Old Town Bar - 45 East 18th, hands down. Great burgers, fun bar, after work crowd, middle of the day crowd - the booths are also especially good for important conversations. Also, you can't beat the old school style - built in 1892 and mostly still the same. @best bar in union square

i think Revival is the best bar in union square, 129 East 15th Street Revival is split into two levels - a dimly lit lounge on the top and a still more dimly lit bar on the bottom. The former is filled with overstuffed velvet-covered chairs and heavy crimson wall hangings; it looks like it was designed by a hipster vampire. By contrast, the walls of the minimalist downstairs is covered with crudely painted scenes of creepy Victorian-looking figures. Besides these quirky delights, the music is always good and the barkeep is always friendly. But the best part is the charming garden in the back. It's usually pretty quiet and cool, and isn't nearly as expensive as most other outdoor spaces in the city. 100% recommended as a place for a quiet drink, or a warm-up for a night on the town