6.9 out of 10

East 26th St, Kips Bay

Ranked 2nd best street in Kips Bay
40.7396575506525 -73.9792120061894
Great for
  • Parking
  • Internet Access
  • Gym & Fitness
  • Medical Facilities
  • Schools
Not great for
  • No ratings yet
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Who lives here?
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+

Reviews

3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Schools 5/5
2yrs+

"Great below 14th Street"

Uptown on 3rd Avenue leaves much to be desired. Although the UES is the most elite part of town, it is seriously lacking in things to do, places to go and cool buildings to look at. I'm really never up here because it's so stuffy and sleepy.
Bloomingdale's at 3rd Ave and 60th is the best Bloomingdale's I have ever been to. That sounds ridiculous but this particular store is really stunning. It's massive too. Just down 3rd (at 56th) is a bar called PJ Clarkes that I really enjoy. It's a chain now, but I just think there's so much cool history to it that it's a shame to not go to the Flagship. The building is from the mid 19th Century and the bar was opened in 1912. It's really old and cool looking.
There are a lot of massive, corporate buildings on 3rd Avenue which makes it a really boring part of town in the uptown and midtown areas. I find them all pretty bland but the Lipstick Building at 3rd and 54th is quite famous. So, if you're into buildings, then this is something worth checking out. There are a lot of Irish pubs on 3rd Avenue and I have yet to find out why, exactly, that is. I don't know if that's where they all had to live, but I don't think I have seen so many Irish hangs on one avenue anywhere as I have seen on 3rd.
Like the rest of the East Side Avenues, things don't really get cookin for 3rd until you get below 14th Street. There is, suddenly, then a ton of things to do. It's not the prettiest part of town by any stretch of the imagination, but it is definitely one of the liveliest. 13th and 3rd has some great old tenement buildings, a great furniture store and the original Bar None and that's just one block. There is a movie theatre and two huge sports bars on the corners of 11th and 10th. I can't attest for the soccer bar, but Village Pourhouse is most certainly the best bar to watch a football game. That place is really cheesy and a total meatmarket, but I love it and I don't know anyone that doesn't love it as well.
Across the street from the Pourhouse is a restaurant called the Smith that isn't the best food in the world but it's pretty decent and the walls open up in the Spring which I like.
There is definitely a huge student constituency around 3rd because of NYU, the New School, and Cooper Union. That can be, at times, annoying because there are so many people around. But, it's also great because that means there are tons of bars, hole in the wall restaurants and a lot of energy. The buildings all look like tenements downtown (and, a lot of them were), but the insides can be pretty cool. I really like 3rd Avenue once you get into the East Village realm but uptown it is really boring in every possible way.
Pros
  • Lively Downtown
  • Bar scene downtown
Cons
  • Not aesthetically pleasing
  • Not great transportation
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
2yrs+

"A few things to see"

26th is pretty rich with old but it's not necessarily rich with historical happenings. It's not a bad street and it has a lot to see and do. It has a park and that's definitely a bonus in this city. But, it's not the most beautiful or the most exciting street in the city.

The building between Broadway and 5th is not only pretty but it has a rich history as well. Teddy Roosevelt took dance lessons here as a boy. And, then the incredibly famous Delmonico's restaurant was in this site starting in 1876. Lobster Newburg and Eggs Benedict were both invented here. Directly across the street on the corner of 5th Ave is a really beautiful building on the inside and out.

Across 5th Avenue is the norther part of Madison Sq Park and across the street from that is a really beautiful old building that used to be a hotel and is now a ridiculously expensive apartment building. Madison Square Park is pretty cool and I really like the area surrounding it to the east. The brownstones are so beautiful and the area is kind of even cooler than the West Village.
There's a really cool place called Broadway Alley right at 3rd and 26th. It was the last dirt road in New York and now is a private alley with just one residence on it. I think that is so cool! Having your own road in New York?

The very east side of 26th is all pretty much Bellevue stuff. There used to be not for profit housing at 2nd Ave but now its pretty expensive so it's pretty unlikely that anyone that actually works at Bellevue lives there except for maybe doctors. Bellevue is an actual hospital but I didn't even know that for some time. It's so famous for its psych ward that I thought it was strictly a looney bin. I don't know that I'd want to live that close to any hospital . . .let alone pay millions of dollars to live in a townhouse one block away from a hospital famous for psych treatments. Yikes.
Pros
  • Proximity to a park
  • Close to everything
Cons
  • Proximity to Bellevue
  • Traffic
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 5/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"Perfectly decent"

Running from Cooper Square north into Harlem, Third Avenue has a character that changes with the street number. While uptown Third Avenue can be rather over-crowded - in the East 80's, 3rd joins Lexington in becoming a commercial thoroughfare, the Broadway of the Upper East Side. But as the avenue swings further south, chain stores and Starbucks outlets give way to the beginnngs of neighorhoods like Kips Bay and the virtual diplomatic village cropping up around the U.N. - wih slightly trendier bars, more upscale restaurants, and nearby posh residential enclaves like Sutton Place, Beekman Place, and Tudor City - all a bit further east near the river. Third Avenue itself is more defined by its location and surrounding streets than by its own attractions, although some Third Avenue venues - such as the Mexican restaurant Dos Caminos, have become to-go places in their own right.
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
2/5
2yrs+

"An ode to taco Bell"

Taco bell. 3rd Avenue. Gone, Early 2007.

Taco Bell was a great institution to have on this part of 3rd Avenue (between 10th street and 11th Street). It provided valuable fast food resources at a great price to the local community and I was sad to see it go. Things are going the wrong way on 3rd avenue. 3rd Avenue used to be the one you could rely on for cheap, suburban type crap mixed in with regular NYC stuff. Not quite the same anymore, it's a little too fake now.
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
2yrs+

"From Bowery to the Bronx"

Only 1 street away from the Lexington Avenue 4/5/6, Third Ave is a place filled with food, fun and plenty to do. Whether it's going out all night at the bars strewn along Third Ave. between 2nd St.-17th St., or making it all the up to those in the 70's and 80's you're guaranteed to find a good place to get down. 82nd and 3rd ave hosts "Our Place" Chinese Restaurant - one of the best in town. Give it a shot.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5
2yrs+

"Take on the challenge"

Sometimes you want a challenge when you eat and a great serving of wings will definitely sort the men from the boys. The Atomic Wings (great name) chain has a few stores all over the city but the one on 3rd Avenue provided the backdrop to our eating contest and its fair to say the spices and sauces had us all licked by the end. The staff was great and you can people watch to your hearts content. So with all that and great food, who needs anything else?
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"3rd Ave in the Upper East"

Third Ave stretches the entire length of the east side of Manhattan, and right up in the Upper East Side area, where Central Park begins, this avenue is pretty downbeat as far as nightlife goes. There are the usual Midtown and Upper East Side restaurants on this street, in their respective places along the avenue (burger joints, luncheon places). This street also offers hotels and other tourist-y sorts of amenities.
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"Third Ave as seen in the East Village"

Third Avenue in the East Village, at the offshoot of Bowery can be relatively busy during the day –it’s an interesting place to wander if you’re a tourist because Cooper Square and St. Mark’s are nearby. If you are looking into moving here, then you may want to ask yourself if you can stand the crowds. In general, the area is packed with little restaurants and shops, and there are a lot of street vendors in the area usually on the weekends.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
5/5
2yrs+

"Entering the Lower East Side"

You know that you’re leaving the West village when you step on out to 3rd ave and its eclectic collection of cultural restaurants and stores. Particularly around the area stretching from St. Mark’s place to Union Square, 3rd ave offers a variety of tempting and enjoyable avenues of entertainment. In fact, several nights’ outings can revolve around the various attractions of this vibrant street.

One could spend Friday night at the movie theatre on 3rd ave and 11th street, a multilevel multiplex which quite often shows some of the less mainstream movies. A nice dinner could come from the Israeli owned Chickpea falafel restaurant on 3rd ave and 9th st, with desert coming from the Ben & Jerry’s just one block away.

A lively NYU dorm situated on the 11th st and 3rd ave guarantees that the street will constantly be full of students eager to start their night out, or stumbling back in. If you fancy some Japanese delicacies, there is quite a quaint little store located directly above the “Around the Clock” Diner, which incidentally is open, around the clock.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
3/5
2yrs+

"Third Avenue's not quite a charm..."

Well, the last time I was here, I didn't enjoy this street so much. It is pretty crazy and confusing, and it's easy to get caugh up in the middle of it. It is a great place to find transportaion though. Lots of opportunites to catch most kinds of publice transit are available in this area. Stay away if you already have a car if at all possible. Not the best area for tourists.
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 1/5
  • Childcare 1/5
2yrs+

"Midtown Madness.."

I lived on 58th and Third avenue for 1 mth earlier this year. It's a spot I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Basically, you're stuck in Midtown where skyscrapers and food chains dominate. It really detracts from the neigbourly feel other areas in Manhattan experience.. On top of this, the noise and traffic is dreadful. I was woken by roadworks outside the apartment at 11pm one night, go figure..

The only good thing about living in this area is the proximity to work (if you're working in Midtown) as it's all walkable. Also, Central Park is only 5 mins away and this truely is one of the greatest parks in the world.

In summary, you're better off living upper east side or below 29th St, this area is for those happy to spend their waking hours in the office or listening to road works..
Recommended for
  • Singles
PureKrome
PureKrome Hi rickyrade,
how can u live on two streets? You lived on the corner appartment? If so, did this mean mail would be sent to E 58th or 3rd Ave ?

Did you feel safe at night in the area? Where there many good food places near by? A supermarket at least?

thanks!
2yrs+
rickyrade
rickyrade I was living just off the corner of 3rd avenue. It's a safe area, most of NYC is. It was lacking in restaurants etc. There is a good wholefoods supermarket down on 59th and 1st Avenue and a rip-off Gristedes around the corner. All in all, a forgettable location..
2yrs+
AriS
AriS I love this area, great antique shops between 3rd and 2nd aves as well as a really suprising array of high end Indian restaurants. One of my favorite rental buildings is there too they have very large layouts and one of the penthouses is rumoured to have its own swimming pool.
2yrs+
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