The Whiskey Ward

Can’t say enough good things about this place. We recently visited after reading about it on Unilocal and on walking in realised we had been there 2 years ago & loved it! Great range of whiskey, friendly & knowledgable staff plus a nice cocktail menu if you’re not a fan of drinking neat. Prices are very reasonable. Both times I’ve been there it’s been quiet and very chilled out… perfect spot for appreciating whiskey without pretensions.

Really cool local bar with a friendly bartender and good, strong drinks. I had LES Sweet Tea per Unilocal recommendations and it was very good. My brother tried a few of their whiskeys and they didn’t disappoint.

Good vibe at this bar on the LES. There is usually enough room for our group of 5 – 7 people to hang comfortably, with tables in front and in back and ample seating at the bar. Great drink selection. My only complaint was the bartender was a little slammed while we were there and took a while to get to us but that is pretty normal for NYC.

I came here not really knowing what to expect. The whiskey collection was highly touted, so I wasn’t sure what the actual feel of the place was going to be like, even after reading some fo the reviews. However, in the end, I really enjoyed my experience overall, and it was just really comfortable for my friends and me. The Whiskey Ward grades out to be a sort of a nicer, casual dive bar with that extensive whiskey collection. I wouldn’t call the place no-​frills, because there are actually quite a few frills: nicely finished barrels that double as tables, the aforementioned shelves of whiskey, and some nice walls of exposed brick, just to name a few.
I saw the whiskey menu and was quite impressed, but my friends and I were sort of in rage mode, given that we had done BYOB Italian for dinner earlier, and that this wasn’t the first bar we visited. As a result, we stuck to the cheaper stuff, which meant, of course, picklebacks. At only $ 7 each, we went through a few of these REAL fast. Just so smooth. I know it would have made more sense to actually try some of the nicer whiskeys they had, but sometimes you just gotta go with that group mentality.
As for beer, most of their draft pints are around $ 7, and you can order ½ pints for $ 3.50, which is perfect if you want to try a bunch of different beers. The cocktail menu was pretty standard, but at only $ 10 – 12, slightly cheaper than most other cocktail bars, and according to my friends, the cocktails were generously poured. I had a try of the Tito’s gimlet, which came in a rather large pint glass, and was super strong. Nice. Prices in general are on the cheaper side of LES, which I was a huge fan of.
I came here with the wrong intentions, but I will definitely be back to give their whiskey collection and even their cocktail menu a shot. It really comes down to the unpretentiousness of the place, and just how knowledgeable and friendly (and fast) the staff was. Definitely good for groups of any size, or even a casual date. The Whiskey Ward is a breath of fresh air amongst the craziness of LES, and a pleasant escape for some cheap (er) drinks.

The beer and shot combo alone makes this one of my favorite bars
Their «shorty» combo features a ½ pint of any draft including excellent options like alagash white and anchor steam along with a shot of any call liquor like Jameson or Bulleit bourbon
Beyond that they have an amazing selection of small batch bourbons, single malts from islay, isle of sky and Japan. You can get samplers of three whiskeys and each whiskey is half off
A good amount of space and nice bartenders makes this an excellent place to go with friends
We went with a group of 8 – 10 and were able to all get seats in the back corner

This is the bar where I fell in love…
He was short, dark, and rich, and I wanted to take him home with me immediately. You have to introduce yourself next time you go, if you haven’t been acquainted — his name is 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Barrel Select, and he’s one fine drink of bourbon.
I personally thought it was so good it made the MacCallan 15 seem watered down. But never trust a drunk mind — go see it for yourself.
DRINKS: Options galore. They have their fantastic selection etched up top on chalkboard, but you can ask the bartender for the book menu if you’re like me and want to save yourself from straining your neck. The Balvenie 15 Single Barley Sherry Cask Finish was excellent as well. But really, there are so many great options, it’s unfair for me to single any out.
ATMOSPHERE: Quite pleasant. Dim typical LES-​Brooklyn lights, feels classy but casual, almost like a dive bar that went through remedial school. Clean bathrooms. Well, bathroom (because I haven’t checked out the men’s). I’ve gone with a friend, attended alone to sit and relax by myself, or sat at the bar and chatted with the company near me. It’s my type of scene — a mellow bar with good conversationalists and good drinks. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the tables filled, but usually the bar seats are taken whenever I go. So don’t worry about running into obnoxiously loud college kids and the top 40 hits on the radio… if that’s what you’re into, definitely do not go here. Not because this bar will disappoint but because this classic venue could do without the puke on the bathroom wall.
BARTENDERS: Awesome. Very friendly, if you talk to them. If you want to sit and relax, they leave you alone.
TIPS: From what I hear, the LES sweet tea is excellent. But I’m more of a neat drink person, so I have yet to try it. There are folks who go to the bar as regulars and they live above the bar, friends with the owner (who is a lovely lady that I’ve seen around). They are super friendly and knowledgeable about the drinks, so maybe you’ll stumble into them when you go! Or me! :)

«A ward that I will be gladly committed to»
Wait?!! So you mean there are places on the LES where 30-​something year old folk can hang and not be inundated by 20 year olds?
This bar is the epitome of a great whiskey bar — multiple types of whiskey, low lighting, dark wood, fun people and barrel tables. The only thing it needs is a local drunk smoking a cigarette ;).
The bartenders are pretty funny and are well knowledgeable about the various liquors. Plus, they make a pretty mean Manhattan. The vibe of the bar is pretty laid back. Plus, it is one of the few places that is not super crowded on a Friday night on the LES.

After sucking down a few glasses of overly tart ciders over at Wassail, we headed here to get what we really wanted – a drink!
This place is so perfect in its no frills demeanor. I’m not quite at the level of drinking whiskey straight, but my boyfriend is, and we both have a great time here. The LES Sweet Tea and the Lemon Fizz is perfect for me, strong enough to get me happily buzzing yet still a distinctly whiskey drink. The beer and shot specials are pretty great too. We managed to snag a corner barrel and snacked on peanuts and were able to carry on a conversation without screaming at each other.
Later in the night, this place does get a little packed – with the pool table and great music, it’s a great place to be.

Honestly, if I were to review this place just based of the quality of their selection and ambiance, it would be easily a 5 star. However, my friends and I had the most bizarre and, well, mean experience that any of us have ever had at a bar last night at The Whiskey Ward.
My friend ordered a Guinness, which was poured by the bartender incorrectly. There’s really no disputing this– I watched her open the tap and leave the glass there until it was filled. I’m not much of a Guinness person myself, but I at least know you’re supposed to stop halfway and let it settle for a few minutes before finishing the pour. My friend asked her to re-​pour the Guinness the correct way, to which the bartender had a snide comment (something to the effect of ‘I worked in an Irish bar and that’s how they taught me to do it’ — Makes me wonder how Irish that bar really was if she thinks that was the right way to do it, but I digress…)
To the bartender’s credit, she did Re-​pour the Guinness, albeit while shooting dirty looks our way the entire time. We thought that was the end of it. Then it got really weird.
A few minutes later, the owner of the bar walked over and started talking to my friend about what happened, accusing her of not knowing anything about beer and grilling all of us on our ages and inexperience with alcohol. One particularly notable bit was the owner’s comment that they have been around for over 16 years and are «renown in New York for their Guinness pour» — Which is weird because none of us had heard about this place until we stumbled across it after we left a barcade down the street.
Granted, We weren’t exactly sober ourselves, but it was pretty obvious that the owner was even further gone then us – She was struggling to get full words out. She continued to berate us for about 10 minutes. All the while, the bartender kept looking over, walking over, and shouting things at us. Finally the owner let us be, and we Noped the heck out of that place as fast as we could, of course bumping into the owner who had made her way outside to berate us more as we walked away.
Final thoughts: I guess this place decided to ignore the old saying «The customer is always right.» — I mean, I’ve never seen an owner or bartender treat a patron as poorly as they treated us. We aren’t at all a rowdy bunch — But we do like getting the correct drinks that we asked for. Didn’t really think it should be that much of a problem.
Also, I’ve never seen an owner be that confrontational with a customer. Really not a great way to get people into your bar. This is New York City. There are many, many other bars and whiskey bars. There’s no reason for my friends and I to come back to this one ever again, especially after the extremely poor treatment we received.

Nestled into the lower-​east side is this gem. A no frills, whiskey centered bar. Where other bars of this nature would be too «pretentious» or «stuck-​up», this bar does the opposite of that. For me, I’m a Jameson lover. But, this bar was able to open my eyes and tastebuds to some seriously good whiskey, at reasonable prices, with nothing but good intentions from the staff.
This place has been around for almost 20 years, and not much has changed. While other bars spend time trying to conform to what the «young crowd» wants, this bar does what it does best and adapts when needed. Looking for a chill place for happy hour on the weekdays? How about a place to bring your friends to on the weekend? Look no further.
I highly suggest this place without question. Can’t wait to go back!

Very chill atmosphere with an incredibly wide variety of whiskeys and a decent beer selection. The happy hour is a great deal, with $ 5 drafts, well drinks, and margaritas. The bartender was incredibly nice and attentive. He even went so far as to run out to the sidewalk and return my bag to me after I enjoyed too many beverages…
All in all a great experience. A good bar run by good people.

Great little spot for all your whiskey needs. The place was pretty empty except for a few folks playing pool, but that didn’t stop me from exploring the large whiskey menu. I chose the High West Bourye (obviously a mix of Bourbon and Rye) which was perfect. Bartender was attentive and helpful and I’d definitely come back if I’m ever in the hood again.

This is in response to Kristina C’s negative review. I was one of the regulars the bartender was speaking with that night. He had recently seen the band AC/​DC at Met Life Stadium. I’m a big fan so I was asking him all about it.
I am pretty sure this is what Kristina overheard, because in her original post (which has been edited since I reached out to her in a personal message) she said she thought the bartender was disparaging LGBT people by using the term AC/​DC to refer to bisexuals.
The Ward has been my regular haunt since I moved to the LES in 2008. The bartender in question has been there much longer. I’ve never heard him or anyone who works there ever make a disparaging remark about someone based on race, sexual orientation, etc. Quite the opposite, they are all some of the coolest, fairest, and most open-​minded people I know.
I think it was all a misunderstanding. I’m sure Kristina honestly thought that was what she overheard and means no harm.

The Whiskey Ward is great! I wouldn’t say I’m the world’s biggest whiskey fan, but I do definitely enjoy it from time to time, probably more than most liquors. This place is fun, vibrant, but also chill and not overly obnoxious like most of the LES bars neighboring it.
I recommend the whiskey shot paired with a beer for $ 8. Gotta love affordable ways to get tipsy! Definitely recommend this bar.

Great whiskey bar. I have to admit I did not partake of the large and extensive whiskey menu, as I was recovering from illness and needed to take it easy. But the others in the group seemed to enjoy the whiskeys they had. For me, I had the L.E.S. Sweet Tea, which I really liked. It had Old Forester bourbon, honey syrup, and iced tea and was served in this cool mason jar. It did indeed taste like alcoholic sweet tea, and that was a good thing. It was really chill the night we went, not sure if it’s usually that way. Some interesting characters (i.e., weird people).

I don’t know if you know this about me, but I really like whiskey. Like, a LOT.
So I was surprised I’d never been to Whiskey Ward before (my friends insist that I must have been at some point, but again, I drink a lot). It’s conveniently located in the LES, and it’s about as non-​pretentious as it gets without dipping into dive territory. Yes, there are bouncers, and yes, they do mason jar drinks. But there’s also a level of sophistication that comes with having a «Rare and Very Limited» whiskey special list.
I had a nice Angel’s Envy, a 16 year Lagavullin, and a Japanese Akashi White Oak from their rare list. Also tried the ultra peaty Port Charlotte. Loved em all. Best of all, the prices they charge for 2 oz pours are very reasonable. The Lagavullin was the most expensive one I had at $ 16, but the Akashi was only $ 12. Really speaking my language here.
I always gauge how expensive whiskey bars are by how much they charge for Blanton’s. Whiskey Ward does it for $ 12, which is by far the cheapest I’ve ever seen. I’ve paid close to $ 20 for a pour before, if that gives you an idea of pricing here.
I also tried their sweet tea that it seems they’re known for. Tasted like a great hangover.
There’s also a pool table, and I guess it’s dog friendly. Either that, or people just decided to bring their dogs in.
It was relatively empty when I went (on a Friday night right before the end of summer), so I assume it was an off-​night. I won’t let that affect my review though, because Whiskey Ward is something special.

I really really really like this place. I came here with someone who isn’t into whiskey — or at least drinking it straight. Thankfully she still enjoyed it, but definitely go with a fellow whiskey lover. Or alone. I never drink alone, but if I did, I’d be a regular here. Their selection of whiskey is incredibly vast and the bartenders are incredibly knowledgeable. Win-​win-​win. Third win added thanks to whiskey-​induced bliss.
So I came here on a Saturday night around midnight/12:30 and the place was fairly busy. Thankfully we were able to snag two seats at the bar, which is always a goal of mine. I sincerely enjoy conversing with bartenders — especially at whiskey and cocktail bars. As I said, these folks are knowledgeable. The endless lists of whiskeys can be overwhelming, so if you’re a whiskey fan but not yet a connoisseur, your best bet is to tell the bartender what you typically go for and let them find something comparable (and by comparable, I mean better). I wish I could remember what I was given. I might have to call Whiskey Ward and do some process of elimination work to see if anything rings a bell. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities. In any case, whatever it was that I ended up getting was what led me to lead with «whiskey-​induced bliss» (not to be confused with its close cousin: euphoric drunkenness).
A note about the ambiance: Whiskey Ward is a fairly small venue that’s warm and rustic, thanks to the wooden décor. The lights are dimmed just a tad — it’s an inviting atmosphere but not exactly intimate. Not divey, not lounge-​y, just it’s own thing. My favorite whiskey bar in the city is Flatiron Room, but I think it now needs to share the title with Whiskey Ward. Flatiron Room is posh — it’s like that intimidating girl/​guy you want to befriend in school but you need to make sure your nerdiness isn’t showing before you approach them. Whiskey Ward is that down-​to-​earth floater who invites you over to play Call of Duty and smoke hookah with his/​her friends and you’re not ashamed to let them teach you how to play.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you, Whiskey Ward. I was in need of a new favorite whiskey bar (RIP, Char No 4) and you have filled that void with gusto.
Came here the other night and had such a chill time. This is definitely a no-​frills bar but it’s certainly not a dive; think tavernous and dimly-​lit but not overly masculine. It’s still fun enough to bring a casual date after work if that’s your *thing.*
I know it’s nice to sit at a table, but if you can sit at the bar, do it. As everyone has said, the bartenders are amazing. And they know how to pour whiskey.
I ordered the sweet tea which I highly recommend if you’re not exactly a strong whiskey person. It is so easy to drink. And my Manhattan could put hair on anyone’s chest. The peanuts to soak it all up hit the spot.
If only Whiskey Ward served burgers… but maybe that’s for the best. It’s better I not live at a whiskey bar.

OH MY GOD THEY HAVE HIBIKI
I’d been trying to get my friends to try it forever, but we could never find a bar that carried it til now. This is definitely a proper whiskey bar — dim lights, dark wood, a pool table, and an extensive selection. Of course, this is all pretty much expected of anything with whiskey in the name, but what really sold this place was the service. Everyone was unfailingly friendly, and a special shout-​out to the young woman who had the bad luck of dealing with our aggressively intoxicated acquaintance. She dealt with him very professionally, far more so than he deserved.
An additional nod to the highly reasonable prices. Well, reasonable for a LES bar, but still. My wallet and I appreciate them. All told, I’ll definitely be back — without the human baggage.

Came here for a drink before we had to meet friends for a birthday last Friday. Nice low key place with a chill ambiance. They provide peanuts but no food. The bartender was friendly enough that she let us see menu’s of places we can order from in the area. They allow you to bring your own food in. Needless to say the bartenders here are very nice! I ordered the sweet tea which was awesome! I am not a fan of whiskey, so this was a nice way to have it. Its very strong to!
I would definitely stop in again for a pre-​party drink or if you are a whiskey lover.