This Soviet-Themed Bar Has Served NYCs Literary Scene Since 1993

When KGB Bar opened its doors in 1993, it quickly gained a reputation as a literary bar. The bar plays host to a variety of readings and events and is an especially popular venue for emerging work that struggles to find a home in more established spaces.

“I didn’t know there were expressly ‘literary’ bars in New York,” says Mickie Meinhardt, host of a new reading series housed at KGB, Same Page Reading, “and it always stuck out to me as a place that seemed to survive the purge of cool, eclectic places that promoted interesting art on the margins.”

The bar’s name is technically an acronym for “Kraine Gallery Bar” (“Kraine” as in “Ukraine,” without the “U”). It wasn’t until 2000 that the owners of KGB hung a titular sign in front of the nondescript East Village building. The name and the Soviet theme of the bar are both references to the building’s former life as the Ukrainian Labor Home, a social club for Ukrainian socialists in the McCarthy era.

The bar’s founder, Denis Woychuk, was raised attending those functions with his family, but in those days there was no Soviet propaganda on the walls. When Woychuk opened his bar, he leaned hard into the Soviet theme, painting the walls red and showcasing World War II- and Cold War-era paintings and posters.

KGB also tapped into a local obsession with literature. “It really fosters and supports literary New York and uses its reputation for that for good,” Meinhardt explains.

From the beginning, KGB has encouraged established authors and emerging voices alike to share their work from within its halls. The bar has a policy of not paying people to read their works to audiences, but they also don’t charge audience members for their seats. Attendees are encouraged to grab a drink, as it helps to pay the bills, but imbibing is not a requirement. This is the kind of work people do out of passion, not for money.

The bar does manage to keep its calendar packed: Monday nights feature poetry and Sunday nights are dedicated to fiction, but all other days are a mix of book launches, reading series, and even the occasional burlesque show or absinthe tasting.

The variety alone promises a fun-filled night any time at KGB, a New York City institution which will be entertaining book lovers for decades to come.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.