9. The White Horse Tavern (1880)
The “Kerouac, go home!” that once decorated this tavern’s bathroom walls was a testament to how much the Beat generation author frequented this place. What began as a watering hole for longshoremen in 1880 became a literary hangout in the 1950’s. Among its many acclaimed patrons, Dylan Thomas was one of the most frequent. It is said that his ghost haunts his favorite table in the center of the room, where he took his final drink and his picture now hangs.
One of the oldest bars in NYC, the White Horse Tavern was also a favorite of Michael Harrington (whose book helped inspire the ‘War on Poverty’) and author/political organizer Dan Wakefield. For a time it was a gathering place for writers of the Village Voice, whose original offices were a few blocks from the tavern.