Eastern Bloc Review

The Bottom Line
Even before Eastern Bloc propelled to fame -- thanks to co-owner Antoine Maisani’s romantic linkage to Anderson Cooper -- the gay bar deserved your attention. This East Village hangout is an incubator for the stylishly hairy young men of the moment.

Pros
Cheap drinks
Delicious patrons

Cons
Fashion-backward guys (of any age) will feel out of place
Is the commie paraphernalia endearing or cloying?

Description
•    Eastern Bloc, 505 East 6th Street between Avenues A and B
•    Phone number: 212-777-2555
•    Hours: Daily, 7 p.m. – 4 a.m.
•    Getting there: L to 1st Avenue, or F, V to 2nd Avenue–Lower East Side
•    www.easternblocnyc.com

Guide Review -- Bloc Heads
Veterans of the East Village may remember Eastern Bloc when it was Wonder Bar. As Eastern Bloc, the place still looks a lot like its predecessor: DJ booth here, bar there, two single bathrooms. Now, though, the bar is dressed in Communist and other faux-nostalgic paraphernalia. Witness the homophonic “Goat Czech” sign, for instance.

Other than the new décor, the torch has been passed with a light hand. To quote this New York Magazine review of Wonder Bar, “Everyone from the Cosmo-inclined to Bud boys to Bombay-and-tonic gentlemen still flocks to this grungily stylish and oh-so-friendly small wonder.”

They are still to be found at Eastern Bloc, where the drinks are strong and (relatively) cheap, the music thumps, and the house assumes no attitude.  

To be sure, the population has shifted in character slightly, with greater emphasis on facial hair and progressive fashion. But ain’t that the aesthetic state of the New York City male right now. Every decently young professional seems to be playing the bear in training.

Regardless of the look, they look friendly, too. Edward Hopper could have set up an easel at dusk, when the few stray cubs are hunched over their iPhones, drearily texting away. But come late-night rush hour, perhaps fueled by those powerful elixirs, the denizens of Eastern Bloc are all smiles. Unlike the endless posing found at other places, here you can strike up a conversation with a stranger. And you may end up canoodling in a dark corner.

And just so you know, Eastern Bloc doesn’t really sport many dark corners. That may explain the preponderance of smush shots on the blog of DJ Josh Sparber, who heads up the Wednesday-night Good Times party.