X R Bar
(212) 674-4080
128 W Houston St
New York,
NY
10012
40.7277
-74.001
Neighborhoods: SoHo, Downtown
What People Are Saying About X R Bar
The Editor
Melanie Berliet
Citysearch
In Short
Located near a neighborhood overpopulated with tourists and shoppers, this bar finds its niche among its pricier nearby competitors as an affordable outlet that's rarely crowded. Its shabby-not-entirely-chic vibe (there's a rather mediocre paint job on the brick exterior) could feel out of place, even on Houston Street, but the staff is warm and attentive. Plus, the cushioned seats along the front windows are quite comfortable, providing reason to withdraw into the dark interior with a cheap beer. Locals patronize the joint for an easy drink with friends, and live music acts draw additional fans.
Hits: In warmer months, the tall front windows are kept open, providing prime people-watching territory.
Misses: It doesn't quite establish itself as a regular bar, or a downtrodden dive, thus failing to capitalize on the crowds it otherwise might.
User Reviews
tomk123
March 26, 2009
This could be a nice place but was ruined by the horrible behavior of the bartender. We had a group of about 15 with only 5 other people in the bar on a Tuesday after work. You would think a bar would appreciate this business in a recession, but the bartender seemed upset that we were there. She turned up the music so loud that we could not carry on conversations and refused to turn it down after being asked by several people. Then she even turned it up louder just to spite us.
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Anonymous
January 10, 2009
This place is really interesting. It's too fancy to be a dive (though not really fancy) and it's tiny, but it's also a bit odd. Their was a tarot reader that made me uncomfortable, but the drinks were okay.
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midd78705
June 01, 2007
My friend and I were enjoying a couple of drinks in a very relaxing atmosphere, excellent service, good music. The part that impressed us the most was the service. We didn't even notice that her bag was stolen. Thankfully, the bartender did and he leapt over the counter and chased the guy down the street until he caught him! We didn't even realize the bag was missing until he walked back in with it. This alone is a reason for us to come back... but if you need another reason, the drinks were excellent too.
read full reviewThe Details on X R Bar
Save Money:
There's a daily happy hour from 4pm to 7pm, offering Bud and Miller Lite bottles for $3 a pop and well drinks for $4.
When to Go:
In late afternoons it's a prime spot for a casual drink with friends.
Know Before You Go:
It's not a bad place to watch the game if you can handle watching on a relatively small TV.
