In the NYC 2025 Primary Election Voter Guide, sixteen of the twenty mayoral candidates listed affordability or a related factor as one of their top three issues. Rent is high, MTA trips add up, and even a bacon, egg, and cheese feels more like a special treat these days. But despite the uphill financial battle to live in New York City, there are always a few places that offer drinks at a range of prices, while still making guests feel like they’re living the high life. One of those places is Commodore II (14 Loisaida Ave.).
The bar’s teal facade and a neon palm tree sign glowing in the corner window make a statement as you approach the corner of Avenue C and East 2nd Street. A few beach chairs outside tip off passersby to the fact that they’re steps away from what could be a very relaxing afternoon. Inside Commodore II, you’re swept back in time to 1960s Miami. Wood paneled walls, leather seats, wavy white ceiling insets, plant-filled windows, and a couple of fish tanks in port holes create a beautiful and unexpected tropical getaway on the Lower East Side.
Commodore II is the sister restaurant of The Commodore, a well-known Williamsburg bar, which, when featured in the dining section of The New York Times in 2010, was in the $25 and under category and described as a dive bar. Most of the cocktails were $7 or $8, the cheeseburger was an affordable $7, and even the famed hot breast was a mere $9. Its fried chicken sandwich is still considered one of the best in the city.
Commodore II celebrated its one-year anniversary last April. While almost as affordable (considering inflation) as its sister restaurant was 15 years ago, its glitzy setting and menu feel closer to high-end than dive. Frozen cocktails (about $15) are blended-to-order in a Vitamix, topped with a juicy pineapple or orange slice, and then bedecked with a tiny umbrella or straw. If you can resist the allure of the freshly made piña coladas and mojitos, the happy hour menu can save you money, while still offering plenty to delight in. Monday through Friday, from 4pm until 7pm, well drinks and draft beers are half price, a Pabst and a shot is $6, a draft beer and burger is $12, and a Mexican soup (chicken soup, loaded with cilantro and hominy) with a Pacifico is $10. One evening, my boyfriend showed up at the bar and ordered the Williamsbrau (an American lager). When he closed out, he owed a paltry $2.70. “Wow. This is the cheapest beer I’ve had in NYC.” He tipped 30%.
Another evening, I walked in to find two men playing cards at the bar. The bartender, a cool, silver-haired man with clear glasses and tattoos up and down his arms, seemed to know a few of the patrons. One was stopping in with a friend from out-of-town. He’d been to both Commodore II and the original, but preferred the Manhattan location: “It’s like orange juice concentrate—they took all the best stuff from the original.” He noted the crowd at the new location was also more his speed (a bit more mature).
A young man in his late twenties in a t-shirt and a man bun also sat at the bar. He lived nearby and came frequently, but wasn’t aware of the other location. I pointed at his piña colada and asked about the choice. He smiled and explained. “My girl began that. So, every time I’m in here, I usually get the frozen margarita, but this time… I’m texting her right now and I’m like, ‘All right, I had two of your drinks and it’s actually pretty good.’” He also showed me an app that allowed him to save money when he ate or drank at certain establishment, including Commodore II.
Another evening, a couple in their 60s ordered beers and split a plate of fish tacos. The woman was born and raised on the Lower East Side and her husband was originally from the Dominican Republic. They had a running list of spots they recommended in the neighborhood, but said they always came back to Commodore II for the food and the atmosphere.
A tiny ‘80s television above the bar played “Escape from New York,” a 1981 sci-fi film starring Kurt Russell in a dark, crime-ridden Manhattan that has become a maximum-security prison. For some, Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary brings us one step closer to this future. For the rest of us, he represents the hope of a more livable New York, and heck, that might mean we feel more comfortable treating ourselves to a frozen cocktail from time to time.
