Kava Bars in New York, NY
Alcohol-free by nature: kava bars pour the South Pacific root drink that fills a bar-shaped hole in a night out — social, late-open, and zero-proof. These are the New York spots we've verified are open and pouring.
1 verified kava bar
- NA Program Strength: 5 of 5?
Brooklyn Kava was the borough's first kava bar and remains its defining one — a full-service cafe on Suydam Street in Bushwick, a short walk from the Myrtle-Wyckoff subway hub, open late and serving no alcohol. It opened around 2015; Brooklyn's other early kava bar closed in 2018. The menu runs traditional kava alongside fresh coffee, teas and other non-alcoholic drinks. TWO THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING. First, its website (brooklynkava.com) is dead — the domain returns a Squarespace "account has expired" error — so Instagram is the only channel it maintains, and current hours and prices are best confirmed there or in person. Its Instagram remains substantial and active, and third-party listings were still being updated in mid-2026, so this is a lapsed website rather than a closed business. Second, it is alcohol-free but not necessarily substance-free: an older directory listing describes kratom being served in hot and iced teas and in mocktails, by red, green, white and yellow vein. We could not confirm that against any current source, and no dosage guidance or age policy is published anywhere we could find. Ask at the counter.
New to kava? Here's the two-minute version
Kava is the ground root of Piper methysticum whisked into water — the traditional social drink of Fiji, Vanuatu, and Tonga, where it has anchored gatherings for centuries. It contains no alcohol. The active compounds (kavalactones) are mildly relaxing: the usual description is a calm, easy sociability, with a clear head.
A kava bar works like a regular bar with the pressure removed. You order at the counter — a traditional shell, or a mixed kava drink if you want the training wheels — say "bula!", and drink. The taste is earthy and peppery, and a brief tongue-numbing tingle is part of the deal. Most bars are open late, which is exactly why they've become the after-dark backbone of the alcohol-free scene.
Sensible caveats: if you're pregnant, on medication, or have liver concerns, talk to a doctor before trying kava — and as with anything relaxing, go easy the first time.
Frequently asked about kava in New York
Yes — we've verified 1 kava bar in New York: Brooklyn Kava. Each listing shows the neighborhood and when we last confirmed it was open and pouring.
Kava is a traditional drink from the South Pacific, made from the ground root of the kava plant (Piper methysticum) mixed with water. It's naturally alcohol-free and mildly relaxing — regulars describe a calm, sociable ease rather than intoxication. Expect an earthy, peppery taste and a brief tongue-numbing tingle; that's normal.
For a lot of people, yes — kava bars fill the same social slot as a neighborhood bar: open late, regulars at the counter, nobody asking why you're not drinking. You get a social ritual and a mellow shift in mood without alcohol. If you take medications or have liver concerns, check with your doctor first, and skip kava if you're pregnant.
Start with a single traditional shell and drink it in one or two goes rather than sipping — the taste is earthy and most first-timers prefer it fast. Many bars also pour mixed kava drinks (with coconut, fruit, or chai flavors) that are gentler introductions. Staff at good kava bars are used to first-timers; say it's your first shell and they'll walk you through it.
New venues in your area
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