The 13 Best Dive Bars In NYC
March 5, 2014, 2:03 p.m.
Here are our favorite spots to down fierce rail shots, hobnob with colorful, increasingly drunk clientele and perhaps even pick up hepatitis.
John Waters might think New York is devoid of proper dives, but we're ready to prove him wrong. Though we've lost some good soldiers along the way, there are still a whole bunch of watering holes where you can down fierce rail shots, hobnob with colorful (and increasingly drunk) clientele and perhaps even pick up hepatitis—but in the best kind of way. Here are our favorites; we know you'll leave yours in the comments.
HOLLAND BAR: I once met an army captain who told me that in between Afghanistan War tours, he liked to pick up young ladies at this Hell's Kitchen drunk tank. And if that doesn't set the scene, nothing will. People who frequent Holland Bar go hard, like open-bar-at-your-ex-boyfriend's-wedding hard, but in the mid afternoon on a Tuesday. Beers are $3, potent rail drink poisons are about $5 and the soles of your shoes are guaranteed to stick to the floor for a few seconds longer than seems sanitary. Make new, wasted friends, but don't sit on any of the barstools, lest you pick up a strain of something that doesn't respond to antibiotics.
Holland Bar is located at 532 Ninth Ave between 39th and 40th Streets in Hell's Kitchen (212-502-4609).
SUBWAY INN: Rumors have been swirling that this UES bar is in danger of going the way of other late, great local dives (R.I.P., Jackie's 5th Amendment). And while the neighborhood can surely use another Duane Reade, the loss of such a lush-friendly oasis would be devastating to anyone stranded so close to Midtown East. Budweisers are a few bucks, mixed drinks are no more than $6 and you can get Atomic Wings delivered, somehow. If you show up with a bunch of lady friends, a man who may or may not manufacture illegal drugs in a nearby condo will attempt to buy you lots of drinks—accept at your own risk. Feel free to start drinking at 10 a.m., which is when the bar happens to open, and if you need to urinate at any point, find a nice outdoor space between parked Audis somewhere.
143 East 60th Street between Lexington and 3rd Aves on the Upper East Side (212- 223-8929).
(John Del Signore/Gothamist)
RUBY'S: Coney Island, sadly, is no longer the rickety-carnival-ride and sideshow freak-boasting Dreamland of your childhood memories. But Ruby's, the boardwalk's famed nearly-40-year-old bar and grill, is still a force to be reckoned with, even with the area set to transform into shiny development after shiny development. It's a little more romantic than your typical dive—especially after undergoing a little facelift a few years back—with a wooden bar made out of vintage wood from Coney Island's boardwalk and black-and-white photographs from the amusement park's days of yore.
It's also a little pricier, with low-end beer drafts running about $5. But Ruby's still draws an old-school crowd, mixed in with younger, hipper beach-going clientele, plus it's the best bar within a stone's throw of the beach, making it that much easier to get drunk, wander the shore and forget the horror stories your parents told you about all the heroin needles nestled in the sand.
Ruby's is located at 1213 Riegelmann Boardwalk in Brighton Beach/Coney Island, Brooklyn (718- 975-7829, rubysbar.com).
ROSEMARY'S GREENPOINT TAVERN: Williamsburg's gone through a few changes over the past decade, but this Bedford Ave standby is holding strong, serving up jukebox tunes and low-cost beers the size of your face. But really, your FACE—a 32 ounce Bud (and, if you don't mind the taste of hops in water, Bud Light) runs $4. There are also basic brews like Stella on tap for $3. Little known secret? Bartender Janet whips up a mean margarita that runs $7, or about $4 during happy hour. And if you stop by within a 35-day period of any Hallmark holiday, the place will be DECKED OUT with everything from paper four-leaf-clovers to sparkled Cupid's Arrows to streamers and Santas galore.
Rosemary's is located at 188 Bedford Ave between North 6th and 7th Streets in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-384-9539).
MILANO'S BAR: Milano's is not quite as wondrously scary as the erstwhile King of Dives that was Mars Bar, but it's still got the requisite tagged-up walls and tables, searing rail shots and aging rocker bartenders. Drinks here mercifully run $5-$6 or so, a rarity in the open air shopping mall of death that characterizes SoHo/Nolita. Plus they take credit cards, and the bathroom is bearable—even more so after a few milliliters of liquid neutralizer. Appropriately, there is a jukebox, and there are also free condoms available for the taking. Safety first, everyone.
Milano's is located at 51 East Houston Street between Mulberry and Mott Streets in Nolita (212-226-8844).
BILLYMARKS WEST: Billymarks bartenders (and owners) Billy and Mark Penza earned high praise from us back in 2011, thanks to the lively, yet somehow cultured atmosphere they managed to cultivate in an otherwise shady, classic dive room. That praise still stands three years later, with the Chelsea stalwart serving a friendly crowd cheap brews and $8 mixed drinks made with the good stuff. They've also got typical dive bar amenities like a dartboard and a jukebox that's heavy on the '70s hits.
Billy Marks is located at 332 9th Ave between 29th and 30th Streets in Chelsea (212-629-0118).
LEGENDS BAR AND GRILL: Legends earned accolades from us previously for its stellar barbecue offerings, but the divey bar out front is worth its own praise. One Gothamist staffer noted it has everything from an in-house bookie during the Preakness; a mafioso feel; and a busty, older, over-rouged barmaid, just like the good ol' dives from the olden days. Add cheap beers and higher-end rail liquor to the mix, and you're in for a wild night, plus a pulled pork sandwich or two from the BBQ pit out back.
Legends Bar and Grill is located at 7104 35th Ave in Jackson Heights, Queens (718- 899-9553).
STATION CAFE: A Yelper kicked off his review of this Woodside bar by proclaiming, "We came in here on a dare." That about sums it up. Station Cafe is one beautiful, terrifying drinking hellhole complete with the usual jukebox, pool table, scary clientele and sparkly light things that morph into moving monsters when you get good and drunk. It's located right by an LIRR station, drawing in crowds of local old Irish men and baby-faced Long Island lads alike.
Bottled beers are cheap, rail liquor is cheap and fancy pants cocktails and draft brews are non-existent. The bathroom is a piquant horror show, and there's an 86.3 percent chance at least two fights will break out while you're there. Oh, and it made a cameo in an episode of Entourage way back when. This bar is amazing.
Station Cafe is located at 39-50 61st Street in Woodside, Queens (718-429-9464).
PIT STOP BAR: Pit Stop hedges a little more towards sports bar than full-on dive, but if you like football, strong drinks and scary-as-hell bathrooms, this is your spot. Pints tend to run under $5, there's a jukebox with oldies and a dart board, and there are TVs blaring whatever sports game-type thing happens to be dominating the airwaves that night. More importantly, Pit Stop opens at 11 a.m. on weekdays and at noon on the weekends, so you can get your drink on with the locals from the minute you wake up until your head crashes down on the decidedly non-bespoke bar.
Pit Stop Bar is located at 152 Meserole Ave between Eckford Street and McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (718-383-0981).
Free porn! (Jen Carlson/Gothamist)
DOUBLE DOWN SALOON: For those who believe the East Village dive scene is dead, keep in mind that this Alphabet City spot serves something called Ass Juice, which tastes like something made in a frat basement and stirred with a broom. Though for $4, it's definitely a bargain, and like that frat syrup it'll have you on an express train to Blackout City in no time. There are also slightly less lethal beer-and-whiskey shot deals available for $3, plus all the rail drinks and economical brews a drunk little heart desires. Oh, and there's vintage 1980s porn playing on the televisions. Yes, that.
Double Down is located at 14 Ave A between East Houston and 2nd Streets in the East Village (212-982-0543, doubledownsaloon.com).
REIF'S TAVERN: This hidden Upper East Side gem feels less like a proper bar and more like your dad's friend's basement booze setup where you and your teenaged friends tasted your first drop of illicit alcohol; the back room pool table even has a Miller Lite lamp. That's all to say that when you're here, you feel a little bit like family, even if you're not one of the many regulars who populate the small bar area every night of the week. If it's good enough for Roger Clark, it's good enough for us.
The bar's been attracting low-key drinkers since it opened on 92nd Street in 1942; now, partially obscured by the unending 2nd Avenue Subway construction, it's even more off-the-beaten-track for the neighborhood's notorious bro contingent. On any given night you'll see a diverse crowd just looking to drink and relax in an upbeat environment; in all the times I've been there, I haven't not participated in an all-bar sing-along.
Sure, it's a little dingy, but what good dive bar isn't? And when you're drinking on the cheap with friendly bartenders eager to buy you a shot, wear-and-tear just becomes charming indifference. Stop by in the warmer months to take advantage of the backyard, where they'll sometimes fire up the grills for BYO meat cooking. (Nell Casey)
Reif's is located at 302 East 92nd Street between 1st and 2nd Aves on the Upper East Side (212) 426-0519, reifstavern.com).
GRASSROOTS TAVERN: This subterranean St. Marks institution somehow manages to avoid the more obnoxious hordes of NYU kids who clog the area's other watering holes; maybe they can't find it? Whatever the reason, we're happy this dusty, somewhat dingy spot has stayed committed to its dive status with tin ceilings, dark lighting and tap beers served in heavy glass mugs. Despite their most legendary bartender taking his retirement a few years back, the place still has an old soul from its origins in 1975.
Prices might not be '70s era but they've still got cheap pitchers, especially during happy hour, and strong well drinks if that's more your speed. Cold beers call for extra salty popcorn, which they'll pop up for you at just $1 a bowl. Then just decide if you want to rock the dart boards, dominate the juke box or just drink away the evening. (Nell Casey)
Grassroots Tavern is located at 20 St. Marks Place between 2nd and 3rd Aves in the East Village (212-475-9443).
Leidy's Shore Inn (Nell Casey/Gothamist)
LIEDY'S SHORE INN: In 1905, Jakob Leidy opened his eponymous bar on what's now known as Richmond Terrace on the north shore of Staten Island. No, it wasn't uninhabited back then; in fact, retired seamen from Sailor's Snug Harbor—in addition to workers from area gypsum plants—were many of the bar's regular customers. The sailors long ago moved on, but construction, maritime and union workers are still fixtures of the rough-around-the-edges watering hole, as are locals looking for an unpretentious place to grab a $3 beer and shoot the breeze with other regulars.
There have been a few updates since the turn of the last century, but not many. There's a telephone booth, for instance, which would have looked out of place in Jakob's days and looks equally out of place in ours. Models of old frigates share shelf space with portraits of The Duke and Yankees pennants. Out of season Christmas lights are one of the few sources of light in the bar, not discounting the killer jukebox that churns out James Brown, The Youngbloods and Elvis without skipping a beat.
Regulars panicked when the bar briefly lost its liquor license in 2007 but any place that survived Prohibition as a speakeasy (allegedly) can weather any SLA storm, and so Liedy's lives on. Don't be surprised to see the bartender nursing a Coors Light behind the bar or Jakob's great-grandson Larry Liedy—who currently runs the joint—popping down from his apartment upstairs to chat with the regulars or replace the candles. It's just that kind of place. (Nell Casey)
Liedy's Shore Inn is located at 748 Richmond Terrace, (718) 447-9240; liedysinn.com
HONORABLE MENTIONS: We rounded up our six favorite dive bars last year, and while we wanted to make room for more of this city's shadiest, most spectacular spots this time around, these'll do the trick just fine: Alibi in Fort Greene, Canal Bar in Gowanus, The Patriot in Tribeca, Ding Dong Lounge on the Upper West Side, Lucy's in the East Village and The Duck in East Harlem. Drink until you drop/until someone punches you in the face, y'all.