The ambiance at Mama's is warm in a quirky way. The walls are festooned with estate sale odds and ends that might not necessarily remind you of Mom; more likely of your offbeat great aunt with the penchant for gin swizzles and wig collecting. Though the quirky, antique decor sets the tone, it's the people that make it fun. The crowd on a Saturday night is East Village eclectic--as is the music--and the bartenders are friendly and efficient. Combined with Doc Holliday's, it makes for a great one-two punch for a fun night out. read more

This is a great neighborhood bar where it always feels like home. Cody usually takes care of us and is extremely attentive and friendly. I love the inviting atmosphere read more

This is my favorite dive bar in all of New York City. The drinks are cheap, the music will bring you back to your middle school dance days in the best way possible, and you can play Big Buck Hunter to your heart's content (or until you run out of quarters). Also, this place is well positioned near a ton of prime brunch spots (I'm lookin' at you, Poco) beckoning you to extend your Sunday Funday. Oh, what's that? You're ready to eat again even though you just downed an entire plate of lobster mac and cheese and twelve bloody marys at brunch across the street a few short hours ago? Never fear -- Mamas will feed you some more delicious greasy food. And even if you're drinking late enough for the kitchen to be closed (11 pm), they'll even let you bring food in from elsewhere. Cause Mama doesn't let her babies go hungry. read more

WARNING: Objects in bar can be hazardous to your health! I'm finding myself spending more time here...I should be spending less time here. There's no particular appeal, the drinks don't taste any better than they do at other bars; but you get that feeling when you're standing inside sipping a drink or outside smoking a cigarette, that this is where you should be hanging out. $20 Recession specials gets you all you can drink well drinks for a few hours. I've never actually come by to enjoy the happy hour, but that's because I'm usually busy...and I know myself too well. Oh, and the hole in the bathroom floor is...interesting. read more

Love love love Mama's Bar. Great neighborhood bar to grab a quick, cheap drink and they always have good specials. Bartenders are always really friendly. Leyla is a gem. Very friendly to every customer and super attentive. Good qualities in a bartender . She's the one I consistently see there and she always seems to be working with a different person. Wish I got to know some of them a little better too. Ask her to turn on the sound for the Mets and enjoy the game with her! Friday and Saturday can get a little crowded, so get there early and grab a seat while you still can. read more

Little dive bar in the east village a good spot to go after brunch at poco. Lost of TVs for sports and a nice loungey/couch area. The bar tender was nice and made me a drink based on what I told her I liked (not that I needed anything else to drink that day). I don't know if I would go all the way to ave. b just to have a drink here, but if I am in the area, I would definitnely stop back in. read more

Crappy bar, depending on the night you go will depend on the crowd I came with a friend on a Sunday night because she said the restaurant next door has the best fried chicken (which is a complete lie lol black people don't play when it comes to fried chicken and there's is mediocre!!!) Well the restaurant next door has certain items on there menu that you can order from the bar! Cool right? I ordered the Mac an cheese as well, it was pretty good but it would of been great if it was hot. They serve us room temperature Mac and cheese I'm guessing it was sitting in the kitchen before we ordered it and when our order came up. We unfortunately got the cold Mac and cheese. Cocktails are shitty but what do you expect from a bar. Prices are good, vibe is pretty lame. read more

Went there for a Shakespeare event. Small, kind of divey, pretty good bar. Had a small selection of draft beers $7 which is a decent price. Didn't try the cocktails but they had about 8 in the $12 range. Also got their wings. The menu chalkboard claimed "best wings in NYC". They were not the best I've had, but they were pretty good and enough (3 pieces) to satisfy the $9. Bartenders were also attentive and it was easy to get their attention. All in all, not a super fantastic bar but will definitely come again for a relaxed time with a few friends. read more

Mama's is always an easy place to fall back to. It's a little loud to talk with friends, so bring people whom you don't need to hear. This place makes sense to me because the tables have beer spilled on them and they are moveable for large groups or can also be shared with kind-hearted strangers. When it has a DJ, it often seems to be Michael Jackson/Joe Jackson train-wrecks. I used to think it's because someone kept bumping their table. Now I realize they're not good, which is a difficult task in itself. But it works well there. Also, there's room for a few people to dance, so be the first to reserve your spot. read more

This is a good place to grope breasts - brass sculpted breasts that hang in the unisex bathroom, that is. This is also a good place to sit back, relax, have a few beers, and watch football games or what have you on the projector screen. Except when the bartenders tune to Animal Planet...one can only stand so much of lions shredding gazelles, etc. The bartenders are generally quite nice - practically the reason to come here. The crowd here varies from the standard yuppie bro (is there a female analogue to bro?), to the east village hipster, to the neighborhood regular. The interior feels divey, with some weird junky decoration. Say hello to the metal frog in the corner and note the graffiti-like wall art, which looks like a bad trip. And cherish the metal breasts. But all in all, Mama's is solid. It may not be four/five stars, but it's a three you will come back to time and again. read more

This place is great and appeals to my artistic sensibilities. Don't go here on a Friday or Saturday because the crown is kind of annoying, frankly. Actually, don't go out anywhere on a Friday or Saturday for that matter. All weekend warriors and bridge and tunnel, it's enough to make one drink to quell the pain. Aaaanyway, this place is just a step above being a total dive bar. It's a neighborhood place, think wannabe Max Fish with better (read: dimmer) lighting. Art on the walls, concrete floors, graffiti in the bathroom, you get the idea. Drinks could be cheaper but all the bartenders I've come across are awesome so... This keeps me coming back here. read more

Nice bar to chill and have conversation with friends. There is a cute dog there and they have some happy hour special with top shelf liquor. I like the Keith Haringesque mural. It adds some color and fun to an otherwise dark space! read more

After walking in and out of numerous bars my companion and I settled on Mama's Bar. Both being in the mood for bourbon, a quiet corner, and ample room to get comfy this was a perfect fit. We sat on one of the 2 couches facing out towards the street, great for people watching. I had a bacon infused bourbon, which kind of blew my mind. I've had bacon infused vodka before, but this was much more balanced - the bourbon put the bacon in its place. Lots of infused choices, good prices, nice staff, chill dive - score! read more

Whoops, wrong spot-- I had a nice time here. It was super crowded and a little bro-y. The bartenders were extremely attentive and the company was good :) overall, I do think I'd be back. read more

We all know I'm skeptical when it comes to EV bars. Nothing against them, they're just not my scene. This is why I never expect to actually enjoy myself when out for a night on the east side...except at Mama's Bar. Chill spot, great for starting off the night. Drinks are stiff, crowd is actually right up my alley - a good mix of hipsters and professionals...you can guess which group I'm all about. The best part of Mama's bar, though, is the music. Fab mix between rock, hip-hop, and old school faves. Oh, and the DJ's a cutie. What's not to love? read more

This place is right across the street from Poco, so after getting really buzzed at brunch, wander across the street and order yourself some spiced wine (so tastey, especially during winter). They also have a yelp deal! read more

So my best friend lives around the corner and whenever we are feeling unambitious or aggressive we hit up Mama's. The beer is cheap, the booze flows easily, the room is dark and the music is loud but won't make you deaf (you can hold a conversation). A regular merry go round of neighborhood regulars come in and out as other people drop in for drinks and meet up with with their homies here. The crowd is surprisingly attractive for such a divey spot which must also control any latent pretense, because everyone is pretty down here. I have rarely felt a strong "too cool for school" vibe and it also isn't too broey (though my friends and I can sometimes bro down). I love it. It reminds me of Chicago bars in all the best ways. The one place I know I can get loose and not drop 200 hundred bucks and not be judged for drinking neat whiskeys all night at the same time. I'm not sure if its worth going out of your way but if you are in the neighborhood you really can't go wrong. read more

Had a blast at this place while waiting to be seated at a nearby restaurant. We stumbled across this place and the music was pumping we were walking by, hence why we went in. the people were super chill and we met some new people. Time surely flew by when we were there. read more

Mama's Bar - Lol after the pbf and shot special. $5 well spent. - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Place used to rock, but that was back when I knew the bartenders and would drink almost for free. It's the same spot, just not mine anymore. Okay beer selection. Hipster dive, really. The cute little Joan Jett wannabe carded me (I'm 41), which was endearing. She was blasting Thin Lizzy (RIP Gary Moore), which ruled, but she was 23 or so, so whatever. You never know where the cool kids are coming from when it comes to olde timey jams. Shit, Lynott and the boys are before MY time. read more

Very unpretentious bar on a strip of Ave. B filled with douchebags. Has a very large tv screen for football with good sound too. read more

Mama's Bar - Pistol Pete - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

All I have to say is WOW. I'm truly impressed with the service I received tonight at Mama's. Felix was my bartender and I was blown away at how well he knew his craft. He was a) hilarious and b) sharp. (Easy on the eyes too) Nowadays I think finding an apathetic bartender is more common than not and he definitely rose above that tenfold. I never went too long with an empty glass despite it being busy (some sort of movie showing was happening and it was quite busy) but he was always quick with a refill but never pushy. His carefree but conscientious approach makes you feel like you're in your own living room. He's one of a kind and reminds you that the great NYC bar culture isn't altogether dead. I will 100% be back read more

We went to Mama's Bar on a Saturday afternoon. The outside sign says "Happy hour until 8pm" and Frose's (Frozen Rose) were $5. I went to pay and saw they were more than $5 on the bill. The bartender looked frazzled so she asked another bartender and that bartender said the happy hour starts at 4pm. I didn't make a big deal about it but with the false advertising they're going to piss off a lot of people in the future. We will not come back here. read more

Best chicken and waffles I have ever had! They serve the same menu as the restaurant next door so we didn't have to wait for a table. Very casual setting and fun atmosphere. I went for a weekend brunch with my friends and we ordered our food at the bar and got a lot for our money. Only thing I didn't like was the bartender was very persistent to get us to order drinks and it made me uncomfortable because I came for the food and am not 21 read more

Mama's bar is my favorite bar in Alphabet City, Steven is the greatest bartender I've known in Manhattan

This may or may not be a lesbian bar. They have Big Buck Hunter (not sure if there's a veiled pun there or not). It's divey, but the bartender seemed intent on ignoring us. Maybe because we were straight males? I mean, we still are straight males. But we used to be too. read more

It's amazing how one stinkin'-ass experience at an otherwise fine bar can just shoot all your goodwill to hell. I always considered this place to be a reliable spot where you could nurse your beer, be left alone and not have to deal with screeching scenesters (at least during the week - could be a totally different story on the weekend). But last night (Monday) fucked that shit all up. It was just heaping, oozing shovelfuls of suckness that eclipsed even the very tasty vodkas they have on hand. The bartender spent half her shift either smoking outside or ranting to her cadre of buddies at the bar about how she "LIVES IN SOUTH WILLIAMSBURG" and you practically had to throw a grenade over the bar to get a drink. Who wants to wait for alcohol in an empty bar? Strike one. Then, there were no buybacks. Gimme a break. You should never have to actually pay for 6 drinks in a row unless you haven't been tipping. Strike two. The last straw was that at around 1, the bar basically turned into a pumpkin. Meaning, on comes the 25 to Life at full blast and you can't have a conversation anymore...unless you're smoking outside or sitting at the bar screaming about how you LIVE IN SOUTH WILLIAMSBURG. Again, you've just spent about $75 on booze and they want to throw you out? It was really goddamn obvious. Hell no. It's really too bad because there really aren't that many bars left in that neighborhood where you don't have to clamber over an army of anorexic yuppies to get to your drink - but I guess shit happens. read more

Fun laid back divey bar with fun bartenders, stiff drinks, and great music. Great place to chill with friends and not feel like you are all on top of each other. read more

Mama's bar has changed me. First of all, the environment is incredible. Music is good, decor is perfect. Second of all, the food is amazing. It's tasty, and far better than any other bar on the island. Third, and most importantly, all the employees are snacks. I went in on St. Paddy's day and the bartender with a green carhartt hat, I think his name was Christian, served me. He was a total thot. Extremely personal service even though it was packed to the rafters. I will definitely be frequenting this place far into the future. Deserves a sixth star read more

My favorite bar in NYC! Hole in the wall, cheap and strong drinks, with great music. The staff is very chill - love coming here after brunch on Saturday or Sunday. read more

Dive to the biggest degree... dirty, cheapish... friendly people and staff though - you could do worse for a dive buuuuut pretty dirty.

Love the picklebacks.. And the prices$ Also, the hunting game can be quite exhilarating after a couple picklebacks and pbrs.

Only made an account just so I could review this bar and its unprofessional bartenders. Some friends didn't leave a tip so when I ordered my beer and took my dollar change back, the bartender thought it would be a good idea to ask me if we weren't the "tipping crowd." I'm sorry, but 9 times out of 10 popping a beer can top doesn't warrant a tip and I'm not responsible for other people leaving one. I find it really inappropriate to call someone out on it. Needless to say, I won't be returning. read more

Came to NYC for a work trip and found ourselves at Mama's. Awesome bartenders and great people. Was pretty busy but not over crowded. We even met the GM Rachel and she was super cool. The only downside was some crazy woman came with a small party and totally made a scene and a huge ruckus for no apparent reason. I think she was trying to get an underage person into the bar. I think she got kicked out or left eventually, and the night was awesome after that. Great place, if only the psycho lady didn't show up. Like, grow up yo. read more

Stopped in for a drink while waiting for a table at Root and Bone. It was quiet (8 pm on a Saturday, so it was early) and it was easy for our party of 4 to get a table. The bartender was extremely nice and helped us all quickly. It was an ideal place to spend those 40 minutes. read more

I'm heart broken my favorite bartender was not at mama last weekend where is Mike lol absolutely love this place the drink are to die for but where is Mike ???????? read more

I'm into this place! Decent beers on tap, not too crowded, a cool hipsterish but down to earth crowd. When I got there earlier in the night, the DJ was playing greaaaat music! Lots of great indie dance stuff that I don't get to hear too often elsewhere. Later on in the night though, the 80s music and Michael Jackson started coming on and that got old pretty quickly. I'd probably come back here though, it's a good place to stop by in the beginning of the night. read more

Drinks are reasonably priced; bartender service was prompt and attentive. Overall, a low-key and unpretentious place to kick back and have a good time. Also, great drink specials PBR and Whiskey Shot $5 :)) read more

Mama's Bar - Happy Birthday - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Been here a handful of times. Loud music, lively young crowd, seems to have regulars. I've always been able to grab a seat no matter how busy it gets. Bartenders are fantastic because I've accidentally left things twice now, and they've held onto them for me. iPhone included. Integrity goes a long way anymore. Thanks, Mama's owner and staff! read more

One of my favorite bars in the east village Good drinks and good bartenders! If you go in ask for Cody he's great!

I visited mama's bar on the night of 09/15/19 , and I have to say I was extremely disappointed with the service I received. When a group of me and my friends came in, the bartender began mouthing off on the side about how he wanted to go home and making snide comments while making drinks. It was only 1AM and the website said that the bar would close at 4AM. After an hour of passive aggressive, mediocre drink making, he yelled out at the top of his lungs "Last Call" and proceeded to kick all of us out. Not only did he attempt to kick us out two hours before the specified closing time but in that one hour he was disconnecting the music that we were clearly enjoying and had long pauses in the bathroom while we waited for our drinks. He barely looked our way when we tried to order our drinks because he was too busy doing shots with his friends at the other end of the bar. I don't think that this is the kind of employee one should have at any customer service establishment. I usually don't go out of my way to Yelp about any of my experiences because I don't want to affect anyone's lives over small experiences but my friends were only in town for a couple of days and it really ruined our weekend. Not only am I never going to return to this establishment but I will make sure not to recommend it to anyone else. This place is bound to be losing tons of money if they are hiring people that don't care about customer service, disrespect customers, and steal product with their friends on shift. read more