shitty hip hop played in other places we know with dancing. Also, the drinks weren't hideously overpriced.

My friends and I are a group of guys who aren't that into dancing, but we will go out with girls who want to, and except for Orchard we would suffer listening to shitty, irritating music and drinking $7 shitty beer.

The same LES/E. Village area would be good.

posted by TheOnlyCoolTim to food & drink (7 comments total)

Its West Village but I love Employee's Only specifically because it doesn't play the hip hop trash stuff. Hard to describe what they play, but its not exactly mainline indie either. Worth checking out though.
posted by allkindsoftime at 11:03 AM on September 9, 2006

For a big place with some rock dancing, 151 (Rivington and Norfolkish) and Sweet and Vicious (Spring and the Bowery) comes to mind. But seriously? Just go one block off the beaten path from the main drags (ditch Rivington for Broome, ditch A for B) and you're sure to find more than one place you'll love.

Of course the best rock bar in the neighborhood is the Phoenix, but that's another story.
posted by j.s.f. at 11:05 AM on September 9, 2006

rififi on friday nights. They play a lot of smiths, cure etc and the drinks are reasonable.

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/11275157/new_york_ny/rififi_cinema_classics.html
posted by slapshot57 at 12:53 PM on September 9, 2006

The Skinny is down the street on Orchard. I have a friend that DJs indie music there from time to time.
posted by yeti at 4:52 PM on September 9, 2006

Hi-Fi on Wednesdays, 11th and A
posted by rmless at 4:54 PM on September 9, 2006

Oh... and HiFi has the best jukebox in the city, but everyone already knows that.
posted by yeti at 4:56 PM on September 9, 2006

Stolen Transmission, which used to be at Orchard Bar on Friday nights, has moved to Thursdays at The Annex, just down Orchard. It's fun, but it was insanely crowded last time I was there.
posted by the jam at 5:12 PM on September 9, 2006