Watts St, SoHo

There are some cool buildings on Watts but it's not a happening street. There's one bar I love but the rest of the street is kind of boring. There's a mix of apartment buildings and commercial spaces but almost nothing in the way of bars, restaurants and entertainment. There's not a lot of green and though there isn't nearly as much traffic on Watts as other streets in Soho, there's not much of a neighborhood feel.
The corner of Watts and Varick fell victim to a pretty common New York tragedy in 2007: a rowhouse from 1820 was torn down and there is still nothing there but a vacant lot. It's always nice when a beautiful, historic landmark is leveled to make room for a vacant lot. The building next door to the lot put a silhouette of the former rowhouse on the side of it (well, the building didn't do it so much as the building owner did) and I think that was a nice tribute. There's a medium sized hotel on the same side of the block that looks decent but I don't know anyone that has stayed there.
Across 6th Avenue, there are a couple of commercial buildings and Lupe's East LA Kitchen. I've never eaten here. . . there's something I don't trust about a New York establishment pretending to have Los Angeles Mexican food. Being from Los Angeles I can vouch that there aren't that many great Mexican restaurants in LA, so a New York knockoff of something that's already mediocre sounds like a bad idea. But, Ken's on Watts and West Broadway, conversely, is a great idea. It's a tavern and burger place inside a Federal rowhouse from 1825. It is really lovely inside and out and the vibe is awesome. It's a very neighborhood kind of joint.
Watts ends at Broome and it goes out with a bang. The corner houses a cast-iron building from 1876. It used to be a pepper factory and now it's an apartment building that was restored in 2007. It looks amazing and it showcases how renovation of cool, old buildings is always more profitable than leveling.

Watts Street would be a great spot to raise a small family, but the traffic from the Holland Tunnel makes it 100% intolerable. During rush hour the traffic backs up all along the street for blocks and the noise it produces is horrendous. There are a few food stops in the area, but most are hit or miss. Lola either gets rave reviews or is hated by people who dare enter. It could be a homey place, but all in all the Holland Tunnel kills it.

Watts Street, not much going on. It's a good place to raise a family and there a lot of housing available here. I enjoyed the tree lined block and all of its homey delights, though for those of you who need more entertainment this isn't the street for you. I would suggest something a little more poppin' though lots of things go on nearby.

Watts Street is also a wonderful place to begin your journey into the Village. It is close to the following metros: C,E at Spring Street and the 1 at Canal. It is also accessible by many buses. Foot traffic is fairly heavy and I would recommend the street to just about anyone!