Bar Belly

"What It Is: A cocktail and oyster bar with live music on the Lower East Side Perfect For: Drinks and A Light Bite, First/Early-In-The-Game Dates Sometime after walking past the raw bar and cellist, and before drinking a Ms. Jackson (a mezcal cocktail), we decided that Bar Belly would be rejoining our casual date night rotation. This place used to be Leadbelly, and from what we can tell, Bar Belly is almost identical. We sat at one of the small tables towards the back of the narrow cocktail bar, and tried lamb meatballs and octopus as the cellist and two guitarists played in the middle of the space. Also, the oysters are great, especially when they’re $1 at Happy Hour (5pm-7pm). The Verdict: A good new date spot on the LES. We’ve added it to our Bar Hit List." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg, chris stang, matt tervooren

"When: Daily, 5-7pm The Deal: $1 oysters (max 12 per person); $6 Narragansett; $10 select wine; $14 select cocktails; $8 tots Bar Belly is the ideal post-work hang for when you don’t want to commit to a full meal. Have a drink and eat oysters solo, or stop by with a few friends and grab a seat outdoors for Dimes Square people-watching. It’s also the perfect place to wait for your table at Cervo’s." - willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman

"The drinks are not cheap, but the cocktails are GOOOOOD! And who would not love a bowl of popcorn with their FISH OUT OF WATER(MELON). Don't miss the Oyster special hour!" - My Orange Box

"Between discounted drinks and $1 oysters during daily Happy Hour from 5-7pm, Bar Belly is a perfect choice for a casual meetup. This Lower East Side spot feels more relaxed than some of its Orchard Street, Dimes-Square-Adjacent spots. But you still get to be entertained by the skateboarders who shop exclusively via Instagram and people passing out the latest issue of The Drunken Canal." - hannah albertine

"The Leadbelly never lets us down. Why? It’s sexy without trying too hard, it’s laid-back yet cool, the oysters are fantastic, and it’s the elusive, perfect first/early in the game date spot. That said, you could really come here with any human and have a great time." - katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg