Most bars in Manhattan will tell you they have a patio. The Laurels has a beer garden that fits up to 50 people, which, at ground level in this city, is genuinely rare. The Laurels offers outdoor dining on a scale that puts it in a different category from most of its neighbors. Short of a rooftop, you'd be hard pressed to find a comparable outdoor footprint anywhere in Manhattan.
For groups, that matters enormously. There's room to spread out, to be loud, to actually enjoy each other without feeling like you're inconveniencing the table next to you. The East Village is already one of those neighborhoods New Yorkers treat as a destination when they're going out, with enough bars and restaurants packed into a few blocks to make a full night of it. The Laurels sits right in the middle of that energy, which makes it a natural starting point or anchor for any group itinerary.
And the people-watching from that patio? New York is the best city in the world for it, and Second Avenue delivers.
The Electrolyte Bottomless Brunch Is Exactly What It Sounds Like
The Laurels does NYC's first electrolyte bottomless brunch, adding electrolytes to your mimosas to take the edge off the next morning and keep the party going longer. It's a smart, funny concept that also happens to work, and it's the kind of detail that tells you the people running this place actually understand their crowd.
The brunch menu backs it up. Reviewers have landed on things like peach Bellinis, daily omelets, and a crispy fried chicken sandwich with chipotle aioli on a brioche bun, served with slaw, pickles, and fries. The spicy Bloody Mary is worth ordering. The portions are serious enough that people have been known to take half home for dinner, which is about the highest compliment you can pay a brunch spot.
The Food and Drinks Hold Their Own
Brunch gets a lot of the attention, but The Laurels earns its keep across the full menu. The kitchen turns out a range of dishes from short rib hash to Thai spicy chicken wings, with a cocktail list that includes standouts like the spicy lifey, which puts a distinctive spin on the usual bar menu. The crispy shrimp and chicken skewers come up repeatedly in reviews, and the drinks are consistently described as thoughtful and well-made. The truffle fries have their own dedicated following.
The bar side of things is taken seriously, as you'd expect from a founder who spent a decade behind one. Reviewers call out the cocktails specifically, and note that the bar can properly pour a Guinness, which in an Irish-owned spot is a baseline expectation but still worth confirming.
Built for Groups, Ready for Yours
Bachelorette parties, birthday brunches, corporate happy hours, pre-game stops before a bigger night out. The Laurels handles all of it without breaking a sweat. Guests have noted how flexible the staff is with large groups, accommodating seating changes and late arrivals without making anyone feel like a hassle. The outdoor space accommodates groups in a way most venues in this city simply can't, and the electrolyte brunch gives everyone a built-in reason to stay longer than they planned.
It's an Irish-owned East Village bar that people keep coming back to. That's not an accident.
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