William Barnacle Tavern

Absolutely awful. We stopped in with a friend one afternoon for a glass of absinthe and to enjoy the stories Mr. Otway has been known to bedazzled customers with. Well, we neither got stories or warm welcome. As we entered the establishment, Otway seemed very cold and indifferent. We all ordered the very overpriced drinks and were hoping to hear about the history of the bar and even possibly receive a tour that others have mentioned getting from the owner. The exact opposite happened. When we inquired about a tour, he told us that we would have to wait for the theater crowd to get out (the show wasn’t ending until an hour later). Yet there wasn’t anyone else in the bar, hence he had nothing else to attend to. It was a cold and unpleasant experience, we shall never return. Not recommended, spend your money elsewhere.

Great old school New York City bar and former speak easy. The décor is amazing and they have a 99 year old bar made out of Cuban Mahogany. Bartender was very knowledgeable as he made drinks for our party. We also had the chance to check out the stage here and all the historic memorabilia. Supposedly Frank Sinatra was once a bartender here!

A fantastic selection of French Swiss and US absinthe and a friendly staff and owner to help you decide. If you like absinthe or are just curious check it out!

A fun place to drink with friends. Specifically came with a friend to try the absinthe, which we both took the top two suggestions from the bartender (who was particularly nice since we were already a little loud and tipsy). I had St. George while my friend had Mephisto. Mine was more gold than green, the licorice flavor was almost absent, but it was an enjoyable experience. My friend’s had just a gentle licorice after taste (which I usually hate) that was faint and pleasant on the tongue as it lingered and dissipated. The atmosphere is great for drunken conversation with friends and a band happened to be playing traditional Irish music, which was great since my friend from Ireland was with us and he happened to make a friend who was from Ireland as well

Old-​timey NY speakeasy vibe. Wide selection of absinthe and a knowledgeable staff to guide you on your journey.

This place is so great! A wonderful little historic hole in the wall with a great absinthe selection. The bartender was extremely knowledgable about everything and helped us pick great absinthe. The crepes there smelled amazing as well and I will definitely be ordering them upon return. The nautical décor is fun to look at while you sip and they also play old movies from the 30’s and 40’s. Can’t wait to return and bring some others with me to enjoy the experience.

I’ve gone here on here on three separate occasions and have always encountered a different bartender, however they are all so sweet and helpful. The absinthe selection is well priced and delicious. I love it’s cozy interior and will definitely be going back soon.

I’m a big fan of this place since I like places with seedy histories.
The drinks are delicious and strong! And about average price. (I believe my cocktail was $ 12, but things were getting fuzzy at that point).
I highly recommend the Mad Hatter cocktail!
There are a variety of crepes you can order. They’re not fantastic, but you’re not coming to this place for food. However, if you’re looking for something to much on, they hit the spot. There are also dessert crepes, which are always a good idea.
The place is tiny, so only come with a friend or two. Make sure you get there early so you can get a seat!
I am looking forward to going back!

Very laid back bar wth a wide variety of absinthe that are prepared in front of you in traditional method. They also have great crepes prepared by a French chef.

absinthe, absinthe, absinthe! If you’re on St. Mark’s Place and have never tried absinthe before, please stop here. Don’t be afraid of it, just order the least potent one. It’s a great visual experience to watch them make it too. If you’re lucky, you’ll be there on a night with live music. Sip your absinthe and enjoy the music. Bartenders are friendly.

Came here with my boyfriend and some friends. It’s is a chill place. It’s small, but it has a good atmosphere, and the bartender and chef are very nice and helpful. The bartender really knows his absinthe and he would help you if you have any questions about what kind of absinthe you should drink. It’s was my first time having absinthe, and this drink is the definition of a black jellybean lol. I’m not a fan of black licorice, but after a while, you get used to the taste. I saw great comments about the crepes here so I decided to get one. I got the crêpe Suzette (not on the menu but the chef will tell you about it if you ask). Delicious! Over all, this is a nice place and I would love to come back.

I wandered into this bar on a really cold night with my friend. It was really late and we were the only customers there. We drank absinthe with cream and the chef served us big bowls of oatmeal at the bar. They were playing this beautiful traditional Irish music and made us feel so cozy and welcome. I always think fondly of this place.

Never judge a book by its cover. This place definitely holds some history and to the untrained eye I can see how some people could pass this up. The bar tender here and chef were outstanding. Best crepes in manhattan.

You couldn’t taste better French creps in NYC. The Chef serves you his creps in person and tells you about his passion if there are not too many people, go on Monday to enjoy this awesome privilege :)
Really nice people at the bar also :)
Thank you

I was walking along in the East Village when I passed by this place. The Absinthe fountain caught my eye. It was very cold outside and I wanted a warm place to have a nightcap. I enjoyed the hot buttered rum drink with Absinthe. I also enjoyed watching the bartender make the Grand Absinthe drinks for other patrons. This bar is not very big, but it’s great people watching. I would return!

I’ve only been here once as I live out of town, but I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. They have the best crepes I’ve ever tasted. I got the apple crêpe and it was so fresh, and the chef makes his own (equally delicious whipped cream.) The chef is also extremely friendly, and you can tell how much pride he takes in his work.
I had a cappuccino here as well, which was good — but the crêpe is what stands out the most.

I’ve been kind of obsessed with trying Absinthe & came upon this place. Its a unique bar, apparently it has quite a history. It was dark & quiet inside, not too big. The bartender, I didnt get his name was very knowledgable and didnt mind all my questions. We tried 3 different kinds an authentic French type (green from the herbs) an American which was like the Swiss type (clear) and an aged one (golden in color). They were each different. I liked the French best. They put the sugar cube on the spoon and drip the water from a fountain. The liquid turns opaque when the water is added. Its strong, a good sipping drink, tastes like anise. It was a really different way to spend some time at a bar, I really enjoyed it.

Attached to Theatre 80.
Small narrow bar.
Used to be a speakeasy during Prohibition.
They serve Smithwicks on tap.
They serve Absinthe.
They have a crêpe stand.
Have a drink or two and maybe a crêpe there before seeing «Bayside — the Saved by the Bell musical parody.»
I did.
That’s all you need to know.

This place is really amazing. And it has a HUGE absinthe list.
The bartender told me that Sinatra had one of his first gigs there and that it used to be a speakeasy with a horseshoe bar. I was drunk, so some of those facts may or may not be facts. Either way, as a bar it is a place to leave the East Village and enjoy another time.
Inside seems like little has changed in the last 40 years. But who knows? I like the vibe. It’s pretty calm. The absinthe drip always seems to be on (20+ absinthes). And anyone that enjoys absinthe is A-​OK! They also have 4 taps with very standard things. Brooklyn Lager, Strongbow Cider, Guiness, etc. Then another list of other hard alcohols.
I hope to come back to explore the place more. I think it still has a whole lot more to offer that I didn’t get to see.

I ended up going here the other day randomly when the other bar I wanted to go in the neiborhood wasn’t open until late. I must say it was a very unique
experience.
This place holds a lot of history and the bartenders are well informed about it. Its joined to a theatre so has a very old theatre feel to it. There are no stools to go with the bar counter, which I found a bit different but perhaps all old school taverns are built that way. However, there were plenty of other seatings in the front and on the side walls that we could grab. The place was extremely quiet. For a while it was just two of us and the bar tender. They also project the theatre performances on one of the walls, you feel continuously entertained.
I had never had absinthe before, so I had no clue what to expect when I saw their menu. I decided to play safe and go for Hot Cider with Rum. It was the perfect drink for that chilly day. Also, loved how it was served in a coffee mug. But, who knew absinthe would taste 10 times better than rum? I did not want to give back my friend’s drink once I had a taste of it. It just had so much flavor and feel to it. If I did not have a dinner reservation, I would have surely stayed longer and ordered another round of cider with absinthe. Perfect reason to visit again.