Another cool neighborhood bar at my home away from home aka Brooklyn. It's family friendly with a back courtyard, free popcorn (serve and season yourself) and good drink prices. You can even buy a friend a drink to be used at a later time. You buy it, their name goes on the board and they have three months to claim. It was really busy when we were there in the middle of a Saturday afternoon. Bar was full as was patio. One bartender who kept her cool and the drinks flying. read more

See all

We were wandering around the city and the smell of popcorn flowed in the air. Low and behold we found High Dive! The bar tender, I believe her name was Alisa, was super nice and she had a senator humor. We grabbed two beers and a couple of shots for my road. I would definitely return there again! Also experienced a bit of nostalgia with Alisa wearing a RockOs Modern Life T-shirt! read more

High Dive - Dive bar sign - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

I came in here late one night, I was already a couple of margaritas in and it was raining heavily so my friend and I stumbled into the first bar we could find- just so happened to be High Dive! Seemed like a "young and hip" crowd, extensive beer collection, poor lighting and pinball.... what more do you want. The one thing I have to complain about though is the black and white groovy wallpaper in the back. After about four drinks it becomes increasingly difficult to not only focus on the person you're sitting with (as said groovy wall begins to pop out around them, sort of like that unforgettable summer of '69 back in Golden Gate Park when you met Azalea Windchime and the vast collection of MagicEyes she had in her shag-carpetted love van), but also to focus on keeping those drinks from popping out of your stomach and into your friend's face. Soooooo just saying. Sit with your back to it. Or in your friend's lap, facing the wall. Whichever is more inviting. read more

Can't beat free popcorn and games on a Friday night Although the rum and coke turns out to be a cup of coke colored rum, Iv seen drinks where the bartender puts his soul into making the drink The only bad thing is a) the floor is filthy esp when drunken uno turns into a popcorn fight and b) its kind of small...so if u dont get a table early, no games for you read more

Call me old fashioned, but I really love Old Fashioned's. So when my good friend texted me saying this bar had some of the best Old Fashioned's he'd ever had, I knew I had to make a trip to Park Slope and find out. As a bar, High Dive checks off all the quintessential necessities that I look for: low light, solid music (often eclectic), a committed and regular crowd, space to move around and a free popcorn popper (!) Having sidled up to the bar, I was given pause in my quest for great Old Fashioned's when I saw the list of beers that they had on tap. Covering the entire gamut from pale ales to hearty stouts, it was everything I could stop from audibleing into a glass of hoppy goodness. Undeterred, I ordered my Old Fashioned (bourbon not whisky) and watched as the bartender got to work. Every step looked to be done with care and the final product showed - a delicious, balanced drink with a fresh orange peel and a chunky ice cube, aka heaven on Earth. read more

High Dive is a warm cozy dive bar with Christmas lights strung around the ceiling. Their happy hour is Monday-Friday 3-8pm $3 PBR, $4 well drinks, and $1 off everything else! They also have $24 beer buckets with 5 cans all day day every day! High Dive has free popcorn that you can snack on while having some drinks. There is also 2 pinball machines and a bookcase full of board and card games! There is also an outside area out back that would be nice to hang out in during the warmer months. This low key dive bar is pretty cool! read more

High Dive is a rare breed. It's just a NORMAL bar. It's no frills, but it's clean and well kept. They have good cheap drink specials but also a nice selection of top shelf tipples. In a time when everything is either super high-end or masochistically bare bones, it's nice to find a place that strikes a consistent and happy medium. read more

Dive bar ambiance with Manhattan prices. It's a cool venue with free popcorn, juke box, loud music, board games, ultra dark lighting, and an impressive draft beer list including local breweries and cideries: Downeast Cider, Kelso, Braven, and some off-the-wall craft breweries like Crux Fermentation Project and even AleSmith. But the prices were just ludicrous. Take, for instance, Transmitter Grapefruit Wit. This is a 5.1% witbier that was $9 for a 10oz pour, which is $0.9 per ounce, so a proper 16oz draft beer glass would be $14.40. Holy f**k man. Even Maine Beer Peeper, $8 for 10oz at 5.5% abv, would be $12.80 a pint. These are not strong beers that need 10oz glasses. It's almost like the price has been jacked up AND the pour size has been reduced down by 38%. Highway robbery. I would normally give this 2-stars, but the beer selection is impressive. It's just that they know it and overcharge. read more

My absolute favorite go-to bar in New York. It never gets packed, the crowd is low-key, there's free popcorn, the bartenders always play good music (pretty sure every time I've been, Joy Division has been played at least once), it's not super loud, there aren't any TVs, and the prices are completely reasonable. Even though it's technically a dive bar, it's well-kept and not sketchy in the least. This bar is the perfect antidote for people who don't like Union Hall. read more

A bar that was already pretty great has become even greater... The bar now does this little collaboration with a local food vendor and I just had an amazing (and fresh) fish taco because of it... Genius! Don't waste time reading this review and just go and enjoy yourself. read more

Solid bar with a good happy hour. Dive? Yeah I wouldn't go that far. I mean, yeah it's "in the name" but I don't think this place really qualifies as a dive bar. Is the beer cheap? Yes. Do they have self-service finger food? Popcorn, check. But still. Ok nomenclature aside, I really dug this place. Walking in The first thing that hit me was the beer section and price point; they had some really solid beers on tap, including a seasonal favorite of mine, Post Road Pumpkin ale. Better yet all beers were a buck off (happy hour), and well drinks were an exceptionally reasonable 4$. We snagged a booth close to the popcorn machine; I suggest you do the same, as you'll undoubtedly be making a few trips back and forth to this delightful vendor of salty snack. I say salty, but you don't HAVE to overload your selfserve popcorn with sodium*, we just chose to. The good folks at high dive also have some alternative seasonings, including spices and old bay (though imho if you're avoiding salt, old bay is probably not a good substitute). The bartender was super friendly and the crowd was pretty thin (I mean, was it a Tuesday at 6 pm...yes. Do my friends and I have crippling alcohol problems? No....... I said no, NOW GET OFF MY BACK) though Im told this place gets packed. The highlight for me was the music this place has on; old-school jazz just somehow worked for the space. We had plans to get wings over at Bonnie's grill, but had we not I would have been happy sitting here all night sipping on solidly priced beer. If you find yourself in need of an inexpensive drink in the heart of the slope, High Dive should be high on your list. __________________ *Seriously, I am going to die a young, salty death. Totally worth it. read more

Atmosphere- very laid back and true to their name. Classy dive bar. TONS OF BOARD GAMES. Lots of space for seating in the back as well if you have a large party, or are on a date and looking for a bit more privacy. Average amount of bar seating. Drinks- could be cheaper. I had a vodka/champagne, and it was $10-$12. For cheap champs, it was not an ideal price. Beers could be cheaper, and I think they have HH specials as well. I will have to try out another drink when I pop back in and compare pricing. Food- no food, but this is a spot where you can just bring in takeout. RECOMMEND. Great location too, right off of the Union stop, near tons of restaurants. read more

Say yes to the self serve free popcorn! Say yes to the various choices of cider, including Black Cherry! Say yes to writing obscenities using provided chalk in the bathroom! Say yes to the small outdoor patio! Say yes to the doggies that surround you! Say yes to bringing food in from elsewhere! If you say no to any of the above, get out. read more

More unappealing Park Slope schmaltz. The woman next to me "sampled" about eleven beers before finally settling on one that she cared to pay for. She looked like the kind of woman who belongs to an adult kickball or dodgeball league. She could probably talk your ears off about hops, shade grown coffee, and sustainable knits. Her boyfriend was up to the challenge. He wanted a "very dry Makers Mark bourbon Manhattan on light rocks." This couple was better than the trio of loud social activists to my right. "Jameson is just so smooth! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!" We had to listen to Bloc Party and Interpol at appalling volume. Hasn't anyone ever heard of Lee Dorsey or Otis Redding? The last thing Park Slope needed was another pretend "dive" watering hole for the perpetual summer camp, never gonna grow up set. These people will all have left Brooklyn by 2015. But Oberlin keeps spitting the new crop out. Why is Dad such a dick about paying my rent? It's not like I'm not looking for a job. read more

High Dive has a chalkboard behind the bar where you can leave people drinks. I know what you're thinking... What kind of drink should I leave Rob K.? Thanks for asking. The answer is everything. Well, just about everything, except for Old Crow. Do not leave me a shot of Old Crow. If you want to leave me something cheap, I'm cool with a $3 Yuengling. For those who hit "control F" or "command F" to find Happy Hour details, here ya go: Monday - Friday 3 PM - 8 PM $3 Yuengling and PBR, $4 Well drinks, $1 Off everything else, free popcorn. If you like this tip, please leave a cold one for Rob K. on the drink board. read more

A solid dive bar in the middle of Park Slope. Good beer list, free popcorn, pinball, an outdoor area during the warmer months, and a jukebox. It's a good place to meet up with friends or stop in for a drink on your way to somewhere else. I live in the neighborhood and have been to High Dive several times over the last few years and most of my experiences here have been fun. However, twice I've encountered exceptionally rude bartenders. That left a bad taste in my mouth, but I chalk up both instances to an off night as High Dive's bartenders are usually fine. read more

Remember back in the '80s when you could impress a girl just by sliding a few quarters in the table-top Ms. Pac-Man machine and rockin' that joystick all the way to the high score list? Yeah, me neither. But High Dive is a little devil of a drinking establishment, one that has the ability to give me some sense of faux-nostalgia, a longing for a youth I never had. I mean, The Rolling Stones pinball machine? A jukebox full of hand-written mix tapes? How about some '90s rock concert poster art? Or some '70s-style wallpaper and home decor? This is a scene set for some John Hughes / Richard Linklater / Cameron Crowe shit right here. And yet we're talkin' about a bar, not some teenage arcade hot-spot or your childhood best friend's basement. There are video games and sappy indie songs here - things that are typically supposed to prologue the drinking shenanigans era of one's life. You're supposed to play Galaga with a Slurpee at your side, not a Dark and Stormy. Or at least a Slurpee half-filled with your parents' liquor. Am I right? For the young at heart, you're not supposed to do anything other than enjoy yourself, whether it's something retro or contemporary. But do not fret, my more adult folk, High Dive isn't all fun and games. Their happy hour is a M-F working week ordeal, ending each night at 8p so that those with grown-up jobs still have some time to take the edge off at a discounted rate. There's even free wi-fi in case you just had to get out of the office, knowing full well you'd still have to send that EOD TPS report from your personal laptop. And what better place to complain about your boss to a bud over a brew or two in their backyard patio! The beer list is extensive, with their selections on tap mostly focused on domestics for the more mature palate (Victory Prima Pilsner, Six Points Bengali Tiger IPA, and Atwater Vanilla Java Porter, to name a few). Plus, High Dive has a pretty even-keeled energy about itself - no need to worry about keepin' up with the young ones on the dance floor. In fact, there is no dance floor, and the bar can't exactly attest to being the big headliner for a weekend night out - which depending on both your age and lifestyle, can be a pro in someone's book, and a con in another's. But really, my favorite thing about High Dive isn't decade-specific, or even a reflection of how many birthday candles you've blown out in your day. If anyone knows me, they know I have a crippling weakness for the puffed kernel. That's right, High Dive's got free popcorn. And I'm not talkin' about a bowl set out on the bar as if they are such inferior (and most likely bacteria-breeding) snacks like peanuts and crap like Chex Mix. No, this glorious treat is in its own machine, carnival-style, self-serve-style, with a selection of seasonings to boot. I am shameless with the number of popcorn baskets I scarf down when I come here. Shameless and smilin' and kickin' ass at Ms. Pac-Man. read more

High Dive - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Like many people, I am a Drunk Cryer. Get a few beers in me, say something mildly insensitive, or remind me of some childhood trauma and I will cry for hours. This is something I have learned to accept. Now, the main problem with being a Drunk Cryer in NYC is the conspicuousness of said crying. How can I confidently venture out each evening, knowing there's a 50% chance I will be sobbing publicly within hours? The obvious answer is "don't drink." But that shit ain't never gonna happen. So instead, like a boy scout, I just have to be prepared. This is where High Dive comes in. High Dive is not a good place for Drunk Crying. The bar is well-lit, so people can *see* you crying. The acoustics are such that the sound of your tears travels, and then people turn and see your will-lit, tear-stained face. And don't even think about using one of the single occupancy bathrooms! There's only two, so within minutes of entering someone will be banging on the door, which will only make your cry harder, and then where the fuck will you be? On the other hand, they have free popcorn - which may placate you long enough to stop the tears. So, if you too are a Drunk Cryer, my recommendation is to visit High Dive before you're drunk enough to cry, or with those unlikely to make you cry. read more

This is gonna be an unusual review because I'm not just rating this place on the great draft selection, the free popcorn and the small and cozy patio out back. The bar's name has virtually nothing to do with being a dive because when you walk in it pretty much looks like your standard Park Slope bar. There's something much more special about this bar: This place has Funhouse. What is Funhouse you ask? One of the best pinball machines ever made and a machine that took away so many of my hard-earned quarters when I was a wee man. It was the days when men wore parachute pants without a hint of irony and mobile phones were still the size of a household brick and even shittier reception. When I saw the machine at High Dive I pretty much felt like ditching society and spending the rest of the night in front of it's glowing lights, perfectly-placed bonus ramps and the creepy and cackling dummy head. You're never too old to slap a metal ball around for a while. read more

I love this place! My only gripe is that it gets really crowded on weekends, but that's only because it's so great. The bartender is always friendly AND they have a wonderful selection of beers (including stouts.) The music is great and there are board games if you're so inclined. Fun place to chill. read more

High Dive - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Awesome local dive bar with great games, free popcorn, and drinks galore. Granted the prices are a little higher than I expected for such a bar, but the ambiance is right and classy considering it is a "dive" bar. They've got TONS of board games and pinball machines in the back to make this a relaxing night out at the bar under your home. Not sure if I'll find myself back in this area, but if I do I'll come check it out again. Cheers High Dive! read more

Signs that this is not a dive bar: (i) $6-$7 beers on tap, including a variety of foreignish microbrews, (ii) specialty drink list that includes sazeracs, (iii) cleanish interior that I'm not askeered to touch. Signs that this is a bar I like: (i) dog friendly, (ii) hot toddies done exactly the way I like (meaning LOTS of Jamison, honey, lemon and a real live cinammon stick, (iii) free popcorn, (iv) chalk in the bathroom so I can get my graffiti on. The clientele, in general, isn't the friendliest or the happiest, but I bring my friendly and happy and the bartenders are friendly and happy. So there. A good solid in the P.Slope. read more

Free Popcorn, Patio, Happy Hour 3-8, pinball, and boardgames. Awesome. read more

This place has free popcorn. This is legitimately what sold me to come in, and prompted my respect for this divey spot. The drinks are cheap, plentiful and good. PERFECT for those nights that you just want to chill out with your friends, drinking brew, and eating free popcorn (I'm just gonna keep plugging the popcorn here). $7 Maui coconut porter was awesome--even though it doesn't taste a bit like Maui or Coconut. I'll overlook it. Pinball machines in the back (one ate my quarter and the other one gave me a free play. Well...okay.) OH and did I mention free popcorn?! YES overflowing, ongoing, piping popcorn with salt, old bay seasoning, curry powder, and spice to dust upon your glorious red basket of fresh popped kernels! read more

Me: "Wanna get a drink?" Friend: "Yeah but I gotta eat something first" Me: "Popcorn dinner in 15?" Friend: "See you soon!" I'm going to go ahead and say it- this might be my favorite bar on 5th ave. Free popcorn, a decent happyhour, very friendly bartenders and a good crowd at seemingly any time of the day makes this a go-to for my friends and I. The bar itself is cozy with comfortable stools and (well hidden) hooks for bags and coats (+1 billion for hooks.) A great selection of seasonal beers which they're always willing to give a taste of and did I mention free popcorn? Plus this place gets props for having CLEAN, well-lit bathrooms that Ive never seen run out of TP. I'll also go out on a limb and say that this place has the largest concentration of seemingly single straight men in all of park slope. While I've never personally had luck there in that dept, I could totally see it happening. read more

The bartenders were hot, friendly, & a little tipsy. Everything a bored housewife needs

This is a pretty cool spot if you want to check out a semi-decent craft beer list while listening to 80's alt rock in a quasi-hipster environment, without having to deal with a douche vibe. I lucked out and was there while they had Bells Two Hearted Ale on tap, which is one of my tried and true go to's when I see it listed. Free pop corn with a variety of seasonings made me go for a Ballast Point Dorado IPA. (I clearly have a thing for 2X IPA's). Bartender, whose name I didn't get, was awesome. He was singing almost every song that came on and even added some air guitar to it. Bathroom was awesome in that the walls are half chalkboard with a rocks glass full of colored chalk on the sink to write what a hooker your ex is or that you love your mother. They have some framed screen printed gig posters on the wall, which as a collector, I thought was very cool. At one point, Billie Jean came on. I thought for sure the bartender would skip over it for some more Smiths or Cure music. Shockingly, and amazingly, he didn't, hence this rating went from 4 stars to 5. If you leave MJ on, you get my full vote for showing respect. read more

This bar is completely trash. The old waitress lady was completely rude and doesn't deserve to be employed. My table and I have been waiting for over an hour and she never came to serve us. I'm only giving one star because I have to give a star rating in order to submit a review. read more

I had such a great time here this past weekend. I was in the mood to play some board games, relax and have a beer. This is the perfect place. The beers were pretty cheap ($6) and they had some cool games. We went with Battleship and Scrabble. I loved the Allagash White beer that I had. My only complaint was that when I ordered another, I realized the bartender gave me the wrong kind of beer. Oh well. The coolest part about this place is their popcorn machine. Play some games, have a beer and snack on free popcorn. Doesn't get much better than that. read more

Free popcorn. That's a nice touch, but not the makings of an "awesome" bar. Also, I've sat there and watched the countless dirty hands dipping into the self-serve popcorn mecca...I'd equate it to eating the "free" nuts at the bar. No thanks. Yeah, the bartenders are completely indifferent and slightly rude here. I've always come with someone else, and he deals with getting our drinks, but I've watched and it's not exactly service with a smile in there. My companion doesn't seem to mind, as this is "his" bar, located right around the corner from his place. He likes it, so we come here before...other activities. I have no clue what the prices are on cocktails, but the beers on tap are pretty impressive if you like craft beer, and the price points aren't horrible. It's clean. The bathrooms are clean and I've never had to wait. There's chalk in there and you can go nuts on the walls, as long as no one is banging on the door, waiting their turn. I've also come on the weekends as well as weekdays. We've never had a problem finding a spot to sit. I dig that in a bar. If you're looking for good beer and a place to hang out where no one will bother you, I guess High Dive is okay. You will get borderline rude "service". The jukebox is seldom on, and I've watched customers bitch as their songs were "skipped". (There's an app for that!) The pinball machines are pretty cool, but there are plenty of bars with good machines to play on so don't let that sway your decision on whether or not you're gonna stay and drink here for the night. Frankly, I'd rather drink at Mission Delores up the road. If it were a full-on drinking session with my buddies, High Dive wouldn't be my first choice. (It probably wouldn't be my second choice, either.) read more

The atmosphere of this bar is great, but the service is terrible. I've been here twice, and the second time one of the bartenders gave me a whiskey sour that was entirely sour mix. I hesitated to ask for more whiskey to be added to the drink, but asked anyway. His response was incredibly aggressive and VERY surprising - he took my drink, filled whatever space was left in the glass with too much whiskey, while my friends and i yelled at him to stop. Then when he was done slammed the glass down in front of me. He stormed away, and the other bartender made it very clear she didn't want me or my friends there as well. It was all very strange, unexpected, and completely undeserved. It was an awful experience, and I will never EVER go back here again. There are many other great bars in that area, and I suggest going almost anywhere else. read more

My favorite dive bar in park slope - can get pretty busy at night, even during the week. They offer free popcorn (I'm allergic so I never get to have any) and lots of games (with many, many missing pieces). Overall it's a great spot for some cheap brews with friends. read more

Whispers of High Dive have been on the winds of 5th Avenue here in the 'Slope for quite some time. My favorite martini in the area has been made on several occasions by Mark, a bartender at nearby Long Tan. On each of said occasions, I tipped my hat to him for his slightly mightier than fine dirty Ketel Ones. During one of these tippling excursions, I uncovered the truth about this so-called new bar near Carroll. Low and behold, it is this very Mark - along with those fellows from Commonwealth - that have taken The Lighthouse out of the fog. High Dive is simply a great bar. The wood trim and wall colors are all pleasant, the staff equally so, and the music and atmosphere are spot on. The tables and chairs are a perfectly unmatched mish mash recalling the best chrome and Formica combos of 60's and 70's-era diners. There's a nice outdoor space for your nic fits. It's also dog friendly (always a plus in my book). It's cash only (for now) but you'll be happy to fork over some duckets for the high brow/low brow experience. And, hey - be sure to go with the dirty martini if Mark's behind the oak. Trust me on this one. read more

Very cool bar in the Slope. Chill bartender, good happy hour, nice selection. Cool smoker patio in the rear. Good bathrooms... I don't consider the place to be divey at all--you should go. read more

Terrible: The bartender has raver earrings and is too busy hitting on 24-year-old NYU students to get you a drink. Park slopers need a drinking bar, and this is not it. It's the Lighthouse, but with free popcorn. Prices have gone up: The High Life drafts used to be $2 during happy hour, now they're $3. A Brooklyn Lager is $6!!! read more

Bartender was nice, Drinks were cheap. It was crowded So we left, the end. *What's the appeal of popcorn?? read more

High Dive is not attempting to fool you. As the name suggests, it's a high diving instructional school for those interested in learning how to do something cool besides a canon ball. Okay, it's actually a dive bar, but one of the highest qualities. (Is that an oxymoron?) Come in and get your drink on. It's not somewhere you go for cocktails, unless you want to just give them your money for something they just whipped up. Come here for a pretty impressive selection of beers on draught, and hard liquor. They got free, cheap popcorn for the gang. Room for small groups. I'd say more than six would be pushing it. Super friendly staff. And a charm that only comes with the finest of dive bars. It's a good watering hole to hit up on 5th. read more

Ironically I lived down the block from here for years and never walked in. It seemed sporty and lacked appeal. I have been here twice in the past six months and feel like it is actually a solid option. They def do mixed drinks but I usually feel like more a beer here since they have a decent selection that is well priced, of note Pork Slap cans. They also did some nice warm cocktails in the winter. It is a long somewhat narrow bar with a lot of different spaces to hang, sit or stand in. Pinball in the back, unisex bathrooms, and free super salty popcorn (way to get me to drink my beer fast!). I like that the bartenders do their job without attitude, and it doesn't feel like anyone is trying to hard so it feels very comfortable. Good for going with a group. Have always found some space to settle into even on Saturday nights at prime time. read more

Came here on a Friday night and the environment was a very chill place. It was filled with people but it wasn't crowded which is perfect for me. Love the extensive board games they provide and free popcorn. Though they need to ease up on the salt bc it felt like they put a whole cup of salt in my one bowl of popcorn alone. I'm only giving this place 3 stars because of several reasons. They don't serve food here which is a negative bc I love bar food and most bars do serve food. I guess this explains the free popcorn they serve but it was way too salty. Maybe they overload it with salt so you can get thirsty and order more beers. read more

Bars, bars, and more bars fill the streets of Park Slope. Yet one stands out from the rest. High Dive is the venue of two major milestones: my wedding celebration and baby blessing party. A friendly atmosphere, cozy interior of comfortable space, jukebox, pinball machine, a patio in the back for summer escape, a vast beer selection - it offers what most bars would. In addition, there's free fresh popcorn too. But perhaps what distinguish it from the other bars are the people... the owner, the bartenders, the regulars. There is a certain energy here that brings a special connection. Years from now, I would look back with a smile. Any bar would seem out of place to bring together family and friends for the two important occasions in a person's life. Yet at High Dive it feels just right. read more