Freemans
American restaurant · Lower East Side
Freeman Alley, New York, NY 10002
Highlights
Rustic tavern with craft cocktails & American fare, great for groups.
Rustic tavern with craft cocktails & American fare, great for groups.
"Freemans is a two-story restaurant at the back of an alley, and it looks like a big, old apartment that Ralph Lauren got locked inside and decided to decorate. This place is both intimate and spacious, so take the whole team here to eat some fancy bar food like seared octopus and artichoke dip. And if you decide you’d like your own space, they have options that can accommodate anywhere from eight to 200 people." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, ciera velarde
"After that one friend gets back from their long weekend upstate this winter, they’ll probably mention a house in the woods, families of deer, whiskey, and red meat. Smile and say it sounds lovely, but know that you can get a very similar experience at Freemans on the LES. The bookshelves, old couches, and very good American food make it feel like a lodge in The Catskills, and there are even lots of deer, but they’re taxidermied and hanging on the wall." - matt tervooren
"Is everyone attending this graduation? Including several cousins you tend to forget about in your day-to-day life? Get dinner at Freemans. They have three private dining rooms and a whole second floor that you can rent out. Also, it looks like a place where you could write a novel - a classy one, maybe in Russian. There are flowers, stuffed birds, old paintings, and vintage furniture, and the restaurant itself is hidden at the back of a tiny alley. The food is on the heavier side, but if you’re celebrating something, you might as well get full." - bryan kim, katherine lewin, matt tervooren
"Freemans looks very much like a grand hunting lodge you’d find on a mountainside. It’s a two-story space hidden at the back of a narrow alley on the Lower East Side, and it’s filled with taxidermy, candles, and old paintings that have a 50/50 chance of being haunted. The menu consists of pretty standard American stuff like trout, duck, and roast chicken, and it also has some good snacks like artichoke dip and mac and cheese (in case you’d rather just drink and pick at a few things). Private rooms are also available if you want your own space." - bryan kim
"Freemans is roughly 10 times the size of 4 Charles, but it still has a similarly dark and intimate feel. Unlike 4 Charles, though, it’s a two-story space with an Antarctic-exploration-themed low-ABV cocktail bar (Banzarbar) hidden on the second floor, and it’s filled with antiques and taxidermy. The menu consists of things like roasted chicken, filet mignon, and artichoke dip - and while the food isn’t anything revolutionary, it’s all pretty good, and you’re mostly here for the atmosphere anyway." - bryan kim
