Originally opened in 1880, The White Horse Tavern was a bar for longshoremen. As with any gathering place, the nature of the congregation shifts with time. In the case of the White Horse, the transition was poetic, becoming the favorite bar of Dylan Thomas.
What of his legacy remains? A good many posters and pictures on the walls, and the essence of a bar that may have changed clientele but not decor.The dark woods, whimsical horse-topped chandeliers and grandfather clock lend a gentlemanly status to a locale that was no doubt once rough and tumble. The staff is typically busy but congenial, and the beer is served in a satisfying handled mug.
Picnic benches are available outside in warm weather and are perfect people watching perches in the heart of the Village.
The bar itself is the place to be. Sit with a good book on a worn-out stool. Listen to the ebb and flow of daily-life. It is easy (most especially with the aide of pictures and posters about) to envision Thomas himself slumped at the bar beside you. The only discordant element is the television, which sadly seems a necessity in nearly every bar--new and old. The insistence of modernity even in time's forgotten places.
To the left are a series of rooms that spread out like a parlor. Perfect spot to tuck-away and talk into the late hours of the evening.
If you hunger for the sensation of something significant, saunter in. Belt down a beer. Dream of a day when smoke filled the air, the heated conversations of artists unleashed were thick, and dear Thomas (the definitive people-watcher) made full the heart of it.
INFO:
The White Horse Tavern
567 Hudson Street (at 11TH)
212.243.9260
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