The Anyway Cafe

The bathroom at The Anyway Cafe may not be the largest, or cleanest, or most hi-tech, but it is certainly not to be missed. There is a single bathroom located beyond the bar and next to the hanging curtain that encases the kitchen, so there will probably be a wait in a highly trafficked area. But once you get beyond the frosted glass-windowed door, which thankfully you can't see into or out of, you enter a New York restroom of the past. The toilet seat has weights on the back of it, I assume to make it easier for weak hipster men to lift up. The toilet has the tank above it, but does lack a pull-chain for flushing (only has a standard handle), so those patrons that are vertically-challenged may need to stand on tip-toes to flush. The sink is set into a corner in the tiled-wall, keeping it out of the way in this rather small space, and has two soap options. An old oval mirror, reminiscent of the one at Grandma's house, is on the wall to the right of the sink. When you stare into it, especially after a shot of the wonderful infused vodkas from the bar, with the soft overhead lighting, you feel like you have stepped back in time.

• Cleanliness - 2 flushes (old tyme does mean slightly grimy)
  
• Aroma - 2 flushes
  
• Pros - two types of hand soap, interesting bathroom fixtures, good lighting
  
• Cons - only one bathroom, so there will be a wait, toilet handle could be a bit too high for some to reach
  
• Overall experience - 2 flushes

Toilet-locator (courtesy of Google maps)

Peasant

There are two uni-sex bathrooms at Peasant located to the left behind the hostess podium. The bathroom lighting is low and romantic, there are perfumed sticks in a jar behind the toilet, the heavy wooden door provides a feeling of privacy and security, the space is large and comfortable, all inviting you to a fabulous bathroom experience. The rustic Italian theme continues into the bathroom with distressed walls, a stone slab holding up the counter-top glass sink, and olive oil hand soap. There are handrails next to the toilet and a plunger provided just in case. There is a small stack of paper towels located to the left of the sink, which could run out if not replenished often.

• Cleanliness - 1.5 flushes (there were a few stray paper towel lying around the garbage can)
  
• Aroma - 1 flush
  
• Pros - olive oil hand soap, synthetic flowers
  
• Cons - romantic lighting is a bit too low for a makeup touch-up, toilet paper is further from the toilet than makes for a comfortable reach
  
• Overall experience - 1.5 flushes

Toilet-locator (courtesy of Google maps)

White Horse Tavern

Yes, Dylan Thomas drank in this historic West Village bar, but more importantly, he must have used the bathroom here. And he probably encountered the same mess as I did last time I visited the ladies room at White Horse Tavern. To the left of the bar, past two rooms of merry-makers, and on the right you will find the ladies room. There are two toilets, and two sinks (though one is located within the far stall and the other is located in the area between the two stalls). I would head to the far stall for more privacy and more space. The sink in the far stall also has a mirror above it and a hand dryer, whereas the one in the in-between region is sans mirror and only has paper towels...which, as you can see from my photos, are lying everywhere. My main complaint with this bathroom is the trash..on the floor, on the walls, coming out of the trash cans. It reminds me of the bathroom at L'Express. Perhaps filthy surroundings lead to creative pursuits, but they also leads to bad reviews.

• Cleanliness - 3.5 flushes
• Aroma - 2.5 flushes
  
• Pros - hand drying options, plenty of industrial strength soap
  
• Cons - trash everywhere, puddles on floor
  
• Overall experience - 3 flushes

Toilet-locator (courtesy of Google maps)

Staten Island Ferry Terminal (Manhattan side)

Every New Yorker knows that the best deal in town is a ride on the Staten Island Ferry. There is nothing better than a free boat ride with cheap beer on a beautiful New York day. But few know what wonders can be found in the bathroom in Manhattan terminal. The women's bathroom is immaculately clean and wonderfully hi-tech with a slight prison-of-the-future essence. You won't find any handles or knobs here since all toilets and sinks work on sensors. The decor is stainless steel (keeps you cool in the summer and frozen in the winter). Above the perfectly-spaced sinks are perfectly-spaced mirrors, and soap in nearly all soap dispensers. And as an added touch, there are paper towels for drying hands as well as an electric hand dryer. The only possible complaint is the occasional pigeon found nesting above the entrance to the bathroom, but I think this adds to the ambiance.

• Cleanliness - 1 flushes
• Aroma - 1.5 flushes
• Pros - many stalls, many mirrors, toilets and sinks with sensors, plenty of paper products
• Cons - potential for getting stuck to the toilet seat during the winter, possibly pigeon-bombs upon entering the bathroom
• Overall experience - 1.5 flushes

Toilet-locator (courtesy of Google maps)