Ten Bells, The

Verdict: A Low-Key Lower East Side Wine Bar Worth Booking on a Weeknight

The Ten Bells doesn't charge you a cover to feel at home in one of Manhattan's better wine bar rooms. Price range data isn't published, but the tapas-and-natural-wine format at 247 Broome St has always skewed accessible by New York City standards — expect to spend meaningfully less per head than you would at a tasting menu restaurant, with the freedom to order as little or as much as you want. For a first-timer, that low-friction entry point is exactly the reason to come. You're not committing to a $300 omakase; you're committing to a glass and a few small plates, with the option to stay for two hours or five.

The Ten Bells has been operating long enough on Broome Street to have earned genuine neighbourhood credibility. Opinionated About Dining — one of the more data-driven ranking systems in the casual dining space, placed it at #637 in North America for 2024 and gave it a Recommended designation in 2023. That's not a flashy credential, but it's a meaningful one: OAD rankings are driven by frequent-diner votes rather than critic visits, which means The Ten Bells has consistent supporters returning regularly enough to register on a continental list.

What to Expect as a First-Timer

Format is tapas and wine, which means the kitchen rotates what it offers depending on what's available and what season you're visiting. Autumn and winter visits tend to reward you with richer, earthier small plates that pair well with the natural and low-intervention wines the bar has always prioritised. Spring and early summer shift the menu toward lighter fare. If you're visiting in a particular season with a preference for a certain style of eating, it's worth checking in with the bar directly before you go, the menu here is not fixed, that's a feature, not a problem.

Room itself is a long, narrow Lower East Side space. Walk in during your first visit and you'll smell the mix of candlewax, old wood, whatever is coming out of the kitchen, it reads like a small wine bar in Paris's 11th arrondissement rather than a polished Midtown venue. That atmosphere is the point. This is not a place for celebration dinners with large groups or business meals where you need to hear each other clearly. It's a place for two or three people who want to drink something interesting, eat something good, stay longer than they planned.

Hours run Sunday and Saturday from 3 pm, Monday through Friday from 5 pm, with last orders at 2 am on weekdays and midnight on Sundays. That late close on weekdays makes this a strong option for a 10 pm drop-in after dinner elsewhere, or as a destination in itself on a night when you want to eat at an unhurried pace. Booking difficulty is low, walk-in friendly by New York standards, especially early in the week. Saturday evenings are the one time to arrive before 7 pm or accept a wait.

How It Compares

See the comparison section below for how The Ten Bells sits against New York City's fine dining tier. For the rest of our New York coverage, visit our full New York City restaurants guide, bars guide, hotels guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide.

If you're building a trip around serious dining, Pearl also covers Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Emeril's in New Orleans, The French Laundry in Napa, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, Smyth in Chicago, Providence in Los Angeles, Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico, and Dal Pescatore in Runate.

Practical Details

Address: 247 Broome St, New York, NY 10002. Hours: Monday–Friday 5 pm–2 am; Saturday–Sunday 3 pm–2 am (Sunday closes midnight). No published phone or website in our current data, check Google Maps for updated contact information. Booking difficulty: easy. Walk-ins work most nights; Saturday evenings are the exception.

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