Dive Bars in New York

20s / 30s / Anything goes / Casual

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Party Earth Review Comic book nerds looking to tank up on cheap booze will be hard-pressed to find a better drinking den than Gotham City Lounge, a tiny dive dressed in so much indiscriminate superhero kitsch it’d make the average ten-year-old’s head explode. Walls blanketed in Captain America’s shield, Wolverine’s claw, and an original ... more

20s / 30s / 40s / After Work / Dive / Pop

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Party Earth Review Since opening in 1933, Rudy’s Bar & Grill has embodied the perennial Hell’s Kitchen dive: a place where old men go to turn their livers to paste amid the persistent odor of free hot dogs. The grizzled farts are still there, as are the heaping plates of weenies, but the dominant patrons at this time-honored dump are young ... more

20s / 30s / Bar Food / Cover charge

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Party Earth Review If motorcycles parked out front and a huddled crowd of tattooed chain smokers are signs of a good rock bar, then The Trash Bar has fulfilled its mission. Once past the wrought-iron flames and black awning, patrons will find a thriving and oddly cozy dive – painted red and slathered head to toe in band stickers, Christmas ... more

20s / 30s / Artists / Classic Rock

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Party Earth Review Founded by the same people who created the downtown super-dive Welcome To The Johnsons, Sweet Paradise Lounge is another small and shadowy dive bar with a loyal following of rockers and artsy types. Embracing its former life as a candy store, the venue playfully offers patrons a great selection of movie-theater candy, so ... more

30s / 40s / Actors / Anything goes

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Party Earth Review Located in the historic building where Thomas Paine wrote “The Crisis Papers” during the Revolutionary War, Marie’s Crisis Café is a mellow hetero-friendly gay piano bar that attracts a mix of entertainment and musical types and patrons who just like to get buzzed and sing show tunes. A dark cellar at the bottom of some ... more

20s / After Work / Arcade Games

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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

Arcade Games / Artsy Dresses

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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

Bands / Beer / Budget-friendly

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Party Earth Review In the heart of Williamsburg’s ongoing transformation (de-evolution?) from grungy to chic, The Charleston remains proudly on the grungy side. Old chandeliers cast a dim glow over this rough-around-the-edges dive, creating soft shadows that hide the nicks in the ratty tables and checkered floor that have probably been there ... more

20s / 30s / Budget-friendly / Dive

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Reviewed by Mike C.

"The Ding Dong Lounge is the most seriously chaotic, gloriously filthy dive bar in north Manhattan. Technically on the upper west side, it's located in ..." more

20s / Beer / Budget-friendly / Dive

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Reviewed by Jaclyn W.

"My Take: I do not understand all the hype behind this bar. If you told me it was for their second level, 2nd Floor on Clinton, then I would unders ..." more

20s / 30s / After Work / Burlesque

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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

20s / 30s / Club Music / Couples / DJ

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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