Pete's Tavern Menu: Prices, Hours and the Pasta Dishes

Pete’s Tavern at 129 East 18th Street, on the corner of Irving Place, lists pastas from $24 to $28 and entrees from $25 to $34 on its Dining menu. Its four Italian-American classics climb one dollar at a time, from Rigatoni Alla Vodka at $24 to Chicken Parmigiana at $27. The tavern is open noon to 2am every day, and the kitchen closes at 11pm Sunday to Thursday and at midnight on Friday and Saturday. Prices, hours and policies below come from the tavern’s own website, checked in October 2026; menus of similarly named restaurants elsewhere are not covered.

What does the Pete’s Tavern menu cost?

The tavern’s Dining page holds the main menu. The table pulls out its Italian-American dishes, with the Gramercy Burger and a dessert from the Desserts page for scale. All prices are as listed in October 2026.

Elsewhere on the Dining page, starters run from $14 for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus to $23 for NY Strip Steak Bites, broiled seafood from $33 for Norwegian Salmon to $38 for Atlantic Halibut, and Steaks & Chops top the menu at $52 for the 16oz New York Strip.

Two totals at listed prices, before drinks, tax and tip, show the range. A starter, two pastas and a dessert from the table (Mozzarella in a Carriage, Rigatoni Alla Vodka, Spaghetti & Meatballs and Tiramisu) come to 82 dollars. The cheapest starter, pasta and dessert on the Dining and Desserts pages (Roasted Red Pepper Hummus at $14, Rigatoni Alla Vodka at $24 and any $14 dessert) come to 52 dollars.

One caution: the pages do not always agree. The Tavern page lists Bolognese Turnovers at $17 and Rhode Island Style Calamari at $20, each a dollar under the Dining page ($18 and $21) and under the Tavern menu reprinted on the private events page (also $18 and $21). The site does not say why, so confirm the price when ordering.

Is Pete’s Tavern an Italian restaurant?

No. The home page calls it a historic bar and restaurant, and the menu is a tavern menu with an Italian-American section. Of the 11 dishes in the Pastas and Entrees sections, 4 have Italian-American names: Rigatoni Alla Vodka, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Eggplant Parmigiana and Chicken Parmigiana. The other 7 are Farro Risotto, Veal Stroganoff, Chicken Pot Pie, Steak Frites, Fish & Chips, Hot Fried Chicken and Shepherd’s Pie. The count is an editorial judgment on dish names (Farro Risotto could be argued either way) and covers those two sections only; the seafood and steak sections list no Italian-named dishes.

The Italian touches continue in the starters and salads: thin crust pizzas, and Burrata and Chopped Italian salads at $19 each. The Pastas section also lists Gluten Free Penne as a $2 addition; anyone with celiac disease or another allergy should confirm preparation with the restaurant before ordering. For Italian kitchens nearby, Italian restaurants in Gramercy for dinner, block by block lists closing times and where a walk-in works.

What time does the kitchen close at Pete’s Tavern?

The home page lists the tavern as open seven days a week, noon to 2am. The kitchen closes at 11pm Sunday to Thursday and at midnight on Friday and Saturday, so the tavern stays open three hours after its kitchen closes on Sunday to Thursday and two hours after on Friday and Saturday.

The site does not list when the kitchen opens, a last-seating time or a split between lunch and dinner menus, so a table near closing is a question for 212-473-7676. The history page describes an outdoor cafe on Irving Place for “spring, summer or fall” and gives no opening dates, so confirm outdoor seating before planning around it. Gramercy restaurants open late sets the tavern’s hours beside the other late kitchens nearby.

Does Pete’s Tavern have happy hour?

Yes, on weekdays. The home page lists happy hour Monday to Friday, 4pm to 6pm. It does not say which items are discounted or at what price.

What else does Pete’s Tavern serve besides dinner?

• Brunch. The brunch page lists a prix fixe at $21 with one entree and coffee or tea, and a Complete Brunch at $28 that adds a drink from a list including Bloody Mary, Mimosa, Aperol Spritz and Bellini. Eggs in Purgatory, poached eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce, is the Italian-leaning entree. The page lists no brunch days or hours, so call to confirm.
• Tavern menu. The Tavern page is a shorter list that includes Homemade Meatballs at $15.
• Desserts. Five desserts, all $14, include the Tiramisu and an Apple Tart.

Does Pete’s Tavern have a private room?

Yes. The Private Speakeasy Room is on the second floor, directly above the restaurant, reached by a 17-step staircase with brass handrails; the page says there is no elevator access. The room has its own private bar and private restrooms. Capacity depends on the format: a sit-down meal for up to 44 guests in three straight lines of tables or 32 in a U-shape, a buffet for 45 with seating for 30, and a cocktail reception for 50 with seating for 30 or 65 with no seating.

The terms are published too. The room is available “at no extra charge,” but the same page says the minimum guest count and/or minimum spend varies by time and date and is set by the Banquet Manager; it states no dollar figure. Events run a maximum of 3 hours. Invoices add 8.875% sales tax and 20% gratuity, a 20% non-refundable deposit is due at booking, and the final guest count is due 4 days before the event. The page adds that at least 10% of the minimum guaranteed spend is generally asked to go towards food.

The private events menu leans Italian-American: its family-style dinner has hosts choose 2 pastas from Penne a la Vodka, Gemelli with Meatballs and Homemade Gnocchi with Spinach Pesto, and 2 mains from a list that includes Eggplant Parmigiana and Chicken Parmigiana. The private events page sends parties up to six to Resy and parties of six and more to manager@petestavern.com. Six appears in both lines, so a party of exactly six should confirm which route applies. The Private Room’s guide to comparing Gramercy private dining rooms covers the capacity, minimum and privacy questions to send in a first email.

Is Pete’s Tavern the oldest bar?

Pete’s calls itself NYC’s oldest continuously operating restaurant and bar. Its history page says the building was built in 1851 and that the first drinking establishment on the main floor was founded in 1864. That is the venue’s own claim, and this guide has not checked it independently. The same page says William Sydney Porter, writing as O. Henry, wrote “The Gift of the Magi” there in 1903, in what it calls the second booth, and places the tavern in Gramercy Park, on East 18th Street and Irving Place. For the park itself, see Is Gramercy Park open to the public? Where to eat nearby, which covers who can go in and six restaurants around it, Pete’s Tavern among them.

How these figures were gathered

Every price, hour and policy here was read from petestavern.com in October 2026. The 4-of-11 count uses the Dining page’s Pastas and Entrees sections, and the totals add listed prices only. Nothing comes from reviews or reservation platforms, and menus can change without notice.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a burger cost at Pete’s Tavern?

The Gramercy Burger at Pete’s Tavern is $25. The Char Grilled Hamburger is $21 and the plant-based Beyond Burger is $22 on the Dining menu checked in October 2026.

What time does the kitchen close at Pete’s Tavern?

The kitchen at Pete’s Tavern closes at 11pm Sunday through Thursday and at midnight on Friday and Saturday, according to its home page. The tavern itself is open from noon to 2am every day, and the site publishes no last-seating time.

Does Pete’s Tavern have a private room?

Yes. Pete’s Tavern offers the Private Speakeasy Room on the second floor, up 17 steps with no elevator, with its own bar and a published sit-down capacity of up to 44 guests. The private events page asks parties of six or more to email manager@petestavern.com.

Does Pete’s Tavern have happy hour?

Yes. Pete’s Tavern lists a happy hour Monday to Friday from 4pm to 6pm on its home page. The site does not publish happy hour prices or items.