Chinatown in Manhattan is a perfect neighbourhood for wandering. Manhattan’s Chinatown is one of nine Chinatown neighbourhoods in New York City and it is home to the largest Chinese population in the western hemisphere. We arrived in Chinatown via the Financial District, and watched gleaming stone and marble civic buildings give way to colourful tenement buildings with more signs in Cantonese than in English.

Whiskey Tavern, Chinatown

We found Whiskey Tavern, a divey sports bar, wedged between the myriad Bail Bonds shops on Baxter St. Whiskey Tavern is my idea of the quintessential American bar, from the baseball playing on every TV to the bowl o’ bacon on the menu.

We ordered a couple of drinks and started chatting to the bartender, who was one of the friendliest we met in New York. His jaw nearly hit the floor when I asked what tater tots were, so we ordered a $5 bowl. I had a feeling they were potato gems, which is one of my favourite junk foods, so when our serving turned out to be a huge basket there were no complaints from me!

When my boyfriend ordered a whiskey on the rocks, the glass was full to the brim with straight whiskey. Ridiculous value, if not more than he bargained for. No complaints from him!

Whiskey Tavern is one of those places you could hang out all afternoon, and we nearly did. We wanted to come back on another weekend with friends and had Chinatown been a little easier to get to from Hell’s Kitchen, we probably would have. Next time I’m in the area, I’ll definitely pop in for a drink (and mountains of tater tots).

Columbus Park, Chinatown

We wandered into Columbus Park, the only park in Chinatown. It was buzzing with activity, as crowds gathered around to watch games of mahjong. Classical Chinese banhu music played gently from somewhere in the background. In the 19th century, Columbus Park was the centre of the notorious Five Points slum. It’s hard to believe that this peaceful place was once the grounds of the most dangerous ghettoes in New York City.

A bit of Chinatown history

Like so many of New York’s neighbourhoods, Chinatown has a fascinating history. The first known Chinese immigrant to the area was Ah Ken, who began as a cigar peddler in the area. He set up a boarding house, where he rented out rooms to other Chinese immigrants. He used the extra cash to open a successful cigar shop on Park Row, around which Chinatown grew.

Despite the Statue of Liberty being unveiled and Ellis Island becoming an immigration centre in the 1880s, New York was not welcoming all immigrants with open arms. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 brought Chinese immigration to New York to a halt. Of the 9000 Chinese living in New York in 1900, less than 200 were women. The act was repealed in 1942, but a strict quota stalled growth and Chinatown was described as a bachelor society until the mid-1960s.

As more immigration reforms passed in the 1960s, Chinatown’s population swelled and the neighbourhood expanded north into Little Italy. Rent skyrocketed and many Chinese opted to move to the developing Chinatowns in Flushing in Queens and Sunset Park in Brooklyn, both of which have outgrown the original Chinatown in Manhattan.

Chinatown in Manhattan may not be the biggest in the city anymore but its history and character today make it an indispensable piece of the Manhattan puzzle.

What is the most interesting neighbourhood you’ve visited?

Genevieve Lauren

Hello! I’m an Australian travel blogger, living in Melbourne, Australia. I grew up in Brisbane, studied in Paris, lived & worked in New York City and now live in Melbourne, Australia.

I love sharing specific and useful recommendations, itineraries and guides for the most beautiful things to see, do, experience & eat wherever I go.

My favourite travel destinations are Australia, New York City & surrounds, France, Greece & Japan, but I’m always excited to explore somewhere new!

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