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Tue / Apr 20
20s / 30s / 40s / Anything goes / Dive
Party Earth Review Not just another Lower East Side dive bar, Mercury Lounge is the place to be to see some of the best up-and-coming and underground talent in indie rock, and has hosted the likes of Arcade Fire, The Strokes, and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Music fans who make it past the huge bouncer and the ticket girl will find themselves in ... more
217 East Houston Street
New York, NY 10002
20s / 30s / Club Music / Couples / DJ
Party Earth Review A high-energy gay hotspot with a devil-may-care attitude, Eastern Bloc is a rollicking neighborhood joint that attracts a wild, fun-loving party crowd. Though exposed pipes, touches of red and black, and a few propaganda posters give a token nod to the bar’s name, the communist theme is undermined by the amusing and inexplicable ... more
505 East 6th Street
New York, NY 10009
Arcade Games / Artsy Dresses
Party Earth Review Far enough away from Williamsburg’s oversaturated bar scene to still claim some indie chic, Don Pedro is a no-frills bar that offers patrons budget-friendly bites and booze, and regular live entertainment that includes everything from bands and DJs to comedy shows. The fluorescent orange façade is difficult to miss amid ... more
90 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11206
20s / 30s / After Work / Creative
Party Earth Review Nestled behind an unimposing storefront is the International Bar, a deliciously divey neighborhood hangout that brings a reliable mix of old-school booziness and crunchy art-teacher weirdness to the East Village. Exposed brick walls adorned with paintings by local artists, kitschy Halloween decorations, and Christmas lights ... more
120-1/2 First Avenue
New York, NY 10009
20s / 30s / 40s / After Work / Casual
Reviewed by Lauren A.
"Nancy Whiskey in Tribeca is certainly the epitome of a dive bar. If you’re looking for a down to earth spot with truly “real” people and seriously che ..." more
1 Lispenard Street
New York, NY 10013
20s / Alternative / Artsy / Casual
Party Earth Review Despite its dubious name, divey rock bar and tapas joint No Fun really does promise a fun time for folks who like their small plates with a helping of rocker attitude. The name actually comes from an old Stooges song, an inspiration made obvious by the framed photo of Iggy Pop that glares down menacingly from over the ... more
161 Ludlow Street
New York, NY 10002
20s / 30s / 40s / Budget-friendly
Reviewed by Gor G.
"I'm sure a bunch of people would celebrate the Coal Yard Bar as the kind of gritty joint that exudes the charm of 1970s New York, back when everyone g ..." more
102 1st Avenue
New York, NY 10009
20s / After Work / Arcade Games
Party Earth Review With its wooden DIY sign, ripped and sticker-caked awning, pebbled exterior, and a vibe that attracts drinkers who prefer to swig right out of the can, Welcome To The Johnsons gives new meaning to the term “unpretentious.” This reliable downtown dive owes its hipness to the authenticity of its 70s suburban rumpus room d ... more
123 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002
20s / 30s / After Work / Burlesque
Party Earth Review 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 ... more
286 Siegel Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206
20s / Beer Pong / Casual / Crowded
Party Earth Review New Orleans meets the Upper West Side at Bourbon St., where patrons channel a Mardi Gras mentality every night and aren’t afraid to leave behind their inhibitions…and maybe a brassiere or two. Calling this an authentic Big Easy joint is a stretch – aside from the token masks, beads, and over-the-shoulder boulder holders ... more
407 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024
80s Music / ATM / After Work / Beer
Party Earth Review Located in an area swimming in fanciful drinking options, 200 Orchard is a chill neighborhood dive that caters to relaxed cocktailers, mellow sports fans, and an unpretentious dance crowd. Weeknights find artsy hipsters and aging musicians posted up in the barn-like front room, sipping one of the several craft beers on ... more
200 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002
Dive bar-lovers have uncovered a veritable Shangri-la when it comes to the Big Apple, because man-oh-man there is a lifetime of New York dive bars to disappear into. You’d think a town this pricey would be lacking in budget-friendly hole-in-the-walls, but nothing could be further from the truth!
That said, your best bet for the highest concentration of proud hell holes is to head over to Brooklyn – and especially Bushwick – where wonderfully dingy DIY spots always seem to flourish.
A DIY joint to its core, Bushwick’s 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. The Anchored Inn nearby is a dive that drips with more nautical paraphernalia than the average sea-faring vessel, and also serves up great Mexican-inspired grub like “borracho” beans and bacon-wrapped hot dogs to go with its cheap booze.
Back in New York proper, East Village has no shortage of great NYC dive bars either. Heathers is aa great dive bar in New York, charmingly dingy and as quirky as the movie it’s named after, while Rudy’s Bar & Grill has embodied the perennial Hell’s Kitchen dive since first opening in 1933.
All over this great cosmopolitan city, among all the art and culture and class, dive bars in NYC remind everyone to step back a bit and get a little down and dirty.