Botanica Bar Dive Bar / Lounge

Chinatown / Nolita, New York –

Patrons might experience a bit of déjà vu when they walk into Botanica Bar, a quintessential dive bar whose black-and-red linoleum and second-hand décor every New Yorker has seen at least once, but was probably too drunk to remember.

Friday and Saturday nights draw an intoxicated weekend warrior crowd that swarms around the wooden bar to do shots and hook up, while ladies dressed to impress break into dance frenzies by the small DJ booth.

Deeper into the dimly-lit space, singles lean against the red walls for support while they down their cocktails, as brand new couples cozy up on run-down mismatched furniture.

During the week, laid-back young professionals stream in after work to lounge on duct-taped vinyl banquettes and decompress over a couple beers, before being replaced later on by loyal hipsters who called the place home back when it was the Knitting Factory.

A dark and intimate back room with gold-painted brick walls plays host to tipsy blind daters and musicians content to sprawl on dingy velvet armchairs and groove to the indie sounds provided by the DJ, while those who prefer to make their own entertainment will want to pop in on Sundays for the raucous camaraderie of the locally infamous karaoke nights.

The epitome of a no-frills dive where all are welcome, Botanica is great for anyone looking for a mellow weekday chill-out spot or a rowdy weekend singles scene they don’t want to remember the next day.