The best dive bars in NYC

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What is it?: A narrow, long-running Houston Street bar. 

Why we love it: Milano’s has been called the epitome of a dive bar (by me). It feels like it’s always open because it practically is; it’s got a diverse mixture of patrons, and it’s easy to miss if you’re walking by. Immediately upon entry, you’ve got to sidle past the bar to get to a table, which means there’s no hiding. Milano’s makes you own your presence. One look at the place and you’ll know what they serve: beer, shots, basics. Ask for something more elaborate and you’re rolling the dice, but who knows? You might just hit the nat 20. This is maybe the best place in the neighborhood to retreat to if you’re tired of typically SoHo rhythms and clientele. It’s unpretentious, inexpensive, beautifully ramshackle.

Time Out tip: It’s a great “reset” when the area gets too sceney. If you’ve got to ditch some other place in the neighborhood, Milano’s is there for you. Plus, it’s right by the train.

Address: 51 E Houston St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Mon–Sat 8am–4am; Sun 10pm–4am

Expect to pay: ~$4-8/beer; ~$13-16/beerXshot combo

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What is it?: An East Village all-day into late-night room where the local crowd and industry folk make it feel like a clubhouse

Why we love it: International (I-Bar to those who know) is a dive’s dive–the kind of place where there’s basically no curation except exactly what you need. The bartenders’ pours and command of the room make them legendary with followings and fan clubs. As you might expect, the lights are low, the drinks are cheap, and the vibes are easygoing. You come here for the kind of unpretentious ease New York keeps trying to value-engineer out of itself: a mixed crowd, a jukebox whose mood can and will whiplash from vibe to vibe, and a “sure, why not?” approach to just about everything. It’s perfect. When so many other places in the neighborhood are content to call it early, there’s I Bar

Time Out tip: Go early if you want to talk. Go late if you want to disappear into the room.

Address: 102 1st Ave, New York, NY 10009

Opening hours: Daily 10am–4am

Expect to pay: ~$5-9/beer; ~$9-12/glass of wine; ~$10-15/cocktail

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What is it?: As divey as a Manhattan dive bar gets, this place does its thing as the years roll on.

Why we love it: 169 earned its top-dog status by doing exactly what it was going to do anyway. The room has that little whiff of chaos you want, the drink selection is both wide and deep, and the clientele is the kind of mix that only happens when a place doesn’t try to “target” anyone. Go ahead and order the thing you want here because you might just get it; the bartenders’ mixological expertise can rival that of any cocktail bar, but may also top out at cracking a can open–you never know, but that’s exactly how dives work. It stays open late, it doesn’t judge your choices, and it’s a great venue for just about any experience. All this place asks in return is that you keep your shit together and tip well.

Time Out tip: Happy hour runs from open. It’s a smart pregame before you drift deeper into Chinatown and a smart postgame after you’ve exhausted yourself.

Address: 169 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002

Opening hours: Daily 2pm–4am

Expect to pay: ~$5/well shot; ~$8/well drink; ~$12-$15/cocktail

What is it?: A narrow boxing-souvenir-lined Midtown pocket. The place is currently fighting for its life against no less than the forces of evil.

Why we love it: In a neighborhood that specializes in spectacle, Jimmy’s Corner is amazingly uninterested. It’s super narrow; that is, even if you managed to get a seat at the bar, you’re liable to come into some contact with a stranger. That, my friends, is New York City. It’s worn-in and, because it’s one of the only places of its ilk in the neighborhood, stays busy. The bartenders move with that dive bar efficiency: quick pours, minimal fuss, and a talent for keeping things as friendly as they need to. Drinks are straightforward, the vibe is convivial, and the crowd is a true Midtown mix—tourists who did their homework, stage-door folks, and locals who just want a real bar oasis in a desert of kitsch and neon. It’s open late, it’s low-cost by Times Square standards, and it still feels like a bar, not an attraction.

Time Out tip: After shows let out, you’re standing. If you can manage it, grab a seat at the back, but do NOT take Jimmy’s seat.

Address: 140 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036

Opening hours: Mon–Wed 11:30am–2am; Thu, Fri 11:30am–4am; Sat 1230pm-4am; Sun 4pm-2am

What is it?: An Avenue A, punk-leaning institution.

Why we love it: Double Down is dark, messy, funny, and proud of it. Plastered with visual noise, the room is making a statement, but nobody is 100 percent sure what that is or if it’s even important to understand in the first place. This much is clear: You puke, you clean. The crowd is a rotating cast of punks, curious first-timers, and locals who know exactly what they’re doing here or what that smell is. The bartenders do it right, efficiently, bluntly, and friendly enough. The place advertises a bacon martini, but you can bet most of the bartenders wish it didn’t. They want you to help them help you, i.e., keep it simple, fast, and cordial with a tip. It stays open late, it’s reliably affordable, and it remains one of the last places in the neighborhood with an avowedly punk attitude.

Time Out tip: Weekends are bananas, but maybe that’s what you want. 

Address: 14 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009

Opening hours: Daily noon–4am 

Expect to pay: ~$4-7/beer; ~$4/ass juice (mystery shot); ~$9-12/beerXshot combo

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What is it?: A classic East Village corner bar with movie-location lore.

Why we love it: As seen in Godfather II, The Verdict, Crocodile Dundee—7B or Vazacs is an appropriately staple-shaped dive; it feels like it’s holding the corner together. There’s no Xmas lights, that’s true, but the room is steeped in that dive patina you know and love–the glow and creak and fizz that lets you off whichever hook you’d been squirming on. The staff handles their business with the appropriate level of finesse. The Goldilocks zone: beers, shots, simple mixes. Maybe you can talk a bartender into making something more involved without annoying them. Maybe. Let’s hope this place doesn’t change, ever.

Time Out tip: If you want to actually hear the jukebox, come earlier; late-night volume is its own weather system.

Address: 108 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009

Opening hours: Daily noon–4am

Expect to pay: ~$13-15/beerXshot combo; ~$18/pitcher; ~$25-35/bucket of beers

What is it?: A cash-only Brooklyn basement bar where students and neighborhood lifers share pool cues, jukebox picks, and long, cheap nights.

Why we love it: Alibi is almost the platonic ideal of a dive: dim lighting, zero pretense, a cramped room that has seen very little to no handiwork or fixing-up in forever, a little backyard for smokers. What more do you want? What more could you want? The crowd is a real Clinton Hill blend—students, regulars, and people who wandered in because the other bars in the neighborhood were too packed and too loud and too precious. The bartenders are friendly, accommodating; they’re not the kind who feel part of a scene–this place isn’t like that. Drinks are divey dive dive. It stays open later than almost anything else in the neighborhood and it’s priced for repeat visits.

Time Out tip: Bring cash and claim a pool-table moment before the night gets busy.

Address: 242 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 4pm–2am; Fri 4pm-3am; Sat 1pm-3am; Sun 1pm–2am

Expect to pay: ~$4-6/beer

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What is it?: A Red Hook backyard-and-beer classic where the vibe is neighborhoody.

Why we love it: Ice House feels like what happens when a dive bar has space to stretch out. That, friends, is the beauty of Redhook: a bar with almost nothing besides itself to offer can call an incredible location home. Ice House may just be the best place in the universe to have a beer on a warm late-spring afternoon. Quote me on that. Besides the big-ass backyard, unfussy service, and shockingly good/inexpensive barbecue food, it's an easy sell for a long hang. The crowd is just happy just to be there–that very specific Home Underground, lost boys clubhouse kind of camaraderie you can only find in Redhook. It feels a little removed from the city’s noise while still being very much New York, which is all you could ask for.

Time Out tip: The yard fills up fast in warm weather.

Address: 318 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Opening hours: Daily noon–4am

Expect to pay: ~$4-10/beer; ~$7/well drinks; ~$7-10/glass of wine

What is it?: A historic Village gay bar that operates with no pretense.

Why we love it: Julius’ has real, important history in the walls, but it doesn’t feel like a museum. It feels like a fun, welcoming dive bar, full-stop. The room is lively without being pushy, and the staff is friendly but not overwhelmingly so. Drinks skew classic and practical: beer, shots, straightforward mixes. Keep your head on your shoulders, and you’ll do fine; tip the bartenders well, and you’ll do great. The crowd is a true Village blend—regulars, friends-of-regulars, visitors who came in a little starry-eyed and overeager, then stayed because the place is just so damn cute. It’s open late, it’s priced well, and it wants you to have a nice time.

Time Out tip: Get the burger if you can. It’s simple, but that’s the beauty of it.

Address: 159 West 10th St, New York, NY 10014

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 4pm–2am; Fri 4pm–4am; Sat 12pm–4am; Sun noon–2am

Expect to pay: ~$9/beer; $10-$14/cocktail; $5–$15/small plate

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What is it?: A Tompkins-adjacent East Village staple with pool tables and a jukebox.

Why we love it: Lucy’s almost disappeared and the whole downtown scene held its breath. Luckily, it’s alive and well, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief. It’s dark in there and gloamy and still feels like a VFW hall. Perfecto. The bartenders rock at a steady pace and the rhythm encourages hanging out rather than “going out.” Drinks are what you think: beer, shots, simple highballs, and whatever else is feasible based on the bartender’s willingness/crowd volume. Casuals rub elbows with scenesters and local legends. It stays open late, it’s inexpensive, and it’s reliable.

Time Out tip: Pool gets competitive late. If you want a casual game, show up earlier.

Address: 135 Ave A, New York, NY 10009

Opening hours: Daily 6pm–4am

Expect to pay: ~$5/beer; ~$8/beerXshot combo

What is it?: A basement Brooklyn bar with comedy nights.

Why we love it: Tip Top is a dive that leans into atmosphere without tipping all the way over. It feels like a bar somebody set up in their basement because it is. It’s cozy in that slightly improvised, adorable way—low ceilings, out-of-season holiday ephemera, warm light, a crowd that looks like the surrounding blocks. The neighborhood comes to drink here. The staff are friendly and laid back, and the drinks are dive bar drinks. The magic is that it still feels like a local spot even when the room is full of new faces. It stays open pretty late, doesn’t overcharge for the privilege, and its mere existence is a reminder that Brooklyn still has bars where the point is to just hang out without worrying who’s watching.

Time Out tip: Being a regular here means you get first dibs on the bartender’s ear, but don’t be afraid to be friendly anyway. 

Address: 432 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Opening hours: Thu 5pm-2am; Fri, Sat 5pm-3am; Sun 5pm-1am

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What is it?: A bookish, punk-ish Avenue-A dive with an insane happy hour.

Why we love it: The Library is exactly the kind of East Village bar you hope the neighborhood won’t lose: scrappy, a little rough around the edges, and totally uninterested in upgrading or updating or upselling you. The room is a clutter of books, bar bruises, and graffiti. The jukebox rules–the most carefully curated thing about the whole place. You’ll never feel cooler than when your picks get the whole bar singing, but the polar opposite holds true, too. Buyer beware. The bartenders run the gamut from sly, salty pros who are the picture of efficiency to hapless living decor frozen in the Gen Z stare–it depends on the night of the week, and your mileage may vary. Luckily, it’s cheap as hell. Beers, shots, etcetera. You get it.

Time Out tip: Come with cash. Happy hour is two-for-one drinks. Yes, seriously.

Address: 7 Ave A, New York, NY 10009

Opening hours: Daily noon–4am

Expect to pay: $6-10/beer

What is it?: A West Village fixture mercifully ignored by newcomers with visions of Carrie Bradshaw in their heads.

Why we love it: Pocket-sized Johnny’s is adorable in the same way as a shaved raccoon or a puppy soaked in garbage water. You really can’t help but love the place–it’s been serving the neighborhood since 1990, which only goes to show that the vibe predominating in a neighborhood is not the neighborhood in toto. Johny’s is little, so claustrophobes beware. But if you don’t mind that, you can get comfy in short order. The bartenders help. They tend with the quickness and keep the tone sociable without forcing things. Drinks are dive-bar drinks: beer, shots, beer-and-shots, simple mixed drinks. The crowd is a true Village mix—regulars who remember Rivoli Pizza and Streetwise mushed up against newcomers who either learn to tuck in and make space or leave.

Time Out tip: On weekends, the place gets packed. A weekday evening, however, is just perfect.

Address: 90 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011

Opening hours: Daily noon–4am

Expect to pay: $~7.50-9/beer

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What is it?: A Ridgewood neighborhood dive with shockingly good food and plenty of room space.

Why we love it: Aunt Ginny’s earns its dive status by refusing to act precious about anything. The room has a lived-in feel, despite not being all that old. Unlike a lot of dives, the space is actually comfy to duck into for a meal–you’re not gonna be up in anyone else’s business. AG’s is often populated by regulars, the bartenders’ bandmates; anyone who isn’t interested in the hubbub happening elsewhere in the neighborhood and/or one over. Order simple and be happy, but there’s also a menu of cocktails that do the job, too. The secret weapon here is the kitchen: I Like Food operates out of the back, whipping out way-above-average bar food, including versions of some fast-food favorites and a ton of great no—compromise vegan options.

Time Out tip: Weeknights are prime for pool and actual conversation; weekends get rowdier, faster. You can order the food online before you arrive, so it’s ready when you are.

Address: 6-52 Woodward Ave, Ridgewood, NY 11385

Opening hours: Mon, Tue 4pm–2am; Wed–Fri 4pm–4am; Sat 2pm–4am; Sun 2pm–2am

Expect to pay: ~$4-9/beer; $9-12/cocktail

What is it?: A long-running Bronx Irish pub where the pours are generous, the vibe is neighborly.

Why we love it: The Punch Bowl isn’t really a dive, it’s an old-school, laid-back, unpretentious pub with some divey trappings. It is, first and foremost, a locals’ room. This is, after all, The Bronx–nobody wandered in here. This being the case, expect a crowd who mostly all know each other, shooting pool, throwing darts, and cheering the Bronx Bombers. Get in the spirit and you’ll feel right at home. The drinks are exactly what you’d expect from a place with neighborhood living room status. Punch Bowl opens early and keeps late hours, so you can really make a go of it.

Time Out tip: Bring cash and settle in. This is a “couple rounds” bar.

Address: 5820 Broadway, Bronx, NY 10463

Opening hours: Daily 8am–4am

Expect to pay: ~$4-9/beer; $9-12/cocktail