The 50 Best Dive Bars in NYC
By Ross Scarano, Jack Erwin, Jian DeLeon, Noah Johnson, Soo-Young Kim | Sep 26, 2011 | 12:09 pm | Permalink
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What is a dive bar? Everyone knows New York has plenty, but what binds them all together? Are there organizing themes? Or is it more like pornography—you know it when you see it.
Much like with hipster bars, there are certain generalizations you can make—filth, Christmas lights, cheap drinks, undrinkable drafts—but there are exceptions to every rule. For every time you say no dive could possibly serve food, there's a dive that just happens to make incredible pulled pork sandwiches. And this goes on and on.
But let's get off the dictionary tip, and get to the list. These bars are all dives. Ultimately, what do they have in common? They're great places to drink. Here are the 50 Best Dive Bars in NYC.
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@one_called_owen September 27th, 2011 at 02:38 PM
and my bucketlist just became longer
Sal September 28th, 2011 at 03:38 PM
Did your intrepid writers actually GO to these so-called Dive Bars? White Horse & Dublin are not even CLOSE to a dive bar. The Dublin House is quite nice inside and the bartenders are dressed in whites. Of course maybe you guys are high-class wankers so anything below a, say, Employees Only-level scene you might consider "dive-y." I don't get it. You could have made this article accurate by simply cutting out 10 or so bars that do not fall into the dive bar category...
TMiles October 6th, 2011 at 10:14 PM
I agree with Sal...this list is ridiculous. 1st= NYC=Manhattan & Harlem/The Heights 2nd= If Finnerty's, the $1Shots place in the EV, Crocodile Lounge & the Gay bar across from it are not on the list...then, somebody didn't do their HW. ...Google, ahhh you make it so easy. Wack.
tedg64 September 29th, 2011 at 10:06 AM
What..no International Bar on 1st and 7th st.?
JackEComplex September 29th, 2011 at 10:37 AM
http://www.complex.com/city-guide/2011/09/the-50-best-dive-bars-in-nyc#2
Lex September 29th, 2011 at 11:53 AM
Timboo's in Park Slope richly deserves to be on this list.
heidi September 29th, 2011 at 12:36 PM
connie o's in greenpoint! come on!
banana September 29th, 2011 at 12:58 PM
How could you leave out Reynold's? Broadway and 180th in the Heights!
The Concierge September 29th, 2011 at 02:46 PM
I agree - if White Horse is a dive bar then McSorely's is too. I can't believe that Jackie's Fifth Amendment and Rosemary's Greenpoint Tavern are not on this list. Too fabulous? Maybe...
Adam Schwartz September 29th, 2011 at 11:55 PM
No Grassroots, Sly Fox or the Commodore in Williamsburg? really?
cheese September 30th, 2011 at 11:57 AM
my boyfriend and i had our first date here! i remember the endless supply of cheese puff balls.
Scott October 4th, 2011 at 09:38 PM
No gay bars on the list of 50? For shame. There are so many that qualify as dive.