A guide to the grubby, thrilling New York of old. We attempt to chart what’s left of the Manhattan we fell in love with; places to gladden the heart of jaded natives and quicken the pulse of visitors.
We’ve listed lunch counters where Oscar Madison may be slouching behind a newspaper a few seats away and stores where Rhoda Morgenstern can be heard just one aisle over; there’s Keens Steakhouse where Buffalo Bill’s pipe hangs from the ceiling, JG Melon where preppies queue for cheeseburgers and Bloody Bulls, and timeless McSorley's Old Ale House – still laying claim as the oldest bar in New York. What unifies these disparate places is that they’re the real thing; whether glamorous or down-at-heel, they’re linked to old New York in a way that sham Blarney Stone bars and phony speakeasies can never be.
Treat this map as a starting point, showing some selected highlights of this crowded island. There are still many more places to enjoy.
