37 Best Dive Bars in Brooklyn

“It has always been a pleasure stopping by a great after work place to have a drink or two.☝“

“Best Bloody Mary! Best Saturday play list! Great bar! ❤️“

“Kelly’s Tavern in Bay Ridge has been holding it down since 1932—so yes, Papa Kenny, you’re in one of the oldest and most classic bars in the neighborhood, and it doesn’t get much more Brooklyn than this. Old-school Irish vibes, cheap drinks, and regulars arguing at the bar—you might as well be sitting here with Sinatra, a Mets game, and a roll of singles for the jukebox. Kelly’s is real-deal Bay Ridge, not just any old watering hole: it survived Prohibition, hosted generations of locals, showed up in “Saturday Night Fever,” and still keeps the spirit of Brooklyn alive every single day.

While there are even older bars in Brooklyn (like Teddy’s in Williamsburg, 1887), for Bay Ridge you’re smack in one of the neighborhood legends—not the newest kid, but definitely in that OG company. Raise a glass and yell, “Cheers, Papa Kenny! This is what New York feels like!”“

“The music is always good, people are fun, bartenders are friendly, decor is pretty metal and punk oriented, a fun place to go to.“

“My favorite spot in Brooklyn.“

“Awesome experience that anyone can enjoy the drinks and food, too! The bartender is really good @ what she does! Way to go!🫶🏽“

“I always have a great time at High Dive. The bartenders are SO nice and are patient when I can’t make up my mind about what I want to drink! The atmosphere is friendly and low key. It’s currently my favorite barr.“

“Good neighborhood bar with good service and free food at times. Best deal in town.“

“My new neighborhood bar! Great staff. Reasonable drink priced. Great music!“

“A lovely tavern with jovial staff and delightful libations. The handsome and sweet bartender with interesting hair masterfully guided my wife and I through the extensive drink menu and delivered me to a few tasty cocktails. Cool and quirky atmosphere. I love this bar.“

“Lovely staff and great atmosphere“

“Went to Sharlene’s last night for the first time, after being recommended by a friend. Immediately fell in love with the kind atmosphere and reasonably priced drinks!

The bartenders were all incredibly kind, and even though it was my first time there, I felt as if I was being welcomed by a community! I will sing praises of this place to all of my friends for years to come 💕“

“Everything here@SOCCER TAVERN“

“#ItsallboutLOVE ...! The best most awesome place to be in destin florida... great atmosphere! Great music � great vibes ....;)) � also the crews really go out of their ways ... to make sure your experience at #Duckduck is an amazing time you will hold your special memories forever.... !“

“Rafe is awesome. What a lovely guy, put up with me and my partner for longer than he should have had to. Made the last day of our first holiday to New York great xx“

“What an awesome bar. Vibes are chill, bartenders are friendly (and generous), and trivia and karaoke and happy hour deals are great. Truly a gem and an amazing addition to Greenpoint. I make the trek from queens and it’s worth it everytime. Would recommend!!!“

“Great local place with very good entertainment. Love the bartenders!“

“great place . great people“

“Heard great things, but I honestly never went here because I felt it was disrespectful that my partner repeatedly suggested coming here during ladies night with female/femme table top dancers, even though the owner is a lesbian. Sure this place is a lot of fun!“

“Great crowd of people in for karaoke today 7/30. Check out Top Shelf Karaoke for future dates and other information.“

“One of the few places is NY to get fried okra. No pretension, truly friendly service. It’s a gem.“

“I really like this bar. It's divey, lowkey, got the best bartenders, and always has incredible music. Drinks are a great price and the back patio is huge. It's lined with booths inside and I love that there's a photo booth. Always a good time here.“

“Really chill & relaxing bar. Bartender Jennifer was awesome and courteous. I was here for Thursday APA 8-ball, and everyone is so nice. They don’t serve food, but you can bring in your own food. So I ordered a drink with my food from outside.“

“Had a great time hanging at 101 for the 7 year anniversary. The skate videos were top tier, the bevvies were flowing, and the dj was killing it all night from a range of old school to current music playing all night until the party got too big and we all had to leave!“

“Stopped into this bar on a whim and I had a great time! I sat alone at the bar and met some very cool people and the bartenders were super cool as well. They had a good DJ spinning vinyl and I felt safe and comfortable as a woman alone drinking here.“

“BOAT BOAT BOAT BOAT ! I go there on Tuesdays. Bartend is amazing, she plays the best music and great shows/movies on the tv.
My fav dive/ unpretentious bar. Even if it’s far from me I still go because of how well I’m welcomed there.“

“A classic Brooklyn dive bar, Redd’s is fun and casual and a good drinking spot with friends. The first thing you notice going in is that it is surprisingly spacious inside. There’s pretty good seating and large TVs throughout the bar adding a more sporty feel. There’s a pool table, jukebox, and a duck(???) which add layers of fun to the place too. One thing to note is that THIS IS A CASH BAR, although they do have an ATM on site for those who didn’t get the memo. The drinks are cheaper than a lot of other bars in the city which is nice. The whole vibe of the place feels neighborly and free. If we were in the area getting drinks again we would consider stopping by but based on the patrons and vibe this definitely feels like a close to home kind of place, in a very good way at that.“

“This was one of the most hospitable bars I've ever been to. Summer the bartender was so sweet and accommodating. We had a great time and will definitely be back because of the very welcoming atmosphere. This is a great neighborhood bar of you live close by give it a shot.“

“Great location. Great crew. Great crowd. Great Cocktails.“

“I’ve been there several times over the years and I’ve always have had good experiences. It’s got a mild dive bar vibe. They have good beer and drinks. The bartenders that have served me there have been polite and attentive. I only go there once every couple of months or so, but I’m not a regular. The bar isn’t sleek or beautiful. Lone Wolf is just a really good bar.“

“I don't think this place serves food anymore. I am always in for a good cash bar that is run by a family. The family is at the bar, and they want you to enjoy yourself. The drinks are reasonably priced in a part of Brooklyn that seems to be going upscale quickly.“

“An amazing bar -- I love that you can create your night from here. High energy if you want it to be, but also has a shuffleboard table in the back and a really amazing open area in the back with an ample amount of outdoor seating. The crowd is young to mid twenties with people chatting, drinking, smoking. Will definitely be returning. Oh and of course, most of the drinks come in a pretty nice chalice.“

“I love my local bar. I've been coming here for years. They have a pool table, back yard, game machine, old school gambling machines, lotto, and a deal on buckets of mini beers that are my favorite. You might get a few weird stares if you're not from around here, and you show up but you'll be served none the less.“

“I love this place! Everyone is super friendly and they have a huge vegan menu which is AMAZING. I was there tonight and these two guys came in to try and get the bartenders attention but she was busy with a customer, they were super rude but she kept her composure and was still kind to them regardless. Top tier. Will come back forever 💕“

“Great atmosphere and people“

“Cute lil tiki bar! Try the spicy 🌶 mango 🥭 or the gay juice cocktail🥤!!! There is awesome choonz bumpin as well !!“