STEPH JUDGEMENT: An escape from the nearby tourist traps. It was close to our hotel so we decided on some final drinks here to end the night. For being so close to Times Square, it does not pander to tourists at all. It was all dim lighting and haphazard decor, but pretty roomy, with pool tables in the back. Didn't feel too different from some bars we frequent in Long Beach, actually. The patrons on the night of our visit looked local, and the drinks were cheap--no fancy cocktails here. The only bummer was that their sound system kept cutting out, so the music (of the hard rock variety) was spotty. We felt at home, and were glad we stopped in. read more

Blue Ruin - The bar - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

As dive bar ambiance goes, nails it out of the park. Bartender was very nice, but a card minimum and no posted specials made a beer & shot just north of $20....unfortunately, dive bars are chic and they can charge what they want... read more

Blue Ruin - Wall sticker inside.... - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

A great dive bar in New York. Lagunitas on tap, pool table, hard rock music, and gritty ambiance. Perfect nightcap bar! read more

Blue Ruin - This reflected sign above the jukebox was awesome! - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Pretty good dark little dive with some decent drink specials. They have a popular pool table. Good music.

GREAT, old fashioned dive bar!! And there aren't a lot of AUTHENTIC dive bars left in NYC! Strong drinks, at what I consider a reasonable price (considering that I've paid as much as $10 at low key bars for an Absolut & cranberry) A pool table, a jukebox that plays rock n roll, and several flat-screen tvs featuring sports This bar is my spirit animal and I LOVE it!!! Many thanks to everyone for being so welcoming to two vampyres! read more

Blue Ruin - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

So when your super cool friends decide on a venue to celebrate her birthday, you have to go! Matt and Kristin pick out the BEST places for both of their birthdays and this year they held it at Blue Ruin. It was a very fun dive bar with an amazing jukebox selection and great bartenders. I didn't trust my skills enough to play but the pool table was always busy and it was so fun to catch up with people. The owner, bartenders and bouncers were really cool and I liked that they were having fun too! I'm pretty sure that there were pics taken in front of the Girls Girls Girls sign ... lol. It looked like everyone had a great night! read more

as a woman on the shorter side alone at 2 AM, i was understandably nervous about the area, it being so close to times square and it beings so late at night, but i was Determined to get a beer. I followed the music, and it led me here, to four dollar beer a hop and a skip away from capitalism center. great and underrated find, at least in my particular hour of need. read more

One of the few hard rock and roll dive bars left in Manhattan with a CD jukebox. All female bartenders who are very friendly, but male manager does help serve when it gets busy. They have reasonably priced $4 Rolling Rock cans. They play rock music nice and loud. No food is served here, but you can always bring in pizza from next door or food from elsewhere. read more

I came to the bar on a Wednesday gloomy night with friends and it felt like a movie. It wasn't packed but had a few distinct groups and sections hanging out. The ambiance and music all felt like this was the 90's in a cool way. A lot of songs were songs my dad used to play in the car and liked so it felt very nostalgic to me. I had such a great time there! It really helped elevate the night read more

Friendly dive bar in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. We saw the place as we were walking to dinner from our hotel, so my sister and I stopped by for a couple of drinks on our way back to our hotel. The night was young, around 11 when we got there. We had just got into NYC around 8, so had a late dinner just across the street. We sat at the bar and our bartender was really nice. There were a few locals we talked to. My sister and I both had margaritas. A young couple was by the jukebox and choosing some great 80s and 90s classics. My sister ended up joining them at some point. Bathroom was tiny but clean, and the place wasn't too dark. We bought our husbands cool Blue Ruin tshirts before we left. The hotel was just around the corner and there were still lots of people out as there was a pizzeria at the corner that had a line of people. If you want to have a few drinks that are not gonna break the bank and you're in Hell's Kitchen, go here. read more

Horrible experience. The "bouncer" refused to let my friends and I in, despite us wanting to enjoy the night and spend a few hours at the bar.. read more

Came with some friends one weekend as we were looking for a bar relatively close to the train station. We found this one and we thought it was a nice option. Standard dive bar and the staff was pretty nice. Pricing was good, overall nice bar for a pre-game or good time with friends read more

Was here for happy hour till 7 pm ...I sat at the bar stool seats and had $6 Bud lights bottles , there's is no food here . But there's is a one dollar pizza shop on da corner. The bartender who I think is Greek (To me) is very fine , attractive and talkative to you , and was always wanting to know if you needed a new drink . It's has a pool table in Da back . 2 TVs that's were on . I say the place looks diving not a Dive but you can come in here during the day and grab a seat . The take credit cards . It's has an old school Jukebox.too . read more

This American bar is pretty chill. Rock music background. Typical drinks and beers. Pool table. It doesn't disappoint if you just need a place to chill and vent and don't want none of the new styles and just want plain and simple. Plus, there's an excellent ramen next door, so super combo read more

A true dive bar with great service and even better specials/prices. This is the type of spot you go to if you want to unwind after a long day. Awesome music that you would expect in a from a dive. They have a couple tvs for sports and a pool table in the back. read more

My wife and I came to initially get a drink and keep the night going. We used the restrooms, but then my wife decided she wasn't feeling well and wanted to just go home. The bouncer then proceeds to rudely kick us out in the pouring rain. It's literally storming weather outside and he is telling us that we just wanted to use the restroom and use the place to call an Uber. Which wasn't our intent at all. How are you going to tell me what we we're going to do, you have no idea the kind of people we are, sir. We had a back and forth at the door due to how rude this guy was and yes, I did forcefully push the door closed while leaving in frustration, but he had no right to talk to us the way he did, initially. In our back and forth, he also hit me in the face with his finger, and it took me a bit to not retaliate. We always patronize and tip well and didn't deserve to be treated the way we were. Will never return. read more

Oooof. Wanted a midday beer so I popped into here. I like dive bars. Hell, I love dive bars. When I walked in here, what I don't love is getting a draft Guinness and tasting metal because the lines are filthy. What I don't love is getting it served in a glass with lipstick on it in the age of COVID. Yeah, imma pass on this place. read more

Blue Ruin - a bar with american flag decorations - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Nice. Dark woody & loud... neon girls girls girls, tin ceiling, old glory. Certain theres a good story behind the dream catcher & $.25 peep shows. ZZ top big goose/tonic from Steph! Locals billiards going on down to the left... ? Standard fare on tap. Good sturdy stools. clean... was hoping for more grunge, scent, sticky floor. Styx memories of making out in ms collins class Mets v atl. deGrom .50 era??? Refucking goddamndiculous..! About 20 bodies... 7:37p on a monday. Love to be here on a saturday 11:30p!!!! Cat scratch fever..... read more

Blue Ruin - a crowd of people in a dimly lit bar - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

When I hover my laptop pointer over the stars on the Yelp page it tells you that 3 stars is "ok," that 4 stars is "good" and that 5 stars is "great." So using that scale, this place is certainly at least "good" (as far as dive bars go anyway). We were here on a Tuesday night so things were pretty quiet. There was a smattering of regulars and a really friendly bartender. It's hard to say what this place might be like at other times, but it seems like a pretty decent dive bar to come down to in Hell's Kitchen. We only stayed for a couple but it seemed legit. The bottom line: Great dive bar if you are into that sort of thing. read more

Blue Ruin - a man sitting at a bar - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

See all

If you're looking for the epitome of dive bar, near the sketchiest part of the back end of Port Authority- this is it. Sometimes you have friends visiting and you give them the choice of bars - 1. Rooftop? 2. Hipster? 3. Mad Men? 4. City view? 5. Dive Bar? - and they choose #5 - Dive Bar - I can think of no other that fills the bill. This is also good for taking off from work with a co-worker to go low-end day-drinking. read more

Blue Ruin - Blue Ruin sign - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

The divi-est dive in NYC. Do not come here for fancy cocktails or an upscale experience. Come for cheap draft beer and interactions with people coming out of port authority. Keep an eye on your stuff. Converse with the cretins. have a nice time. Great jukebox. read more

Depending on the hours, this place can be around a 4.5 if you like a good ol', edgy dive bar. The vibes are dark, cozy, hard rock/metal with support to union workers. Unfortunately, there's a blonde female bartender who usually starts at 8 pm that is quite a adamant about her pro-Putin and pro-Russia views so much so that she had a bouncer remove my friend from the place. Politics and religion should be avoided conversation at bars, but people who use their position to kick people out of an establishment for responding in a conversation with an opposing perspective is just disrespectful and ignorant. read more

Just a Friday night at the coolest bar in the neighborhood. It's a real bar, come as you are, you don't have to walk far and the that gorgeous bartender is a real star. read more

Blue Ruin - Just a Friday night at the coolest bar in the neighborhood. - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Great atmosphere, owner is always there to ensure a fun time - Juke box and pool. 10/10

Bartender spent more time looking at her cellphone. Bar back was rude. Overall terrible customer service.

Great bar to have a nice drink. The service is great. Good pick up spot.fun. The bartender makes the day go better

Never come to this place.. i few drinks with my friend, service sucks, bartender is rude and after a couple of drinks we closed the tap and left.. having a smoke outside of the bar, the manager called the police o us saying we did not pay.. 3 police cars treated us las criminal for what the horrible manager said we did not pay out tab.. they said there we obly had a chance to go and pay the bill.. the went and checked the bill ofcourse was paid. I suffer from PSTD and BLUE RUIN made me start having those horrible attacks again.. The manager was awful the way he treated us.. DONT SUPPORT this place people you might have this issues for such a bad serce, worst expierience EVER... Dont show love to this place choose another bar whenever you come to NYC read more

This was an easy choice , and the bartender was amazing. This place has no snacks or a food menu. That would be the only reason not to come back . read more

Overall dive bar with a pool table. Near alot of areas. Open late! Just a juskbox and thats it.

Went around early afternoon on a weekday to wait for friends to get out of work. Nearly everyone there was a construction worker, so I assume it's the local after-work hang out spot. Being literally the only female in the bar aside from the bartender, I didn't feel threatened. Everyone there was very friendly and the bartender was tentative. I haven't gone in the late afternoon or weekend, but I'm assuming it's a pretty decent dive-bar. Unsure of cocktails but the draft beer was pretty good. read more

First drink was pretty fast. Next one took a good 40 minutes. People playing pool are oblivious to who wants to play next. Not really busy, haven't seen many people come in for the two hours I stayed. I can only imagine why. read more

Had an amazing night at this place when visiting New York. Great vibe, great music, great drinks. Of course the real star of the night was Ashley! read more

Blue Ruin - Great drinks and decor - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I have been coming here for 5 years, this place is a perfect spot for a metal heads to come drink for the price of downtown. Great prices and amazing jute box. Although this bar is filled with sketchy mentality ill port authority people, this has been a safe haven for me and many in midtown. I have been a valued customer for 5 years and become friends with the owners and staff. Tonight the new bartender not only refused to play the songs I paid to hear on said jukebox , she gave me a ton of nasty comments, verbally accosted me and preceded to try to physically attack me. I left assaulted and paying for not only my tab but the jute box which I fed money for 20 songs and heard 3 because she decided to not allow the jute box to play. I made it a purpose to come here and after dealing with this bartender I and all my friends will no longer come back. I really hope this place gets it's shit together employment wise so I can get back to having my local spot back. read more

The bartender kept taking my drinks and putting them by the bar from the outside when I called her out on it she said I took too long to have my shot? It was already paid for and everything . I was very confused by her strange behavior how do you take a customers drink cause they took too long to drink it. Will never be returning to this place . Really a shame . Her behavior was very weird. read more

It was loud, uncomfortable, bartenders were rude, occasionally obnoxious, motorhead was blaring when I went in, and I ordered one drink and got two. Am I in heaven? If I am ever stuck in this crap part of the city, I'll be back. I hate midtown, but this made it so much better. read more

hey, its a dive bar and the general crow seems to be construction workers from the area. Walked in after we got "waitlisted" at a bar "authority". been here a few times and remembered it was a decent dive joint. cheap drinks and a free shot at the end. Music is all rock and no food. Pool table at the back and very old music selection from the Juke box. Nothing else to say but stop by if you dont want to spend a lot of money at other bars around the area and need a quick drink. read more

What can I say about the blue. This is a local joint where a guy can go in for a beer and have great conversation at a good price. Stopped in there for a couple of hours had a few beers talked with some locals had a great time. Don't be intimidated that there's no fluff and pizzazz because this is local dive bar for beer and conversation. Loved it will visit again read more

I'm over the "tough girl" bar chick who yells at the custies to"play some fuckin' music on the jukebox!" during a lull. Plus, she pours neat drinks in "asshole" shot glasses. (Read: super small pours and not super small prices.) If I were 20-something, a dirt bag, and got a boner over hearing a "Guns and Roses" song, then this would be my joint. read more

Looking for a dive bar with loud heavy metal music?Head to Blue Ruin. It gets a four star for dive bar but a three star for a bar scene. It's a small place with a pool table that gets lots of use and the crowd is usually local neighborhood folks. Everyone is friendly, including the bouncer and staff. They don't serve food but there's a 2 Bro's Pizza next door. If you live in the area, love heavy metal and want a friendly refuge, Blue is your place. Otherwise, for NYC visitors, go somewhere touristy and check that bucket list box. read more

Blue Ruin - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Pretty good! Full of construction worker guys (which i love) and the beer was cold & cheap. Service was good, bathrooms were not. Best thing about Blue Ruin is the mirror & the flags behind the bar! So good. Lots of people playing pool and having a good time - music was a bit loud, but then again, i'm old! read more

Blue Ruin - USA! - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York