Another round, bartender!
Twenty-five years ago, Siberia, the iconic dive bar run by Tracy Westmoreland, was a staple of New York’s gritty nightlife. Known for its strong drinks, cold beer, and what Westmoreland once called an “absolute shithole” atmosphere, it attracted a mix of high-profile and underground characters, including Anthony Bourdain—who dubbed it “heaven on Earth”—and Jimmy Fallon.
After closing its second location in 2007, the bar has resurfaced for a third time, reopening last month in an intimate space beneath the streets of the 57th and Eighth Avenue subway station. “Siberia is a bar that welcomes everybody,” Westmoreland told The Post between sips of a Captain Morgan and soda. “If you’re cool, come in—but stay out if you’re a bigot, a racist, or an asshole.”
The bar’s signature red glow and divey charm remain, though Westmoreland jokes the new spot is a “sanitized, kosherized version” compared to its wilder past, which allegedly included patrons having sex on the bar. “We’ll get the freaks,” he declared. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reportedly supported his request for a 4 a.m. closing time, eager to revive the space once occupied by Gotham Tacos.
Westmoreland, who began his career in nightlife as an 18-year-old bouncer at Studio 54, opened the original Siberia in 1996 in the 50th Street subway station after discovering a rundown space littered with crack vials. With red paint, a cooler for drinks, and a jukebox, it quickly became a haven for writers, chefs, actors, and artists. Its Russian-themed name honored a friend of Westmoreland’s, but rumors of the site’s KGB past—later confirmed by paraphernalia found in the walls—added to its mystique.
Celebrity regulars like Michael Imperioli of “The Sopranos” praised Westmoreland’s egalitarian ethos: “It’s Tracy’s vision and his living room, and he welcomes kings and paupers alike.” Imperioli even brought James Gandolfini to the bar, recalling, “He loved it.”
The bar’s first iteration closed in 2001 due to lease issues, with Bourdain famously lashing out at the “imperial rat bags” responsible. A second location near Port Authority followed but shuttered in 2007. Now, the revived Siberia nods to its history with crimson lighting, gritty art by local painter Dana Nehdaran, and a TouchTunes jukebox for patrons to queue songs via smartphone.
Though the neighborhood has gentrified—“no more chalk outlines and pimps,” Westmoreland noted—the bar’s spirit endures. There’s still no bathroom for customers, and drinks flow as freely as ever. Reflecting on his journey, Westmoreland grew emotional: “I’m just a guy from the Rockaways, hanging out with the smartest people on the planet. That’s the great thing about New York.”