Kings County Dive Bar

BUSHWICK, NEW YORK –

A DIY joint to its core, Kings County is the perfect after-work watering hole for the everyday hipster, as well as a great spot to enjoy multiple Happy Hours, catch an art show, and even watch a little burlesque.

Bearded scene kids and punk rockers pass beneath the iron crown hanging over the otherwise unmarked door, stumbling into a single-room space so dark that they spend some time bumping into the owner’s handmade furniture until their eyes adjust.

Work by local art students hangs on one wall, while another features an all-cap scrawl of the words DIA DE LOS MUERTOS in large white letters. The remaining décor is a hodgepodge of tribal masks, disco balls, and magazine clippings, but the vintage-clad locals are more interested in the cheap beers and bourbon shots and the punk, metal, and oldies blasting from the bartenders’ iPods.

During the week, the bar sees a rolling cast of colorful characters swinging by for nightly drink deals, but come Fridays, the room is filled with the gritty neighborhood crowd intent on pounding shots, rocking out, and wondering why anybody would feel the need to venture into Manhattan.

Weather permitting, smokers pile out to the narrow back patio, while third Saturdays regularly host go-go girls getting freaky atop the bar inside.

Certainly off the average tourist’s beaten path, Kings County’s genuine vibe and local color make it a destination for anyone looking to take a baby step on the wild side.