This is the best tasting food I had on the island. This is the only place I felt like I'm getting what I paid for. The raw fish with nori and rice was the star here. I wanted to come back so badly, but my girlfriend didn't. Service was nice, but they are busy. Ambiance is nice, but I sat at the bar so can't really speak on the patio views read more

Still the best dive bar on the block. Get the Kurt cobain! Ps they know accept cards ! read more

Chill dive bars like this don't exist anymore. The pours are too good, definitely a great stop in the neighbourhood. Seriously- the Long Island iced tea is crazy work read more

Fish bar for the win! Came here by chance to start the night off after dinner. The place is cozy with its booth seating and "underwater vibey" blue lighting. The owner was working the bar--Super chill and friendly dude that recommended the green tea cocktail (basically a green tea shot in a full-sized drink form, what's not to love?) which was scrumptious, sufficiently boozy, and only $12. Lovely place for a slow night sitting and chatting with friends ! -It's all cash, but they have an ATM onsite -Also had two bathrooms, rating them an 9/10 for cleanliness + availability read more

Fish Bar - the signature green tea cocktail - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Very fun dive bar! Came here Saturday night on a whim since friends live close by, never would have known it was here. What a great time at this nautical themed hole-in-the-wall! Got something called a "PB&J Shot" and I kid you not, I have never drank something so close to an actual peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my life. It made me start belting out in song- - - It's peanut butter jelly time Peanut butter jelly time Peanut butter jelly time Peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat! All in all a rip roaring good time read more

Fish Bar - Who is it? .... Land shark - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

- one of my local haunts and probably one of the most reasonably priced in the neighborhood - a bit kitchy with their mish mash of aquarium theme dive bar flare - recommend: green tea (signature cocktail that tastes nothing like green tea but almost exactly like peach snapple iced tea, as dangerous as it is delicious) - never packed, so there's always a place to sit, and usually filled with locals instead of college students read more

Ok, this bar is a trip! Fish Bar, what a find! Wow, so much fun! Thé bar is cozy, a great neighborhood spot. Dion was welcoming and made great drinks. The fish decor is awesome and of course the original "Fish", Abe Vigoda, has a place of honor. So happy my friend turned me on to this very cool spot! read more

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I had a great time here Saturday night! Cash only bar so make sure you have enough on ya! I ordered the Mexican mule which was delicious! They had a green tea beer that was also really delicious. Great place to wind down and hang out with friends read more

Came here on a late Tuesday afternoon while walking around in search of a quiet place to drink. Saw this place and it seemed quiet and cozy. Upon walking in, it was slightly dark but definitely cozy. It is a bit small of a place and very inconspicuous from the outside. This is a local bar where people would visit on a daily basis based on the clientele here. They were all huddled around the bar and chatting with the bartender. I've always wondered if bars like this truly existed in NYC, especially in such a high traffic/busy area. We grabbed a table up against the wall, but it was a tight fit if people were to walk back and forth. The drinks were the usual but well made. It's cash only and they want you to pay as soon as you get your drinks. I had the moscow mule and it was delish. I totally forgot to add a tip and just paid only the bill. I ended up just leaving a tip on the table as we left though. If you're looking for a place to call your local Cheers, then this is the place. Service was nice and fast. I can see myself hanging out here all day during the weekday or just a nice spot to take a break from the hustle and bustle of life in the city read more

We love the Fish Bar for 24 years!!! Great ambiance, great drinks, no other place like it. The most fun!

Very rude bartender, overly expensive for what it is. Much better bars within close proximity.

I am loathe to update my review, mainly because for the longest time I had been trying to keep the Gem of Fifth Street hidden away and all to myself. I realize, in the wake of dragging about 15 Yelpers there a couple weeks ago, that I am; as the French say; SOL. Fish Bar isn't the biggest bar in the East Village. It certainly isn't the cleanest. The bathrooms can leave something to be desired. And as far as some of the things that go on in there, I would have to exercise my right against self-incrimination and plead the Fifth. So what's so great about this tiny place with the questionable bathroom and the unsavory goings-on? The bartenders are awesome, the drinks are cheap (like change from a $20 after 4 happy hour drinks kind of cheap...and drink-drinks, not HipsterBrau, I mean, PBR), and there's no lack of good conversation with all manner of interesting people; because let's face it, this is New York City and it takes all kinds. Fish bar takes: chefs, doctors, programmers, waiters, antiques dealers; and the list goes on. Then there's the fact that on Friday's you get free cheese, sausage & crackers; on Tuesday's you get chips and salsa; on Summer Sunday's you get sangria and on Wednesday and Thursday nights you get a cold stare and some, usually deserved, ribbing. As a side note, there's no place I'd rather be (well, other than home); after a long night with lots of special orders and waitstaff nonsense; than sitting on one of the Fish Bar bar stools shooting the shit with some of the funniest, wisest, shit-talkinest, crustiest, most insightful bartenders I've ever seen. So it's official. Open the floodgates! read more

Fish Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

If you are looking for an East Village dive bar, look no further. There is no theme here, no angle, no real purpose other than to serve booze with very little attitude or pretentiousness. I guess in a way that gives it some sort of pretentiousness. Perhaps it was the crowd playing chess that had Bob Dylan circa-1968 fuzzy hair with creepy mustaches. Mustaches, come on really? I must say however, that I do have an affinity for dimly lit, cash only places that are smaller than my small living room, that are jammed full of people having a good time and serve fairly cheap drinks in short order, such as Fish Bar. read more

Cheap cash only bar with great mix of people age wise. regulars chill at the bar. the part of the bar with tables is rarely crowded. The theme of the decor is underwater/ocean/sea life, and someone stuck some dollar bills onto the ceiling which makes me laugh. Music on Friday nights (young brunette female bartender) always a delight. Even though the one draft beer option, the fish bar ale, tastes like flat amstel light I cant resist it and always get it unless they've run out. I love this place. read more

Ok, I'm going to be fair and change this review. I gave this place one star because the female manager kicked my friend out because he had just broken up with a friend of hers and she felt that out of loyalty to her friend, she needed to throw us out. Having been in the bar and food business,this could have been done with a bit more finesse. Buy us a round, tell us to take our time,and then ask us to avoid the premises for a while until the manager's friend isn't feeling so angry. That's the way to handle the situation. But, to be fair, there were no rats. read more

Fabulous dive bar! I've been there only when Bashy was behind the bar, but she is awesome.

Doesn't get better then this,,,, really!!! If you want a drink and not deal with the "wanna-be's" and "NYU brats", this is 100% the place. About as chill as it gets, one of the last 5 dive bars left in our fair city. NO T.Vs NO internet No Juke Box,,,,' Yes ladies and gentleman everyone in this bar actually talks to one another. Bottom line, I'm in my early 40's (lie), this is my favorite chill, relax, COOL bartenders, no drama bar! Would reccomend to all in the city whom have lost there watering holes to NYC greed and rents. read more

What a neat little place! It's quaint, cozy and a great place to get your booze on. We wanted to go to a chill bar to pregame a little before we went to Affiare for a friend's birthday party. We originally wanted to go to McSorley's but it was wayyyy too packed so I used my handy dandy Yelp app to find another bar close to McSorley's (walking in heels is a biatch). Fish Bar on a Saturday night wasn't crowded at all!! It was perfect. We sat at a table and looked at the drink specials. $7 for a HUGE "shot" of bourbon and a PBR? Even though I thought it was a disgusting combo it was very sufficient as a pregame. We then got $3 grape shots that were delish!! The bartenders are friendly and fun, the drinks are cheap and the atmosphere is a-okay! Definitely a place I wish I knew about while I was still at NYU! read more

Fish Bar - $7 Bourbon and PBR - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Quirky little place. Easy enough to access and I was very charmed by the painting of fishes on the wall (I guess that's where it gets it's name). It's the epitome of the hole in the wall bar you'll hang out in with friends for something quick and cheap which is exactly what I did. It was a pretty small space and had random strings of lights along the bar and the outside window. It was cute but very divey - I'm glad I got to visit but don't really know if I'd take a date here or even suggest this place to hang out with a friend if I could choose. They had Lagunitas (currently my favorite beer), for the pretty reasonable happy hour price of $4 in a bottle. They don't accept card by the way, giant pain in the butt. Overall I'd say try it out if you want a change of scenery but I'd add that you aren't missing out on anything if you don't. read more

Fish Bar - Front part of the bar, not too much beyond the realm of this frame - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Like. A no nonsense neighborhood eclectic dive fit for good two fisted drinking. We found our party of three here after a mind blowing sushi blowout next door at Jewel Bako to perfectly offset the evening. High priced sushi, then a cluttered neighborhood dive perfect for a bunch of old farts like us. We had many good single malts late into the evening. Memorable. This is a good hang. read more

Fish Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I think this may have been my favorite bar when I was living in New York. One of the few authentic Village spots remaining. No idea if it still exists. But it was perfect. read more

It's Friday. You've slogged through a hectic week at the office, stared at the clock ticking away for the past hour and finally, thankfully it's quittin' time. Now paddle your way straight down to Fish Bar for a fierce 2-for-1 happy hour that will have your brain swimming for a mere $6. Letting off steam, drowning sorrows, bitching with your friends after a break up or even a low key celebration and this will do the trick for cheap. It's not large, or much to look at, but the bartender is friendly enough and if you're lucky, you'll even get a comped cheese plate. Inexpensive drinks are great, but give me free brie and we're lifelong pals. read more

You will hate Fish bar if you like: 1. Being in really crowded bars. 2. Not being able to hear the company you are with in conversation. 3. Being absolutely fleeced for drinks. 4. Being sober when you leave a bar. read more

Fish Bar, you have drunken NYU kids to thank for my four stars. I like East Village so much more in the mornings and afternoons when it's more relaxed and chill. But at night, it crawls with drunken NYU kids; and some of them can't hold their alcohol. But to be fair, I'm sure not all of them are NYU kids. A lot of them are probably Bridge and Tunnel. They are loud, obnoxious, and are pointless occupants of valuable sidewalk space. According to bartender Lisa, on some days, Fish Bar can be full of the obnoxious drunkards, too. But on the night which I was there, it was quiet, relaxed, and sitting at the bar stools were neighbourhood locals chatting and drinking cold draft beers. The decor suggested dive bar, with some good hip hop playing in the background. Apparently the guy responsible for the playlist, a young black man, also loved Japanese culture, and he played some Japanese pop every once in a while. It had been a long time since I heard Hikaru Utada, whom the bar DJ suggested was better than American hip hop. On the topic of music, my friends and I discovered, through casual conversation, that Lisa the bartender is a musician herself, and that she loved Mazzy Star. Well, who doesn't? Thanks for the drinks, Fish Bar. read more

After the Elite event and wandering around the East Village in search of lobster rolls, french fries, and places to pee, I ended up at this cozy, cash only dive. And now...a conversation with the bartender: Me: Ok, so like...two things: the women's room is out of toilet paper, and I'd also like 2 Blue Moons. Bartender: I can take care of both, but which would you like first? Me: The woman within would like two beers first, but the drunk within wants toilet paper. Oh wait...*smacks head* Bartender: No worries, I understood *hands me 2 cold beers first* Mind you, by this point, I had already broken a glass and eaten 1/2 of my boy's lobster roll in a fit of drunk munchies...and they still didn't kick me out? I like it here. read more

GNO! The happy hour was great. The deal was buy one, get one til 8pm... and they didn't limit the drink choices like some douchey places. Anything you want; buy one, get one. Sweet! Fish Bar, you are NOT douchey! All my drinks were mixed right and the bartender was a complete doll. She handed out free cheese and crackers to everyone because Friday is cheese night! They have a cheese night! That's fucking adorable. It's really small in here but it's comfy; dark, warm and inviting. The bathrooms were small and plain, but SPOTLESS clean. I did not dread peeing. Fish Bar is a top notch place, and if it were in my neighborhood I feel I'd be "swimming" out of there a lot... read more

This place is tiny, cramped, loud and has long lines for the bathroom at all times. You can barely get in and out, get to the bar, or hear your friends. So why on earth would you come here? Oh...right...the margaritas! I don't know exactly what's in them, it doesn't taste like anything I have ever tasted (I'm no margarita expert, but this was looking, smelling and tasting rather different from what I normally get when I order one). But damn...they are amazing! Delicious, and more delicious...but beware, they pack a punch. Probably if you go off hours it wouldn't be too bad, but otherwise, brave the crowds and enjoy. read more

This place smelled like a litter box. I came here to meet some friends on a Sun night and it was great, no one was there. But there was this lingering smell that just wouldn't go away. My friends agreed. The walls are painted with fish to make you feel like you're in a tank, plus a spinning disco ball. Although it feels more like you're in a kids room. The bartender was nice, chatty with the group - delivered the drinks that were requested. With all the bar options in the area I can't say I'd come back here. I've seen worse but why go where there's a stench in the air. read more

It is a dive bar in the East Village - need I say more? It's dark, it has a weird crowd, it has music and cheap drinks. The bathrooms are not the ideal but after a couple shots you probably won't care. It's a good place to just hang out, it's not pretentious. I've heard the margaritas are great - I'll have to return to try them. I'm a big margarita fan. It's one of those places that you would frequent if you lived in the area because you know all the bartenders etc. I have a similar relationship with the bar I live above. If you're in the area it's worth stopping by. read more

I've been here for drinks a few times and am always a little bit disappointed. The drinks aren't quite as cheap as the dive feel would lead you to expect. It's kind of dark and grungy. The bar only takes cash. Although it's a pretty small place, we've never had a hard time getting seats. My friends really like it here so I'll probably keep coming back... read more

The east village is plagued by way too many pretentious, fratty bars. This place is a breath of fresh air in comparison. It's cheap, eclectic, and not at all pretentious. The bartender was awesome and even gave us a couple of free shots. Definitely our new go-to in this neighborhood! Cash only though! read more

$6 Bourbon + PBR. Not bad! The place has a quaint atmosphere and like any bar, can be a shit hole of depression. It's what you make of it. They had a scrabble board lying around so dirty scrabble ensued. read more

HIGHLIGHTS: -5-8pm $4 draft, bottle, and well drinks -People at the bar are friendly regulars ranging from middle aged- old men, and not seedy weirdos, just nice folk -I LOVE that I can actually hear all of my group without raising my voice POSSIBLE TURN OFFS (depending on how you look at it) -People bring their dogs in here. If you're allergic, stay away. -It is a dive bar, and does a good job looking like a fish bowl, the kind you had as a kid and probably cleaned every 1-2weeks. -limited draft selection (only 1 haha), 6 bottles to choose from I found this dive bar on yelp after searching for a happy hour around st. marks. I was pleasantly reassured when I came here because they do have an awesome happy hour! Why was I so cheap? I brought along 5 other grad school girls and all of us are broke but dying to see each other without having to take out another loan. Will definitely be back again. read more

A small dive bar that does the job. Bartender is cool, drinks are cheap and a lot of drunk college kids. Fortunately, the kids kept to themselves and wasn't as obnoxious as I thought they would be. I noticed the music would go from being really loud to barely there, which meant we were either shouting to each other over the music or finding ourselves talking super loud when we didn't need to. But that doesn't affect my rating of this place, just a mere observation. Cash only! read more

Solid dive with one of the hottest bartenders I've ever seen. No food but who needs dinner service when you can grab a dollar slice from around the corner and drink the rest of your dinner money away with $3 dollar beers. Use your manners and some bartenders might let you access their music library. Always a party. Every Monday they have an open mic comedy night called FishyHumor that's really good. If interested in trying it out look for the prettiest Ricky in the house. read more

Been coming here on and off for about 15 years. It remains a great low-key neighborhood spot. Quirky doesn't entirely cover it but is a start. Celebs have been spotted here. No credit cards, no TV, few frat boys. Really rewards friendly patrons with good inexpensive drinks and good conversation that many times helps you transcend the every-day grind. On any given night magic can happen here. Can't say that about most places. A bit hard to find, just a few doors west of Second Ave with a very subtle sign, but worth looking for. read more

After trying to go to Upstate and finding the wait to be too long, we wound up at it's nearby sister restaurant: Fish Bar. Upon entering, the host greeted us warmly. We ordered 2 cocktails, followed by 2 hefty pours of white wine. The oysters and raw clams were awesome. We also shared the ceviche - which was the host's recommendation, and absolutely amazing. Finally, we tried the cuttlefish ribbons with uni, which was a very rich and unique dish. The server was super nice, and actually offered us a complimentary dessert. This could definitely be my new EV fish go to! Cannot wait to return! read more

This place is definitely a dive bar. They have $6 PBR+Bourbon (not bad). I didn't actually get around to drinking anything else, there didn't seem to be a point. Also, this place is great cause you can definitely hang around until after closing time. I know I was drinking with the owner until at least 6am on a random Saturday. If you come here, definitely expect a drunk crowd. I don't think there's a point to coming here if you're not. Great to finish off the night with one last drink. read more

Friendly little crackerjack bar with garage door tracks running up one wall. Good drinks, good company, and once there was a dog in there with no tail. I like to go with the whiskey shot/beer combo for $7. I want to say the shot is a double, but who can tell at 2am. read more

"Bars are so crowded in New York." I had actually really liked Fish Bar the first time my friend and I got a little ambitious and randomly walked in. The place was small, but not crowded and had some cool fish paintings on the wall. When we met up with friends, one of which was from South Carolina stated that she was surprised that New York bars were so crowded. Oh the irony, I had explain that the fact we were lucky to even get a table to sit at on a Friday night. Despite the slowest and most lethargic bartender I had ever seen (who may have been smoking questionable herbs when he went outside), I just enjoy a simple that has a beer and shot deal. read more