Ward III

111 Reade St., Tribeca, NY

8.0

map & more

Neighborhood
Tribeca

Cuisine
American
Bar Food

212-240-9194

Official Website

By Andrew Steinthal
July 12, 2011

This one’s been a long time coming. For a solid two years now, Ward III has been our favorite drinking establishment in Manhattan. Sure, there are a plethora of excellent sophisticated watering holes we love, but none more accessible and user friendly than Ward III. We’re always down for a Michael Neff (Co-Owner, Mixologist) conceived beverage, especially when he’s creating custom Infatuation cocktails. But we’re not the only ones with such privileges. You are just as special. Ward III takes a friendly, educational approach to getting drunk, which is quite refreshing and different than anything else we’ve seen in NYC. Go ahead. Engage your bartender, you might just learn something. Good luck trying to remember it in the morning though.

Somehow, with all the drinking we’ve done at Ward III, it wasn’t until recently that we actually sat down to have a meal here. Having heard not even the slightest bit of buzz about the food in this place, we were pleasantly surprised to find that eats were nearly as good as the drinks. Bar snacks, salads, tacos, sliders, full sized sandwiches – whether you’re just looking for a snack or are hungry for a full meal, there’s something for everyone. Those duck sliders are the perfect compliment to an Old Fashioned.

There’s always something going on at Ward III. They know their crowd, and cater to them well. On any given night, be prepared to stumble into a bourbon tasting or a jazz listening party. But one of the pitfalls of being the coolest bar in Tribeca is the fact that it’s crawling with suits during the week. And these aren’t your typical Midtown commuter suits, these are a younger breed of hot-shot ad agency bros who think they’re the sh*t. Overheard next to us: “dude, check my new white gold cuff links, these are getting me laid tonight.” Ladies, you’ve been forewarned.

Food Rundown:

Quesadilla
Quesadilla’s with gouda cheese, bacon and caramelized onion. These are gooey and delicious with just the right amount of smoke from the bacon. Order. You’ll be happy you did.

Lamb Shank Taco
We couldn’t scarf down these savory shank treats fast enough. They were gone in a matter of seconds. There’s a good reason why this is one of the more popular dishes on the menu.

Deviled Eggs
Yup, another review, another high quality deviled egg. These ones are topped off with jalapeño peppers and chili powder for a real nice kick.

Bacon Wrapped Dates
Sweet and smokey. A delicious pairing with any brown beverage or craft ale.

Pulled Duck Sliders
Oh hell yes. Look at the pic, nothing left to say. Order. NOW.

Chicken sandwich
Now this is a damn good sandwich. Grilled bird with ancho chili, bacon, guacamole and chipotle aioli. After a couple stiff drinks, this really hits the spot.