Best Dive Bar in NYC
- Thread starter Mr. Wet Wooly
- Start date
There was this ridiculous Polish bar that my friends and I used to go to when I first started college. Noone in there ever spoke english, and they never checked our IDs. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called, but it's definitely closed - they changed it into some stupid "cool" place a few years ago. I think it was around 8th st. on Second Ave., right next to a McDonald's. The sign over the door was painted, more like a mural than a sign.
Hey - do you guys remember Billy's Topless? aka... Billy stopless? (anyone who remembers this place knows what I mean.)
Hey - do you guys remember Billy's Topless? aka... Billy stopless? (anyone who remembers this place knows what I mean.)
I haven't set foot in the place in years. Old-timers who still occasionally patronize the place tell me it's nothing like it used to be. There's a place a block away on 1st Ave. called 'Cheapshots' which truly lives up to its name. Although a newcomer, this place attracts a lot of the old Coyote / Doc Holliday crowd.
Plus you drink free on your birthday, and every now and then some of the regular drunks get to be guest bartenders for a couple of hours.
http://www.nyscene.org/gallery.html
Plus you drink free on your birthday, and every now and then some of the regular drunks get to be guest bartenders for a couple of hours.
http://www.nyscene.org/gallery.html
The oldest Irish Bar in NYC, McSorley's Old Ale House, located at 15 E. 7th St. right near Coop Union, is a must see. They only serve two drinks, light and dark ale.
It opened in 1854, women were not allow in until 1970. The bathroom doors were made of transparent glass. After 1970, some sort of non-transparent glass was placed over the doors.
Sawdust is still spread on the floor, and nothing has changed since 1911 (except the bathroom doors).
I remember when you had to but two mugs of ale at a time. They are also known for their cheese and raw onion platter.
It opened in 1854, women were not allow in until 1970. The bathroom doors were made of transparent glass. After 1970, some sort of non-transparent glass was placed over the doors.
Sawdust is still spread on the floor, and nothing has changed since 1911 (except the bathroom doors).
I remember when you had to but two mugs of ale at a time. They are also known for their cheese and raw onion platter.
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Actually, there's some debate as to which bar is the "oldest" in New York. For example, the Bridge Cafe down by the Brooklyn Bridge tries to claim that title. So does Fanelli's in Soho (they even have a printed sheet with their history available for anyone who cares). I've also read that Pete's Tavern on 18th and Irving has some sort of "oldest" claim. And then there's the Ear Inn on west Spring Street. In some instances, locations of the bar in question have changes, as has ownership. So it depends what criterion you're using to define "oldest" in the first place.
The Sly Fox!!! one of my favorite dearly departed E Village watering holes. the smoking ban never took effect in this joint. ever go to the bathroom here? it was a surreal experience. you're right, they did shut down for awhile and re-opened with a new look that i can't, for the life of me, bring myself to sample.
some bars that i'm amazed have not made their way into this thread yet:
The Mars Bar - 1st and E 2nd. it's legendary.
The Holiday - St. Marks and 1st. the aromas here are majestic. i doubt it's ever been cleaned. the bartenders are so miserable about their lives in this dump that they do Last Call at 12:45am on Friday/Saturday night. drinks are cheap and the barback is a homeless guy. great jukebox if you're a fan of real country music, or Springsteen.
The Village Idiot - 14th and 9th, gone but not forgotten. i only went twice - both of these occasions are fuzzy memories of various atrocities.
some bars that i'm amazed have not made their way into this thread yet:
The Mars Bar - 1st and E 2nd. it's legendary.
The Holiday - St. Marks and 1st. the aromas here are majestic. i doubt it's ever been cleaned. the bartenders are so miserable about their lives in this dump that they do Last Call at 12:45am on Friday/Saturday night. drinks are cheap and the barback is a homeless guy. great jukebox if you're a fan of real country music, or Springsteen.
The Village Idiot - 14th and 9th, gone but not forgotten. i only went twice - both of these occasions are fuzzy memories of various atrocities.
god, i miss the Bellvue. i can't even talk about the crimes i committed, witnessed, and fell victim to at this place. a couple years ago, one of the partners split and opened his own place, Duff's, right next to the water in williamsburg. most of the heavy metal paraphernalia that characterized The Bell has reappeared here.
Now called "Karpaty Pub." (BTW -- "Sly Fox" is a bad translation of "Lys Mykyta," and it's Ukrainian, not Polish, if this is the place that m was referring to). The physical surroundings have been cleaned up a bit, but the patrons are pretty much the same, and the drinks are still cheap as hell. Maybe it's not a dive anymore, but I think it started trending back in that direction as soon as it reopened.
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Actually Fraunces Tavern, located in lower Manhattan (at 54 Pearl Street) was first opened in 1762, has to be the oldest bar in New York City. Today it is a very expensive restaurant and museum, but when it was opened, it was a very popular neighborhood bar. The building itself, was built in 1719, making it 289 years old.
It is best known as the place where George Washington bid farewell to the officers of the Continental Army in 1783.
It is best known as the place where George Washington bid farewell to the officers of the Continental Army in 1783.
But there is/was no McDonalds on 2nd Avenue....there is one on 3rd next to Continental (used to be Continental Divide), and there is one on First Avenue betw. 6th/7th. I have a feeling that Masquerade may be referring to the "International Bar", which unfortunately now is gone, too. As a public service, here's a little Linky to a great resource:
http://home.nyc.rr.com/jkn/nysonglines/
http://home.nyc.rr.com/jkn/nysonglines/