For those of you who enjoy the time waiting for Halloween more than the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, you might feel like there isn’t much of a market that caters to you.
But if you haven’t heard of it already, you’re in for a treat: Beetle House in the East Village is known for serving up the Halloween spirit all year long, offering cocktails like The Beetle’s Juice, a tequila and cranberry concoction, the This Is Halloween, made with cinnamon liquor, sour apple pucker, pumpkin liqueur, apple cider, and ginger beer, and the Alice’s Cup O’Tea, with peach vodka, gin, tequila, rum, sour mix, Peach Schnapps, and Coca-Cola.
What began as a pop-up restaurant in NYC in April of 2016 and in Los Angeles in 2017 blossomed into permanent spooky haunt. They’re “like an adult Halloween party with a Burtonesque feel, a dash of a 90s goth band, a touch of emo, and a diabolical dose of cosplay.”
Inside, guests can enjoy all the Burton-esque themes from food and atmosphere to entertainment–perfect for one’s very own “Nightmare Before Christmas!” But beyond Tim Burton the thematic atmosphere is also inspired by additional literary and cinematic works of many revered legends such as Washington Irving, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Wes Craven, and many others.
According to the owners, the idea behind the bar was simple: to “create a space where people who love Halloween, horror films, and Gothic dark music can gather for a meal and drinks and…feel completely comfortable to be as freaky as they want to be.” And it certainly seems to be the perfect place to do just that!
As for the restaurant side, the menu features appetizers such as Boogie’s Braised Bacon, Cheshire Mac & Cheese, Frites & Frights. Larger dishes include the Edward Burger Hands, Sweeney Beef, The Butchers Bolognese, and Killer Coq au Vin. They even offer a variety of vegan options as well.
Owner Zach Neil stated:
Welcome to the most strange and unusual dining experience in New York City! Guests will enjoy our darkly delicious meals, and haunting bubbling cocktails in a fully immersive year-round Halloween spectacle! Those wayward mortals who cross the threshold into the afterlife will be entertained by our ghastly sights and sounds. There are sights to see, frights to have, and tricks and treats galore!
Get a head start on spooky season at Beetle House here. And while we’re on the topic, we must say we’re jealous of our friends over in Los Angeles who get to experience Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: The Afterlife Experience. More on this here.
đź“Ť 308 East 6th Street, New York