A New York on Tap pick

Schiller's Liquor Bar

131 Rivington St. · at Norfolk
Lower East Side, Manhattan

In 2026

Closed; now Shake Shack

Last licensed here under this name: 2017–19.

Checked October 15, 2026.

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Overview

An extremely attractive crowd to match an extremely attractive space perfectly balanced out by an expensive bar with cramped standing room.

History

Cheap, Decent or Good

Schiller's sold its wine in three grades: Cheap, Decent and Good¹. Keith McNally opened it on Rivington Street in 2003, fitted out with his trademark mirrors and tiles^{1, 2}.

At first it was a place lots of locals wanted to hate². By 2012 Time Out was calling it as friendly to children as to the Lower East Side's bar-hopping crowd³. Our own listing admired the room, then grumbled about the prices and the cramped standing room.

In May 2017 management said it would close by the end of August, over an unaffordable rent hike⁴. It went out after 14 years with a last night of cheers, confetti and cocktails⁵.

The space sat vacant after that⁶. News that Shake Shack would take it broke in July 2022⁷, and the burger chain opened there in August 2023⁶.

Sources

Researched October 2026.

What's nearby

Welcome to the Johnsons under 0.1 mi Still pouring
La Caverna under 0.1 mi Still pouring
The Magician under 0.1 mi Still pouring
Nurse Bettie under 0.1 mi Still pouring
Essex under 0.1 mi Moved to 124 Rivington Street
Sunita under 0.1 mi A different business is licensed at this address
151 0.1 mi Closed; now Lullaby
The Back Room 0.1 mi Still pouring
Whiskey Ward 0.1 mi Closed; now Sadie's Ward
Mason Dixon 0.1 mi Closed