The Beers and Burgers Crawl

New York’s East Village reveals itself best one bar and one bite at a time. On this two-hour crawl, guide Ben leads you from the city’s oldest bar to a local hangout with a Hollywood past, with burgers, a chicken sandwich, and neighborhood stories along the way.

I like the small group size, capped at 12, and the way the route gets you away from the usual Times Square circuit. I also like the mix of old and new: McSorley’s 1857 atmosphere followed by craft beer at Alphabet City Beer Co. The main consideration is pace. Two hours goes quickly, and the experience may feel light if you expect a long sit-down meal or several full beers at every stop.

Key points at a glance

• McSorley’s Old Ale House: Visit New York’s oldest bar, opened in 1857, and hear about its place in East Village history.
• Three very different bars: The route moves from an iconic old ale house to 7B Horseshoe Bar and a modern craft beer spot.
• Food is part of the tour: You receive a burger and a chicken sandwich from two local dining spots.
• Ben leads the walk: Expect local stories, food talk, and plenty of conversation rather than a formal lecture.
• A compact evening route: The tour begins at 6 p.m. on Lafayette Street and ends at Alphabet City Beer Co. on Loisaida Avenue.
• Small-group setting: A maximum of 12 people makes it easier to talk with the guide and fellow drinkers.

Why this East Village crawl works

I like food tours that use eating and drinking as a way into a neighborhood, rather than treating each dish as an isolated sample. This experience does that well. You walk through the East Village, stop at three bars, eat at two local spots, and hear how the area changed from the Prohibition era to the present.

The route has a useful sense of contrast. McSorley’s gives you old New York, with its 1857 opening date and long-running tavern identity. At 7B Horseshoe Bar, also called Vazacs, you get a more local bar with a Hollywood connection. Alphabet City Beer Co. brings the evening into the current craft beer scene, with wine available as another option.

That variety matters. You are not spending two hours in three nearly identical pubs. Each stop has a different role, and the neighborhood walk ties them together.

Ben is the guide, and his approach appears to be informal and personal. He talks about the people behind the food and drinks, shares stories about New York, and brings a strong interest in the city’s food scene. That makes this a good pick if you like learning through conversation and prefer a host who can keep the evening moving.

Starting at 400 Lafayette Street at 6 p.m.

The meeting point is 400 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003. The tour starts at 6 p.m., a useful time for an evening activity because you can fit it after a day of sightseeing without committing your whole night.

The tour begins with an East Village walk and neighborhood introduction. The first segment is planned for about 30 minutes, though the entire experience lasts roughly two hours. You will hear about the area’s Prohibition-era past, its bar culture, and the people who have helped shape its food and drink identity.

This opening walk is important because it gives context to the stops. You are not simply being taken from one address to another. The bars become part of a larger story about how New York neighborhoods change while certain local institutions survive.

The start is near public transportation, which makes it practical for reaching the tour from another part of Manhattan. The end point is not the same as the start, so plan to finish at Alphabet City Beer Co., 96 Loisaida Avenue. That is worth noting if you have evening plans elsewhere.

McSorley’s Old Ale House and the weight of 1857

McSorley’s is the historical anchor of the crawl. It opened in 1857 and is identified as New York’s oldest bar. That alone makes it more than a routine drink stop.

The value here is the setting and the story. Ben explains the bar’s past and connects it to the history of the neighborhood. If you enjoy old taverns, long-running institutions, and places with a strong sense of continuity, this is likely the most memorable part of the route.

A complimentary drink is provided at McSorley’s, according to the tour information and the host’s clarification. The first bar drink is paid for separately, as explained in the tour details, so you should not assume every drink is covered by the $75 price.

McSorley’s is also where the tour’s historical promise becomes most concrete. Instead of hearing general facts about New York, you are standing in a bar that has been operating since the mid-19th century. That gives the past a physical place, not just a date in a guidebook.

7B Horseshoe Bar, a local stop with a film connection

The second bar is 7B Horseshoe Bar, also known as Vazacs. It is described as a true local bar with a Hollywood background, which gives the stop a different flavor from McSorley’s.

The appeal here is not polished sightseeing. This is the kind of place included to show you a side of the East Village that is easy to miss if you stick to the best-known attractions. Ben’s local connection helps explain why the bar matters and how it fits into the neighborhood.

The bar is planned as another 30-minute segment. Drinks are included at the bars as part of the experience, with the first drink separately paid for as noted above. The exact drink choices are not specified, so you should think of the crawl as a guided sampling experience rather than a fixed tasting menu.

This stop also helps break up the history. McSorley’s carries the oldest and most famous story. 7B gives you a more neighborhood-focused pause, with a bit of movie lore in the mix.

Burgers, a chicken sandwich, and the food between bars

Food is not an afterthought here. The tour includes a burger and a chicken sandwich from two local restaurants. That is a useful distinction from bar crawls that promise food but provide only a few fries or a shared snack.

The food also makes the price easier to judge. At $75 per person, you are paying for a guided neighborhood experience, drinks, two substantial food items, and the host’s time. If you bought a burger, a chicken sandwich, and several drinks separately, the total could approach the tour cost, especially in New York. The tour adds the walking route, local background, and planning.

You should still set your expectations correctly. The schedule is only about two hours, and one critical account described the food as a burger and chicken sandwich to go rather than a long meal with extended seating. The host disputed some details of that account, noting that the group sat in three bars, ate food from two local restaurants, and had drinks at each bar. The practical lesson is simple: this is a moving crawl, not a leisurely three-course dinner.

I like that the food comes from local spots rather than being a generic meal attached to a sightseeing package. Ben’s interest in food is central to the experience, and he talks about the people making what you eat and drink. That personal angle gives the sandwiches more meaning than a quick stop at an anonymous chain.

If you have a large appetite, you may want to eat something small beforehand. The included food sounds substantial enough for many people, but the tour does not promise a full dinner menu or choices for every dietary need.

Alphabet City Beer Co. and the finish on Loisaida Avenue

The evening ends at Alphabet City Beer Co., at 96 Loisaida Avenue. This final stop shifts the focus from historic taverns to current beer culture.

Alphabet City Beer Co. is a craft beer bar with a useful wine selection. That makes it a sensible final stop for a mixed group. If you prefer wine to beer, you are not limited to an ale-focused finish, although the experience is clearly built around beer and burgers.

Ending here also gives the route a clear progression. You begin with East Village history, visit the city’s oldest bar, stop at a local institution with a film connection, and finish in a more modern craft beer setting. It is a compact way to see several sides of the neighborhood in one evening.

Because the tour ends here, you can continue your night in the East Village afterward if you wish. The supplied information does not promise additional recommendations or a final scheduled activity, so consider the official experience complete when you reach the beer company.

The guide and the group atmosphere

Ben is a local guide who brings together neighborhood history, food knowledge, and humor. The strongest praise centers on his ability to keep the group engaged while explaining the area and the food. That is especially useful on a bar crawl, where a dry presentation can make even an interesting subject feel like homework.

I also see value for solo participants. A small group of no more than 12 gives you a natural setting for conversation, and the food and bar stops provide easy openings to meet people. Couples and friends can enjoy it too, particularly if they want a guided night out without joining a large bus group.

The tone appears social rather than formal. You should expect stories, questions, and conversation. If you want a tightly scripted tour with precise tasting notes and a fixed sequence of samples, this may not be the right fit.

The group size is one of the better details here. Twelve people is small enough for Ben to answer questions and keep the group together, while still offering the social energy that makes a crawl fun.

Is $75 a fair price?

The price is $75 per person. That is not a bargain in absolute terms, but it can be fair for New York if you value the combination of food, drinks, a local guide, and an organized route.

The key question is what you want included. You receive food from two dining spots, drinks at three bars, and a roughly two-hour guided experience. The first bar drink is paid for separately, while the tour information indicates a complimentary drink at McSorley’s. Since the exact number and type of drinks are not laid out as a formal tasting list, you should confirm your expectations before booking if that detail matters to you.

I would compare this with the cost of arranging the same evening yourself. You would need to find the bars, research their history, choose two food stops, manage the walking route, and keep track of the timing. The fee pays for that planning as well as Ben’s stories and local perspective.

For someone mainly seeking dinner, $75 may feel high. For someone wanting a guided East Village night with food and drinks built in, it is more defensible. The value improves if you enjoy the historical background and the social side of a small group.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend it to you if you want a relaxed introduction to the East Village and prefer local bars to major tourist sights. It is particularly suited to solo visitors, couples, small friend groups, and anyone who likes to learn about a place through its food and drink.

It also suits repeat New York visitors. The route is designed to show places beyond the standard Midtown circuit, and the local bar focus can add something fresh even if you have already seen the city’s major attractions.

You may want to skip it if you need a full dinner, have strict dietary requirements that have not been confirmed, or want to spend a long time at each bar. Two hours is enough for a well-paced introduction, but not enough for extended sitting, multiple rounds, and detailed exploration at every stop.

Book at least a little ahead if possible. The experience is often reserved about 17 days in advance, and the maximum group size is 12. Mobile tickets are provided, the tour operates in English, and most people can participate. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 6 p.m. start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted.

My verdict on the East Village beer and burger crawl

I would book this if I wanted a social evening built around local food, old bars, and neighborhood stories rather than a formal restaurant tour. The strongest reasons are McSorley’s, the small group, Ben’s personal style, and the contrast between historic taverns and a modern craft beer bar.

I would not book it expecting a long dinner or a highly structured beer tasting. The experience is short, mobile, and conversation-driven. Go for the East Village setting, the mix of three very different bars, the burger and chicken sandwich, and the chance to see New York through its drinking history. At $75, it is best value for you if the stories and local access matter as much as the food.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at 400 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003.

What time does the experience begin?

The start time is 6 p.m.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Alphabet City Beer Co., 96 Loisaida Avenue, New York, NY 10009.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately two hours.

How many bars are included?

The route includes three bars: McSorley’s Old Ale House, 7B Horseshoe Bar, and Alphabet City Beer Co.

Is food included?

Yes. The experience includes a burger and a chicken sandwich from two local dining spots.

Is the first drink included in the price?

The first drink is paid for separately, as explained in the tour information. A complimentary drink is provided at McSorley’s.

How large is the group?

The maximum group size is 12 people.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not accepted and are not refunded.