Josie’s Bar

Really great neighborhood spot. Cool space and friendly service behind the bar. I like the beer selection. They might want to bulk up on their security (Bouncer was about 5’3) but a great low key atmosphere. Would definitely recommend it as a good east village bar.

Josie, you are classier than your sister Sophie that dirty slut… what to do what to do. I will have to ask Maggie’s opinion… :-P. Hmmnn. Josie fulfills my requirement of drinking establishments adorning the walls with taxidermy and having a kickass jukebox ;-). Classy classy classy. Less NYUers come in here than Sophie’s too. Maggie approves.

Great neighborhood bar. Friendly and chill staff. Good competition at the pool table. And there are dogs just hanging out. Love it.

I clicked «funny» for Susan T’s review because she seems to be talking about a different establishment. Josie’s does not serve food, and there is one pool table, not «pool tables.»
Josie’s is a cool place, usually filled with people from the neighborhood, and caters to all stripes. I’ve asked a beleaguered bartender to make me up-​drinks on more than one occasion. The drinks were all tasty, but a beer poured from the tap or a glass of wine are more in keeping with the down home vibe. Everyone, from patrons to staff, is usually friendly and polite.

Came here after work for a company outing. The food and service is ok. Weds night looked slow and food is regular bar food, not too tasty. They do have pool tables which is a plus but definitely save your appetite for dinner elsewhere. Good place to gather for happy hour after work.

Bar tender was incredibly rude and abrasive. After a mix up with tipping she proceeded to mention at every opportunity how much I needed to tip to not be considered rude. I was spoken to in a condescending and provocative manner. The bar tender, so desperate for her tip, came out to our table and proceeded to continue her crusade to secure a tip in a high handed and very distasteful way. As far as I’m concerned any mention of a tip is such blunt terms is highly gauche and impolite.
Also who serves a double gin and tonic in a pint glass? Use a highball!

Josie’s is out-​fucking-​standing.
It’s the perfect neighborhood bar, with a pool table, flat-​screen TV, jukebox, and plenty of seating. I’ve met up with friends here, and haven’t experienced any problems. They don’t have a kitchen, so order a pizza or bring in a sandwich to go with your drink[1].
Their bartenders aren’t known for their gentle pours — at least in my experience.
Short on cash? They accept credit cards, like most bars should in the 21^st century.
[1] Verify to be sure. If I’m wrong, send me a message and I’ll update this review.

Beware — this place racially profiles people of color.
I am a white male. I went through the door without being checked by the bouncer. I was with a white female, a Southeast Asian male, and two black males. The four of them were carded by the bouncer. My white friend got in fine, but my three friends of color were racially profiled. The bouncer said their IDs were fake, even though all of our IDs were issued from Maryland and looked identical except for our faces. These friends were all 24 and got turned down because of their race. I will never go back to this bar. Josie’s needs to catch up with some social history.

The perfect awesome & chill bar in the East Village (or is it alphabet city). It’s clean & a great place to hang with friends & talk.

Formerly Joe’s Pub, this is a classic Village neighborhood bar. I have been told by many locals/​regulars that it was a speak easy during prohibition. It was bought earlier this year by the owners two other great pubs in the area, Sophie’s and Mona’s. The bar needed some renovations, and the new owners did an amazing job. The bathrooms are classically tiled and clean now, and a lot of the bar’s wood work has been restored. Step in and you’ll notice the improvements. They somehow replicated the original floor tiles and wallpaper too. In fact, the owners left behind a patch of the wallpaper in the far back of the bar behind the cooler and bathrooms. Take a look and you will see just how identical they match and how smokey the bars once were in the East Village.
Stop in, prices are reasonable, pool table is worthy, and the juke box has a great mix. Dogs seem welcome too. This is not a sports bar, but it does have a TV for the occasional game.

Ok, so this is not Joe’s bar — but it’s still great. I’ve heard old-​timers say it’s a «wax museum» of Joe’s, or that it’s «Joe’s Bar Light» etc, but in my opinion these are the same types that say «Back in the day» every other sentence and live completely in the past. Sure, it’s cleaner and probably safer than Joe’s, but who cares — that draws in more girls.
I do see people’s point that there are now more Hipsters in the bar which is a little annoying — but — guess what — Hipsters also draw in girls! If we want to go back to the old Joe’s Bar let’s just buy a six pack and hang out in the basement of my building, it’s cheaper.
Plus the Jukebox is better — I was getting sick of Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder on repeat. The bartenders are all really great and welcoming, and the regulars are always fun to talk with. The pool table is smaller now, so you don’t have to use the short stick anymore against that wall.
My only complaint is that there is now a slight step-​up into the bathroom, and I swear I’ve stubbed my toe on that every single time I’ve been in the bar. I’m also not a huge fan of the bear out front, because it’s now harder to sit on that railing.
But all in all, it’s still a very down-​to-​earth, quiet place to grab a drink and have a chat, or bring some friends and have a blast. Cheap beer. Pool table. 5 stars.

So nice to have this bar back. It used to be Joe’s until the owner died last year and now it’s in the same family as Sophie’s on 5^th street and Mona’s on Avenue B, although this bar might be the most relaxed of the three. What a neighborhood bar is supposed to feel like: an easy place to be. Great beer, pool table, good stuff in the jukebox. Typically not crowded or too loud. Minimal nostalgic décor. Alphabet City should be proud to have such a trifecta of fine establishments.