Commonwealth

A cleverly scribbled-on placard greets you when you visit this local favorite, part of the soon-to-be-gentrified "South Slope." The jukebox is unbeatable, albeit scribbled and chaotic as the track listings are (thanks, Ray), and just the right beers are on tap, from the...

Mulberry Street Bar

WXOU Radio Bar

This West Village haunt features unlikely prices in an otherwise expensive neighborhood along with the characteristically laid back feeling of its surroundings. Add to that a jam-packed jukebox with a great selection, and you've got a recipe worth printing.

Horseshoe Bar

A pretty awesome, narrow dive bar in Alphabet City.

Soda Bar

This old ice cream parlor is now a wonderfully-curated bar & restaurant. Later in the evening DJs take over and with eclectic mix of music to match an eclectic crowd. Down to earth scene with very friendly vibe make this go to spot for casual booty shaking in Prospect Heights...

Max Fish

Return of the Fish! Seemingly chased out of the LES by ever increasing rents, Max Fish returns in its new digs on 120 Orchard Street. The fish that spawned it all, Max Fish was one of the early Lower East Side revival bars, offering plenty of action, alcohol, excitement, nonsense...

Parkside Lounge

The Parkside Lounge has been slowly heating up for the past decade. If you move beyond the bar in the front, you'll see why. The back room hosts up and coming local New York rock bands, DJs, and cabaret shows.

Corner Bistro

Perennially-popular Corner Bistro is a great hangout in the Village, a beloved institution for its burgers served on flimsy paper plates as well as good draft beer. The ambiance is somewhere between dive and university Bohemian.

Doc Hollidays

A temple of doom for the drinking crowd, Doc Hollidays is infamous for its low prices: PBR in a can ($2), Well Drinks ($4.50), Bud ($3.50) and Imports ($4). Have your meal in liquid form, stumble out afterwards if you can.

Duff's

Duff's waterfront drinkery has understandably caught on despite the overwhelming amount of dive bars in Williamsburg.

Jimmy's Corner

Midtown dive bar that feels more like your boxing-obsessed uncle's den than a drinking establishment.

Sophie's

East Village bar that has survived many years of gentrification to remain a reliable dive. While the neighborhood around it slowly assume a feel of polished, modern urbanity, Sophie's stubbornly refuses to fit in, neither by changing its decor nor by hosting any working poets, al...

Ace Bar

Ace Bar looks suspiciously like a library, except all of the books have been replaced by vintage lunchboxes, and the librarians are actually serving alcohol! Great place to play, with darts, skee-ball, several pool tables all in a space with a rock & roll vibe befitting its E...

Sharlene's

For folks in the Park Slope and adjacent areas of Brooklyn, the Commonwealth stamp means a good deal. Sharlene's—from one of the CW's former managers—takes the concept of simplicity in drinking establishments to Prospect Heights, with no TVs to kill the atmosphere and plenty of g...