07/11/09

Bad experience

by Avery34

The White Horse came recommended as a famous pub. However, the experience is poor. We went there last night. It's packed in the main bar, everyone barging into you. You get told (rudely) you cannot stand in the side room because you can only buy drinks from the waitresses. You can't be outside with more than 3 friends ("a big group" according to the surly bouncer) or you get asked to leave. If you mistakenly buy a drink at the bar and take it outside, the waitresses, who only care about their lousy tips, tell you off. Terrible customer service all round. Not worth going, even for the name.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Terrible customer service

06/05/09

The Last Greenwich Village Writer's Bar

by drink_club1

This the only remaining Greenwich Village writer's bar. Chumley's (where F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, womanized and got his picture on the wall) closed "for renovations" a few years back. It's still closed. The Lion's Head, Edgar Allen Poe's old haunt, used to be the only het bar on Christopher Street. Ironically, it disappeared during the de-gayzation of the West Village. So now we only have The Whitehorse, where Dylan Thomas wrote, and slowly drank his liver into paté. For that reason alone, it deserves a visit. But I do mean "for that reason alone."

There are pictures and memorabilia inside, but place has lost its aura. Service is efficient, and not hostile, but also not special. There are a TON of "rules" (No posting paper anywhere-- even if it's just for a few minutes, no smoking inside the iron gates, no eating outside after midnight). This is not exactly conducive to the wordsmith mentality. And, the bouncer keeps a constant check to make sure the RULES ARE FOLLOWED.

The menu has the usual bar foods and drink. Anchor on tap is a big plus. The food is pretty ordinary, although the wings are slightly better than the usual bland stuff of other bars. The outside space is nice, while you're allowed to sit there, but all-in-all, this special place is nothing special. --Drink Club is a roving group of NYC drinkers

• Pros: History
• Cons: Rules and Rules

11/25/08

They ran out of the bar to return my wallet to me!

by tequilasue1

Besides being a great bar with great staff and patrons, upon leaving the gentleman that seated us came after me to return my wallet which had a lot of cash, ATM card, credit card, corporate card, license...saved my hide! Still floored by the honesty and character of that man! Thank you!!!!

• Pros: Honest staff, great go-to bar
• Cons: bathrooms are a bit small

11/24/08

Great History

by claire124

I think this place has a great historical feature to it.. and its just a chill bar you can hang out at and not be bothered

11/16/08

extremely rude employees

by cy63

if I could give ZERO stars, I would. lame has-been dive bar with an extremely RUDE bouncer wannabe (i.e. his job is to check IDs but he thinks he works the door at 1Oak) who gives attitude to and yells at women half his size. the only people who wait to get inside are tourists and bridge and tunnel. a wait with an attitude at this place?!?

there are so many bars with better atmospheres and the same prices near here with nice people - don't waste your time here.

• Pros: none
• Cons: rude door workers

09/07/08

Watch your change!

by punter99

Count the change that the bartender gives you back. He tried to pass off a 1 for a 10 last night. Wtf! The economy must be really bad. They'll take it whichever way it comes.

06/13/08

Worst bar experience I've ever had in New York

by drew_chapin

I've never posted a revew on this site, however, I feel compelled to write something about my experience last night at the White Horse Tavern. I was joining some colleagues for drinks after work. The staff corralled our group into the back room. There was no room to sit so I stood with several of my friends. I did not see a waitstaff so I ventured to the bar to buy some drinks. I was intercepted at the bar by the "host" and told to go back to the room and order from a waitress. I mentioned there wasn't a waitress to be found so I headed to the bar. I felt silly pleading with the man - cash in hand - to buy a drink. In a bar. I eventually headed back to the back room - sans drink. 15 minutes later we finally tracked down a waitress and ordered a drink. Between the time the drinks were ordered and the arrival of our cocktails, a second "host" told us we couldn't stand in the back room because it blocked a clear path to the ladies room. He said we would have to stand at the bar and order our drinks there. Unbelieveable. When we informed him that we were told not to order from the bar he looked confused.....then said he had just come on and he was enforcing the rules. It felt like the twilight zone. I will never, ever step foot in this dump again. Thankfully, we ended our night at the White Horse right after the silliness and headed to Dublin's down the street. We couldn't have been happier with the service we received at Dublins.

• Pros: Lots of great bars in neighborhood after you are fed up here
• Cons: Rude idiotic staff

01/05/08

AVOID: discrimination at this establishment

by kimberfo

On 12/20/07, I entered the White Horse for much needed food with my service animal. I was refused service because of my "dog." They would not believe she was a service dog because she was "not a German Shepherd." I handed them a copy of the ADA laws concerning service animals and no one would even take it from me to read! They asked me to go elsewhere. Of course I had no desire to patronize them after this humiliating confrontation so I left, telling them (and everyone in the place) that they had just violated a federal law. I am filing a complaint with the Dept of Justice this week. I hope this place gets closed down for good. DO NOT PATRONIZE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE WITH HIDDEN DISABILITIES. Please tell all your friends and neighbors to do the same! Thank you.

• Cons: This establishment DISCRIMINATES against people with disabilities!

11/04/07

Avoid

by damejudie

A few things about this wretched cave of hell.

1) It smells like an explosion of flatulence mingled with a dirty keg tap and several decomposing animals. At every turn I was punched in the face with a flatulence-bomb so potent I nearly lost my life.

2) There was an aged cougar man-child in a skateboarder's uniform who "bought" us shots. How LUCKY we were, you might be thinking. You are wrong. We were not lucky. Instead of "buying" the shots, he ordered them and then attempted to leave us with the bill. And his breath smelled like cat excrement, which was a real kick in the bombz.

3) Upon leaving, we politely asked the bouncer why he wouldn't let any of our friends in. By way of response he asked my friend why she was such a "lil' trick."

That about sums it up. Do not ever set foot in this horrid flatulence house if you can help it. I would rather eat dingleberry pie than return to this hell hole. Kisses! -Dame Judie Dench

10/19/07

Don't Go Unless There's No Other Option

by bdbez

There are very few places to have drinks after work in the Financial District so we end up coming here a reasonable amount. Unfortunately, so does everybody else, so on weekday evenings this place is unreasonably crowded. It's really nothing special. I wouldn't go here at all except there's really no other choice. Just your average Financial District pub. Two floors, but that doesn't help to thin out the crowd.