Karma

51 1st Ave. · btwn 3rd & 4th St.
East Village, Manhattan

In 2026

Closed; now Conall's Public House

Last licensed here under this name: 2020–25.

Checked October 15, 2026.

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Overview

This dimly lit bar is one of the very few venues in the city with a smoking exemption. It's sexy, reasonably priced, and so much fun you can't help but feel sorry for all those people standing in line outside of Le Souk a few blocks away.

History

Hookahs out, a public house in

Karma opened in 1999 as a hookah bar and, in one version or another, was a bi-level lounge at 51 First Avenue^{1, 2}. When we listed it, we called it dim, sexy and reasonably priced, with one of the very few smoking exemptions in the city. In August 2020, after 21 years, EV Grieve reported that it had closed¹. Conall's Public House has replaced it at the address, and opened there in July 2026^{2, 3}.

Sources

Researched October 2026.

What's nearby

The Edge under 0.1 mi Closed
d.b.a. 0.1 mi Still pouring
Three of Cups Lounge 0.1 mi Closed; now Emmy Squared
Hade Bade 0.1 mi A different business is licensed at this address: Shinzo Omakase
Waikiki Wally’s 0.1 mi Closed
Lucky Cheng's 0.1 mi Closed; now Bungalow
Sutra 0.1 mi Closed; now Lydia's
La Linea 0.1 mi Still pouring
Lucien 0.1 mi Still pouring
Boca Chica 0.1 mi Closed; now Superbueno