An Insider's Guide to the City's Strangest and Most Amazing Spots

*An Eerie New York City, by Clarissa Steed*

The Back Room
A speakeasy-style bar in the location of an actual 1920s speakeasy located in the back of a dim alleyway.
http://backroomnyc.com
Address: 102 Norfolk St, New York, NY 10002

The Hess Triangle
Located in New York City's Greenwich Village, The triangle is an iconic piece of private property that serves as a testament to tenacity. It is a tiny triangular mosaic set in a larger expanse of the sidewalk, measuring about 500 square inches (roughly 0.3 square meters). The story of the Hess Triangle begins in the early 20th century during the expansion of Seventh Avenue. The city seized many properties, but due to a surveying error, a small piece of the Hess estate was overlooked. Later, when the city attempted to claim it, the Hess family fought back, eventually winning and retaining ownership of the small plot. The mosaic was installed in 1922 with the inscription, "Property of the Hess Estate which has never been dedicated for public purposes."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hess_triangle | Coordinates: 40.733513°N 74.003067°W

Burp Castle is a unique bar located in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. The bar is decorated with murals depicting monks, and customers are expected to keep their voices low, adhering to a quasi-monastic silence to respect the beer and the atmosphere, with bartenders shushing patrons if the noise level rises too high. This quiet ambiance sets Burp Castle apart from most bars and offers an unusual and somewhat introspective beer-drinking experience. If you're interested in visiting, I would suggest checking the most recent reviews or their website for the latest updates, as business conditions may have changed after my last update in 2021.
Address: 141 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003

The White Horse Tavern, located in the West Village neighborhood of New York City, is a historic bar with a long literary tradition. It was established in 1880, making it one of the oldest continuously-operated taverns in the city. The White Horse Tavern became a popular gathering place for writers and artists during the mid-20th century. Notable figures such as James Baldwin, Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison, and the poet Dylan Thomas were known to frequent the establishment. In fact, it's perhaps best known as the place where Dylan Thomas allegedly had his last drinks before his death in 1953.
Address: 41 Wooster Street, New York (it has limited hours, so plan accordingly.

Kenka, located on St. Mark's Place in the East Village of New York City, is a popular Japanese izakaya-style restaurant. It's often bustling with people, adding to its authentic izakaya feel. The restaurant also serves a wide selection of Japanese beers, sake, and shochu. One distinctive feature is the $1 beer, and at the end of your meal, you're given a small container of cotton candy mix to make your own cotton candy using a machine on the way out.
Address: 25 St Marks Pl New York, NY 10003

Old City Hall subway station
Live tours are set to resume at the abandoned City Hall subway station in New York City. This historical site, from where the first subway journey embarked in 1904, has remained inactive since the 1940s. The New York Transit Museum, which has exclusive rights to the station, provides 90-minute tours allowing visitors to admire the station's elaborate Guastavino tiled ceilings, chandeliers, and skylights.
To sign up for a tour of the historic station, you must first be a member of The New York Transit Museum. Tickets cost $50 per person, go on sale three times per year, and tend to sell out very quickly. Find more information on the tours below!
https://51281.blackbaudhosting.com/51281/General-Membership
https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/oldcityhall/

Jimmy's Corner is a hole-in-the-wall bar in the middle of times square. It's a boxing bar, a narrow hall with cheap drafts covered in photos of fights and boxers. Rumor has it that the bar's existence can be traced back to a time when the proprietor intervened in a street attack outside the bar, rescuing a young man who was being assaulted. This man turned out to be the building owner's son. As an expression of his deep gratitude for the heroic act that saved his son's life, the building owner provided Jimmy's Corner with a 99-year lease.

Address: 140 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036

Clockwork bar
Another great hole-in-the-wall. This is the place where both punk rock enthusiasts and casual visitors come together to enjoy a slice of New York's punk scene. Stay here long enough past midnight, and you will get a memorable night.

Address: 21 Essex St, New York, NY 10002

The Newtown Creek Nature Walk is a public park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that offers visitors a unique perspective on the natural and industrial history of New York City. The walk is located next to Newtown Creek, which, like the Gowanus Canal, is one of the most polluted industrial sites in the country and is currently a designated Superfund site undergoing remediation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (yes,

The Nature Walk opened to the public in 2007. The park includes a 1/4-mile walk along Newtown Creek and features installations and designs that provide insights into the area's ecology and history. For example, there are granite markers that indicate where streets would have extended through the park and into the creek before industrialization.

The Nature Walk also provides unique views of the surrounding industrial landscape, including the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant with its distinctive "digester eggs" that process the city's sewage. Despite the heavy industry in the area, the Nature Walk is a peaceful spot that attracts birdwatchers and those seeking a different kind of urban park experience.

Address: 329 Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222

By Clarissa Steed