Lower East Side
Lower East Side
4.5
About
This section of Manhattan once inhabited by Jewish immigrants has undergone a rebirth in recent years.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Lower East Side
The area
Neighborhood: Downtown Manhattan (Downtown)
How to get there
- Essex St • 6 min walk
- East Broadway • 7 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
10,000 within 3 miles
Attractions
2,802 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
164 reviews
Excellent
72
Very good
68
Average
19
Poor
5
Terrible
0
neil102
Astoria, NY8,753 contributions
Jul 2020
I love coming down here to view the boutique stores and little restaurants. One of the nicest things to do is go to some of the art houses during the summer months. A must for those who want to visit NYC. I came back here in July 2020.
Written April 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingSoccerLoon
Saint Paul, MN5,970 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Walking through the Lower East Side is like walking through a movie set of New York in the late 1800s/early 1900s. This was the home of immigrants with crowded tenement buildings and gritty streets. Initially German and Irish and later Italians, Eastern European Jews, and others from Europe filled the neighborhood. By 1920 it was one of the largest Jewish communities in the world. The Tenement Museum located here provides an excellent idea of the challenges immigrants faced when living in the neighborhood and is well worth experiencing. Although much of the architecture remains, the area has evolved and is now filled with upscale apartments and has an energetic nightlife scene where local 20-something year olds fill the bars, music venues and restaurants of the neighborhood. This is also where you can find the famous Katz's Deli, located here since 1888 and NYC's oldest deli, serving up incredible sandwiches.
Written April 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
therichastill
Stevenage, UK3,352 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
The Lower East Side stretches from Midtown south towards Brooklyn Bridge. This area has a really good vibe and one of the things I loved about the area is the huge amount of street art that there is.
Even without trying to hard you can find some brilliant artwork on the sides of buildings.
There are a few squares and places to sit and watch the world pass by.
Definitely worth checking out on your visit to the city.
Even without trying to hard you can find some brilliant artwork on the sides of buildings.
There are a few squares and places to sit and watch the world pass by.
Definitely worth checking out on your visit to the city.
Written December 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Samoht
New York City, NY416 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
Today we visited the Lower East Side for the first time in several years and were disappointed by the seriously deteriorated conditions in some areas. Many stores are vacant and show a serious lack of care. Trash and graffiti are everywhere. Walking these streets was not the pleasant experience we were hoping for.
Written August 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alec D
Seattle, WA2,603 contributions
Apr 2019 • Solo
When I lived in Manhattan this is where I lived. I love going back to visit. It's such an interesting and vibrant part of the city. If you have time make sure to find your way to the Lower East side of Manhattan.
Written April 24, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KatS_2011
Barrow-in-Furness, UK129 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
Having stayed in Time Square during our visit to NYC and doing all the tourist attractions, we had the opportunity to spend the afternoon walking round the Lower East Side. Fortunately I had a colleague who was brought out on the Lower East Side and he offered to show the family round for an afternoon - what a fantastic way to spend the afternoon. We walked for over 3 hours covering the Lower East Side, Little Italy and Chinatown - it was one of the best afternoons spent in NYC. We saw the real NYC, wandering in and out of shops, bakeries, food shops etc.
Some of the Italian bakeries were amazing, and so much better than the tourist Italian bakeries - and much cheaper.
Get a taxi down to the Lower East Side and just have a wander round - you will love it, or try and find a guided tour by a local.
Some of the Italian bakeries were amazing, and so much better than the tourist Italian bakeries - and much cheaper.
Get a taxi down to the Lower East Side and just have a wander round - you will love it, or try and find a guided tour by a local.
Written August 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
efexinteriors
New York City, NY20 contributions
Mar 2019
While New York City is home to a huge amount of well-known hot-spots, historic and cultural locations, it’s also chock full of lesser-known 'gems' that are equally fascinating and worth visiting. Plenty are congregated in the Lower East Side, which has a rich history as an immigrant, working class neighborhood.
Did you know: The Lower East Side comprised of the neighborhoods known today as East Village, Little Italy, NoLita, Alphabet City, the Bowery, Two Bridges, and Chinatown.
The eclectic Lower East Side is where gritty alleys and tenement-style buildings mix with upscale apartments and chic boutiques. Nighttime draws hip, young crowds to the area's trendy bars, music venues and restaurants. The neighborhood's Jewish heritage lives on through Orchard Street's Lower East Side Tenement Museum and old-world fabric stores, as well as traditional delis such as Katz's Deli (of When Harry meet Sally Fame) and Russ & Daughters.
The Lower East Side has a reputation for being ahead of the curve. Rowdy and spirited, the Lower East Side takes the moniker “the city that never sleeps” as a challenge, and its music venues, bars and restaurants never fail to rise to the occasion.
It's a 24 hour excursion, rest the night before. Then plan on a full day into night challenge. You cant help but be awe struck at every turn. This is NYC at its Best ! Where..old..new..and tomorrow's city meet !
Did you know: The Lower East Side comprised of the neighborhoods known today as East Village, Little Italy, NoLita, Alphabet City, the Bowery, Two Bridges, and Chinatown.
The eclectic Lower East Side is where gritty alleys and tenement-style buildings mix with upscale apartments and chic boutiques. Nighttime draws hip, young crowds to the area's trendy bars, music venues and restaurants. The neighborhood's Jewish heritage lives on through Orchard Street's Lower East Side Tenement Museum and old-world fabric stores, as well as traditional delis such as Katz's Deli (of When Harry meet Sally Fame) and Russ & Daughters.
The Lower East Side has a reputation for being ahead of the curve. Rowdy and spirited, the Lower East Side takes the moniker “the city that never sleeps” as a challenge, and its music venues, bars and restaurants never fail to rise to the occasion.
It's a 24 hour excursion, rest the night before. Then plan on a full day into night challenge. You cant help but be awe struck at every turn. This is NYC at its Best ! Where..old..new..and tomorrow's city meet !
Written March 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas V
Oakland, CA17,823 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
This part of lower Manhattan has gone through a big transition to a gentrified present, full of cool restaurants and bars, and more expensive apartments. But still a lot of traditional low income housing, so the old mix of immigrants is still present. A little gritty, but very safe. Take a walking tour to learn the history.
Written July 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Five Road Trippers 🚙🎡🎢🧳
Long Island, NY16,133 contributions
Jul 2018 • Friends
Definitely cleaned up from the way it was 20+ years ago. Plenty of restaurants, stores, activities, and nightlife. Alphabet City area after dark has bars with great music.
Written November 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
schmidtmg
Switzerland1,086 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
The Lower East side was a pretty grotty place some 25-30 years ago, and is has evolved and developed considerable since. You'll find numerous hip bars and restaurants, residential streets have gentrified, and it is nice to walk around the area......
Written November 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Best day to find outdoor venders and action in LES ? Thanks
Written July 4, 2019
Yes, the lower east side is very safe. Probably more so than some other neighbourhoods. I stayed all over NYC in apartments and this was my favourite spot. It's always busy and full of young professionals. Lots of cafés, restaurants, bakeries, juice bars etc
Written August 2, 2015
The Lower East Side is certainly safe. It's bustling now, with plenty of restaurants, bakeries, and so forth. Tompkins Square Park is no longer Drug Dealers' Heaven. There are little mini-parks here and there, and some cultural institutions for you to visit. The whole area is not yet fully gentrified, so there's still a genuine core of old neighborhood left. The old shops on Orchard Street have in some cases been replaced by trendier and more expensive ones, but now and again you will still find some bargains. If you're buying food, visit the Essex Street Market. Do NOT rent a car. Use buses and subways, the way true New Yorkers of all classes do. (Well, almost all classes, but practically everyone does use public transportation.) There are also buses. . Do not be afraid of the subway. It's not gorgeous, but it's fast and safe and you won't have to spend hours or lots of $$ trying to park a car.
Written August 3, 2015
Is it safe to stay in lower east side. We are hiring a car. Where is best to stay with car in new york
Written March 8, 2015
The Lower East Side is completely safe, both to visit and to stay. I work there and never fear walking the streets. In the evening it can get a little crazy with all the restaurants and bars but this does not make it unsafe-just different and interesting. One big problem is local parking so it is best not to drive there but take public transportation. There are many reasonable hotels on the Lower East Side. There is also long term parking on Broome between Norfolk and Suffolk.
Written August 3, 2015
Showing results 1-3 of 3
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing