The Raven was a small but truly fantastic rock’n’roll bar in the East Village, situated at 194 Ave. A, NY 10009.
It’s getting on for 20 years since it burnt down, but recent trips to NY have reminded me how much I miss the place- and how much the area has changed (see also my feature on the closed Mars Bar)
Here’s some photos taken around 2004.
Yelp’s archived reviews from 2005 sum up what made the place so special:
NK: Good and cheap booze for the average guzzler like myself. It’s not all just Punk & Metal. Check out Heavy Manners Mondays for Roots, Dub, Ska and Rocksteady, spun by the Crazy Baldhead Soundsystem. It’s also about a block away from my favorite NY Tattoo Parlor, Ink Stop Tattoo.
SM: My favorite place to hang out with friends. It’s like being in your own living room, with someone serving you drinks and playing music that you love. Totally unpretentious vibe.
MW: There are some good times to be had in here! If your cousin is a metalhead who lives around the corner from this place, you’re in for some of the same whiskey-loaded fun that I always have at the Raven. Cheap, strong drinks are my favorite kind, and the bartenders here aren’t joking around. The crowd is nicely diverse and free of priss, and it feels kind of like a student/punk/metal version of Cheers.
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