Some bars close. Ninth Ward went on an odyssey.
The New Orleans-inspired bar at 180 2nd Avenue, between 11th and 12th Streets, shut down on Valentine’s Day 2016 for what was supposed to be an 18-month renovation. Construction delays, a pandemic, landlord problems and a change in building ownership turned that into almost ten years. Co-owner Nic Ratner even compared it to Odysseus finally making it home. This summer, it did.
Walking in feels like stepping off a street in the French Quarter. Salvaged shutters line the walls and glow like the sun setting over a bayou, and the bar is built from 200-year-old reclaimed wood. There are no TVs, on purpose, and there’s a fireplace. The owners say they want a bar a woman feels comfortable walking into alone, and you can feel it. It’s cozy, a little grown-up and totally unpretentious. Someone even called the old space a pirate ship, and somehow the name stuck through the rebuild.
The real reason to come is out back. Ninth Ward’s enclosed garden feels like a secret courtyard in the French Quarter, with ivy climbing the brick walls and fountains trickling in the background. Second Avenue’s noise just falls away. Take a Sazerac or a Hurricane out there and stay a while. It’s the kind of spot where one drink turns into three. The garden closes at 10 PM every night, so get out there early if you want a seat.
The Details:
- 180 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003 (Google Maps)
- Monday to Thursday, 4 PM to 2 AM. Friday, 4 PM to 4 AM. Saturday, 3 PM to 4 AM. Sunday, 3 PM to 1 AM
- The garden is open until 10 PM every night
- If you’re ever in London, there’s a sister Ninth Ward there too
Don’t skip the Bleu Burger. It’s a thick, juicy patty under a heavy layer of funky, melty blue cheese, the kind of burger you need both hands and a stack of napkins for. Get it with a Pimm’s Cup to cut through the richness, then take the whole thing out to the garden. It’s comfort food done right.
Ten years is a long time to wait for a bar, but Ninth Ward was worth it. It feels like a little slice of New Orleans tucked into the East Village. You get strong cocktails and a burger worth the trip, plus a garden where time slows down. It’s cozy enough to walk in solo and fun enough to bring the whole crew. Grab a Sazerac and settle in out back. Welcome home, Ninth Ward.
