Pete’s Tavern

Being one of the older bars in NYC, I wasn’t into it when I first walked by. I was all «you’re not new and shiny and glowing and trendy!» But then I realized I am no longer any of those things either, so I shouldn’t judge and need to probably stop by for a burger.
I got that burger about two years ago and have never, ever looked back. Pete’s is a neighborhood gem for those lucky enough to live just around the corner. The bartenders remember you, are oh-​so-​friendly and keep your beer filled to the brim. It’s very cozy and old school inside, with a decent amount of outdoor seating in the warmer months. The menu boasts your basic pub fare, highlights are the burger, mozzarella squares, penne a la vodka and chicken parm. I like their fries and nachos a little too much.
The food is always solid and comes pretty fast and the wait staff is friendly but not overly so. The have loads of space to dine, which you won’t notice right away. There’s a back room! And the single high top table in the front is the best seat in the house.
They even brew their own beer, Pete’s Ale. It’s extremely delicious but goes down real easy. Maybe too easy? I don’t know. I don’t know if I have ever left here sober. I used to live in the neighborhood and would be here ALL. THE. TIME. And even now, living very far away, I stop by frequently after work. I don’t even work near here. That’s how good it is. I like to feel like I’m going home. That’s what Pete’s is. Going home.
It’s like hanging out in your living room but with a beer tap and professional kitchen. I have come early, late, day, night, rain, snow, sleet and sunshine. It’s always appropriate to be at Pete’s.

Came here for Brunch on a Sunday morning and it was pretty empty. Lots of seating but the seats themselves are so cramped. I ordered an eggs benedict. Mistake. The hollandaise sauce was really weird. Idk if it had gone bad or if its their way of making it but it was sour, like the same sour when sour cream or milk goes bad. Literally scraped off the sauce and ate just the eggs. It was supposed to come with a side of home fries (really wish I took a pic!) but it came with 4 pieces of chopped potato (I LOL-​ed). Total came out $ 16 with iced coffee. I’ve had better elsewhere.

Food quality is at the right level for the brunch. The eggs Benedict were top level, well cooked with a tasty hollandaise dressing. The disappointment comes with the sides. My plate literally showed up half full, most likely less than 1 regular potatoe to prepare the French fries.
The price is right but the portions are on the cheap side.
Fast service, nice décor but probably not my choice for the next visit in the area.

I eat and drink here often. They have great service. Always a friendly staff. I am impressed with the Prime Rib/​half of cow. It’s delicious and huge.

Oldest Bar
Pete’s Tavern in Gramercy Park, NYC is a fantastic casual restaurant/​bar for lunch or dinner. Given the neighborhood, the menu is reasonably priced. There is a nice selection of beer on tap. And who could argue with it’s history of being the longest continuously run bar in NYC? I’ve been here a number of times. This tavern, and the surrounding Gramercy Park neighborhood, are among my favorite places in Manhattan.

Cool, old downtown atmosphere brings it up to a three. All i had was an order of fried calamari and a beer, but it was expensive and the calamari was pretty bad.

You don’t need me to tell you that Pete’s Tavern is classic NYC. Old school bar with tables in back if you must sit down for a meal. And, about that meal… Let’s just say that you don’t go to Pete’s for fine dining. Passable food to go along with a visit to old New York.

Late 90’s music, festive decorations, reasonable prices.
Most of the crowd seems to be transient, which is good because you won’t have to wait too long for a seat at the bar.
Can’t go wrong!

Pete’s tavern is such a fun time! There were a ton of tourists, and it was packed at 11pm but we were able to squeeze in and get a small table top bar by the widow to enjoy the scenery and have a few drinks. I wanted something chocolate so I asked my BF to order me a mudslide. My boyfriend walked up to the bar and asked for a mudslide and the bartender said «are you living in a different time zone, mate?» BAHAHAHAH. Lemme tell you it was the best mudslide I’ve ever tasted.
I love how they decorate for Christmas. It’s so beautiful in the bar with all of the red lights on the ceiling!

I would give a 5 star but our waitress was so terrible I’m gonna give it a 4. The owners/​managers were so kind though.
We were there for almost 2 hours and everyone around us was getting their food before us. She never cracked a smile or asked us how we were doing. When my mom got her prime rib, she said «oh sorry they never told me it was ready…» and instead of having them re-​do it, she brought it out to her medium when she asked for it super rare. Also, I ordered a steak with mushrooms and it came out without mushrooms — when I reminded her that I ordered mushrooms, she goes «oh you did» and still doesn’t bring out the mushrooms until I asked an owner/​manager.
Food was beyond delicious but as I said, our waitress sucked. I’d definitely go back as long as she wasn’t there…

So I don’t write a lot of reviews. Really only when I go so somewhere and it knocked me over.
Last night I went to Petes with a friend looking for something for a relaxing Sunday night dinner.
She suggested a few places and we settled on Petes and I’m glad we did.
The service was good from the start. I ordered the chicken parm in a spicy marinara with a side of pasta.
It was phenomenal. The portions were huge. It’s one of only two times in the last 12 months I have taken food home because there was so much.
Also loved the atmosphere. Decorated for christmas it was great.
I would suggest it to anyone

My husband and I had brunch here on Sunday. Always love the old timey restaurants in NY. My parents have been here many moons ago and now Ive given it a try. The brunch menu was a little short but I enjoyed my turkey burger. The atmosphere makes all the difference.

I like this restaurant because it serves American and Italian dishes. The décor has a mosaic floor, ceiling fans, and wooden booths.

Pete’s isn’t the sort of place where you’re going to go for a meal that will impress foodies. It has a good, diverse, basic menu of pasta, seafood, chicken, burgers and steaks. My prime rib was good but not great and seemed a bit tough, but my wife was very happy with her Chicken Piccata. My wife also chose better for the salad – the ranch dressing was very good, but my blue cheese dressing was weak and didn’t taste much of blue cheese.
The real reason to come here is less about the food and more about the history and ambiance, and in this regard Pete’s doesn’t disappoint. It’s an old place – the longest continually operating bar and restaurant in the city – and it oozes old-​school charm. The bar is often crowded and loud, but the restaurant in the back is quiet. The servers are very professional. And if you come during the holidays, the place is decorated just like it should be – with old-​fashioned lights and Christmas trimming.
There are lots of better places for a meal in the neighborhood, but there are few places to get a sense of New York’s past like Pete’s.
Tip: It takes reservations the old fashioned way – on the phone (212−473−7676) or via email (
).

I’ve been to Petes tavern twice, coming from ireland I was looking for a great atmospheric place I could call my local…
My 1^st time I found the service to be I point
My second experience I met the manger Arturo, he welcomed my family and i with open arms and warmth
His knowledge with wines catered to all our tastes was second to none
The food was excellent the music was toe tapping
I can not recommend this place enough
Thank you

Great local watering hole for relaxing after work or for a lunch. Love the old school charm as it feels like you’ve stepped back into the 1800’s. One of the oldest bars in the city. I like sitting in the front area either at the bar or one of the side tables as you feel all the history. My go to item here is the burger. Wonderfully cooked medium bacon cheeseburger with any type of topping. Go for the mushrooms with provolone. Juicy and huge portions. Opt for the onion rings as well as they are large fried up well and has a great onion strip inside. The fries here are my favorite type as well. Steak fries, large cut and fried up perfectly. Great selection of bars on tap and ample room to chill out. Wonderful service from the wait staff and bartenders as well.

We headed to Pete’s Tavern on the Fourth of July after our original plans fell through because of holiday closures. Three of us were seated at super tiny table outside. Seriously, the table was really tiny! The server seemed to be a little overwhelmed with the amount of tables, and never brought over water or silverware for me after I got there a little bit later than the other two. I read about the history of Pete’s being the longest continually operating restaurant in NYC, but I don’t think it has much else going for it. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, which is just grilled chicken and a bun, and I added cheese for an additional charge. It was really bland and basic. My boyfriend got the burger, which he said wasn’t very good either. The place was really overpriced, and the food very subpar. I will not be visiting Pete’s again anytime soon.

The Quick: Claims to be the oldest original bar in NYC. Has gorgeous exposed brick and a «local feel». Drinks and food were both good, nothing special but a nicer pub/​tavern if you’re in the area.
The Details: Nothing too fancy at this Tavern, except exposed brick walls which I thought were gorgeous. Basically a nicer pub and has a very local feel. The drinks were okay and the food was good too, nothing extraordinary. The staff was very friendly and attentive, overall a nice experience.
The Damage: A cocktail, entrée, and split appetizer $ 35 + tip. Nothing too crazy.

Pete’s Tavern
NY Manhattan Flat Iron
8pm Friday 7^th February 2015
Three Stars
Pete’s boasts to be the oldest continuously operating bar in New York. It was open before president Abraham Lincoln died in 1865. Luckily the restaurant was able to accommodate our party of ten without notice. We sat upstairs in a semi private room. There was a TV playing college basketball. I had a $ 6 markers mark and $ 20 veal Parmesan which included lettuce and a single tomato salad with olive oil dressing (no vinegar was present). The veal was tender, breaded well, and covers in melted cheese. The side of spaghetti and meat sauce was traditional but nothing really special. Overall, a good place to hang out, drink, and eat comfort Italian food.

Came here for lunch on day and sat outside since it was still relatively nice out. It’s one of the oldest taverns in the city and I heard from a co worker that the food was pretty good.
I had the salmon lunch special which comes on top of wild rice and it was pretty good. Definitely not anything amazing, but enjoyable. The portion size was also good for a lunch special, which typically tend to be smaller. Also had a cup of soup which was good as well, but nothing very special.
From a food standpoint, I’d classify this as a nice place go to if you’re in the area and want a solid meal or some beers in a classic tavern atmosphere. If it’s warm out, it’s a great place to sit outside and dine as well.