The Magician: A $6 Happy Hour Every Day on Rivington Street
The Magician is the Lower East Side bar you go to when you don’t want a velvet rope, a DJ or a $19 cocktail. It’s at 118 Rivington Street, and it calls itself the neighborhood’s best everyday bar. That’s about right. The verdict: one of the most dependable happy hours south of Houston, in a room big enough to bring all your friends.
The Deal
- Happy hour daily, 5–8pm
- $6 well drinks, $6 draft beers, $6 wines
Three hours, every day including weekends, starting the minute the doors open, at a flat $6. On the Lower East Side, that’s a real happy hour.
The Room
Long, worn-in and roomy, with plenty of tables, moderate lighting and the smell of beer and old wood. Not fancy, not quite a dive. Somebody once called it the least-themed bar in New York, which is a compliment here. Look for the bright blue sign. There’s seating outside when the weather allows, and you can bring your own food or have something delivered.
The back area takes groups of up to 40 and costs nothing to book. The catch is that it usually gets reserved about a month ahead, so plan your birthday early.
The Hours
Opens at 5pm daily. Closes at 2am Sunday to Thursday and 4am on Friday and Saturday, so it works as a first stop or a very late last one.
Who The Magician Is For
| Occasion | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| A cheap group night | $6 drinks and a free back room for up to 40 |
| After-work drinks on the LES | Happy hour runs until 8pm every day |
| Bring-your-own-dinner drinking | Outside food is welcome |
| A 3am beer on a Saturday | Open until 4am Friday and Saturday |