Mona&#x27;s

This place is a party! They play great music, have wonderful staff and a fantastic back room! When…read moreit's your birthday they have a special giant candle to blow out

Loud and friendly place with a dash of EXTRA. They really go the extra mile here with the mini…read moreposters they print out for customers. During my short time here, I saw waiter offer to buy shots for a table of guests -- super friendly stuff. Vibe is all fun. Burger was decent -- pre cut patty -- but cooked properly and they don't skimp on the cheddar cheese! Cheeseburger with Beer = $18. FF = + $3. Great lunch spot a block from the courthouse!

They printed our names and posted it on the bar. Awesome touch to set themselves apart from all the others who places visited.

BBQ Chicken Wings

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Inside

Nancy Whiskey Pub

3.9(274 reviews)

1.5 mi•TriBeCa

Found a glitch in the Tribeca matrix. Surrounded by $25 craft cocktails and organic kale salads…read moresits Nancy Whiskey Pub--a beautiful, glorious oasis of cheap drinks, neon lights, and bathroom graffiti. Established in 1967, and I'm pretty sure the vibe hasn't changed a single bit since. The place was absolutely packed wall-to-wall, but real talent knows how to navigate a crowd when there's a pint of Guinness and a plate of buffalo wings waiting on the other side. This spot is legendary for its shuffleboard table--no bumpers, pure skill, and zero room for error. Rumor has it they also roll out an inflatable pool on the sidewalk when the New York summer heat gets disrespectful, which is exactly the kind of unhinged energy I respect. If you need me, I'll be under the jukebox mapping out my professional shuffleboard career. 1 Lispenard St, New York, NY

Friendly people, mostly locals, and a good burger. A 1/2 pound bacon cheeseburger w/fries and…read moreGuinness that didn't break the bank.

Nancy's is our favorite bar to visit every time we are in NYC. Darby is a fantastic friendly bartender.

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Wings

Toad Hall

4.0(135 reviews)

1.4 mi•SoHo

On a windy day, I met up with a friend here for a drink and it ended up being such a great choice…read more This is a fantastic bar with a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. A really cozy spot on a block where no other bar can compete. This is one of those places you'd never know about unless you've been there before, were invited by someone, or just happened to stumble upon it while passing by. It has that quiet, tucked-away charm like a true neighborhood secret. The bartender was great, the vibe felt relaxed and friendly, and everything about the space gave off that traditional pub feel, which I absolutely love. The background music was spot-on not too loud, just enough to set the mood. I really hope I get the chance to come back again. This place has that classic, comfortable energy that makes you want to stay longer than planned.

I'm visiting from LA and this bar made me feel very welcomed! Joe is the best, he's super chill and…read moreremembers everyone by name. There's only bar service so be mindful coming on a busy day. They also don't serve food but I brought in a full pizza from a spot next door. They have plenty of options for drinks and the vibes are immaculate. 10/10 would get drunk here again. I'm dr

Gentle reminder to be nice

Exterior. Entrance

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Back area with a pool table

Onieals Grand Street

3.9(389 reviews)

1.2 mi•Little Italy

We ate dinner here last night and sat at one of the outside tables. I started with a Surfside tea…read moreand my husband had a cocktail which he enjoyed. He started with six oysters from the happy hour menu. While he said they were good, they were the smallest oysters I ever recall seeing. He had one of the burgers and upgraded to truffle parm fries. I tried a couple and didn't get the flavor that much considering they upcharged $4.00 for it! I had the hammered chicken which was good but felt like it was lacking flavor. It was super plain and I had higher hopes for the dish. I would not order it again.

We were greeted when we entered. I loved how the restaurant had a speakeasy vibe. We ordered the…read moremeatballs and fries, 2 cocktails and one mocktail. The bathrooms were downstairs. I was really feeling the old days vibe and decor. Brooke was amazing. I don't eat meat so I didnt try the meatballs but my sisters said it was okay. The fries were asked to be well done and they were a little soggy but flavorful.

1.1 mi•Lower East Side, Chinatown

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Clockwork Bar

4.3(106 reviews)

Desde que entras, te envuelve una estética punk única: paredes cubiertas de graffiti, luces rojizas…read morey una vibra cruda que se siente genuina, no fabricada. Es el tipo de bar donde cada rincón cuenta una historia y donde el ambiente es tan importante como la bebida.

I like dive bars, but this place was gross. The glass ware smelled like stale cigarettes and the…read morebartender blew his nose into a paper towe and immediately returned to making drinks without washing his hands. DISGUSTING!

0.6 mi•East Village, Alphabet City

Buena música, agradable, se puede hablar

The menu

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The Library

3.8(433 reviews)

Always a great time. Excellent pours! Cheers! Local…read morehangout. Well worth tourist to check out how NY'ers do it!

Nothing like enjoying a cheap Quinnie (aka Narragansett) in a place that is kinda dark, playing…read moregood music, and an easy spot to have a beer at on a Wednesday afternoon. Go. Enjoy the place. Be patient if busy. But most importantly, tip your bartender.

Vibe check, passed! Cute little punk bar

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Bathroom door

The Spring Lounge

3.7(286 reviews)

1.1 mi•Nolita

If you want a packed, bro-y bar that's noisy and obnoxious, you'll love it here. I did not, and my…read moregroup left pretty quickly.

Love this place, the bartender Dave is super chill and very friendly. The the vibes are great here…read moreand I would definitely recommend!

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Barrrrrr

Saint Tuesday

4.3(74 reviews)

1.5 mi•Chinatown

Stepping into this dark intimate speakeasy in Tribeca is a perfect find for a girls night out…read more Saint Tuesday has live jazz and hand-crafted cocktails with in house-made ingredients. Once you find the entrance, you're immersed into an underground world where the rush of the city melts away. Tell your server what your flavor of choice is and the mixologist will create something for you. Don't like it? No worries, they will try again. We don't visit while there were any bands, but if you like jazz and good drinks, this is definitely a spot to try! Definitely recommend reservations for this place and give yourself sometime to find it.. almost guaranteed you won't find it the first time you look. Lentz_explore

Super cool speakeasy under the Walker Hotel. The vibe is almost like luxury cave if that vibes. We…read moregot there around 8ish and that was perfect cause we were told the music started at 8:30. It was also perfect cause we were able to easy get a table as the spot is cozy. They have light bites and a unique drink menu. While the menu says they aren't mixologists but rather bartenders, I disagree cause what was happening behind that bar was pure craft!! Music was chill jazzy and not overly loud. The photos came out way more bright than it actually is in there. Seemed to be a popular date spot or even small groups. Definitely a cool experience!!

Baby Gray ($22)

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DaviD's

4.9(22 reviews)

1.1 mi•Lower East Side

A true NY dive bar, we had such a great night! Not much seating inside, literally 8 spots at the…read morebar and two small cocktail tables so I'm happy it was nice enough to sit outside. David's is in the heart of Chinatown so this is a great place to people watch. Drinks are pretty affordable, would definitely like to come back for Happy Hour but very cute and will be back!

We randomly found this bar after having dinner in the neighborhood. It's a true dive bar that feels…read morelike you're hanging out at a friend's basement. The walls are fully decorated with Polaroid photos and they even have a free self-camera, which is fun. I started off with the Purple Nurple ($16), which was a cutesy butterfly pea cocktail. Then I caught the bartender refilling the jar of lychees and had to get a Lychee Martini ($16) for my next drink. This was delicious, but I guess you can't go wrong with lychee though. Overall, very chill vibes and friendly atmosphere --a real hole in the wall spot.

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Vig Bar

3.9(226 reviews)

1.0 mi•Nolita

A bit too young for my taste but the bartenders here and nice and work quickly…read more Music was fine from what I remember, a little fratty. They have sports playing on TVs above the bar so that's nice if you want to dissociate a bit. Came here after a birthday dinner and had a El Spicy Rico which was actually pretty good. I wouldn't choose to come here just because the demographic and music, but if I were 21, I could see myself coming here.

I've been going to this neighborhood bar for years--it's one of my go-to spots in Nolita and it's…read morealways a great time. The staff is always super friendly. They don't serve food, but you can get food delivered right to the bar. The music is always good, and it's a great place for summer vibes with their outdoor seating. It usually gets pretty packed after 10pm.

Pickle back shots

Bar area

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Pickle back shots

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16 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Samuel C.

8 years ago

I visited Monas's about 6 days in a row for vacation for my birthday and before I ship to boot camp and Thursday was the worst experience I ever had. I've read all 88 reviews and gotta say I should've seen this one coming. (The people who rate this 4 stars and above either got a great bartender or just got lucky.) I walked in Thursday, May 17th 2018 at 7pm and politely asked the male bartender for a Whiskey and Ginger. Paid the man. Then also asked for a water and he then yelled to everyone else in the bar "IF YOURE GOING TO ASK FOR TWO THINGS MAKE IT A SINGLE ORDER". I apologized and after he said in such a vile and condescending manner "Here's a whiskey and a water in a separate order". I sat down near the pool table and just wondered what the hell his problem was and just decided to dump the drink down the bathroom sink. I drank the water and grabbed the glasses to give to the bartender and he just said "Goodbye". I asked for his name and he didn't want give me his name. I asked another patron if he knew it and she didn't give it either which I expected. (Don't worry, I'll get it on Friday.) I challenged the guys intention and asked what the hell his problem was. I won't be detailed but mostly it was just insults hurled at me by him and the regulars about how much dick I suck and other nasty things. I left and immediately created a yelp account and review. All in all I had a good time on Saturday 5/12/18. TIPS ON HAVING S GOOD TIME AT MONA'S: *If there are only older patrons (50+) stay away *If it's a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday stay away *If it's just you and the bartender stay away *If you're just visiting and nobody in the bar talks to you stay away *Don't be political because it's a very left-wing bar *If you have a bad time at Mona's and you want to challenge the bartender or patrons for being rude. Don't. Just bite your tongue and leave. * If it's Saturday and there's a cute 25 yo female bartender then go on in because she's awesome and polite Thanks for reading and please take my advice. That place is like digging for gold. It's mostly awful 99/100 of the times but when you find that gold nugget it's a very awesome time. read more

Daniel P.

15 days ago

Came here with three friends last night. When the bartender approached to ask for our order, we hadn't decided yet -- we had been sat for roughly 10 seconds. She said, "That's crazy, you all looked at me like I just walked into your room and ripped the covers off." So, one of my friends ordered a beer. When she got to me, I said I wasn't ordering anything. She said, "Okay, so you're going to stand over there, because right now you're in a paying seat." Yes, she RELEGATED ME TO THE CORNER because I decided I didn't want a drink. The bar was only half-full. We were all confused. Before we could say anything in response she said, "Listen, this place isn't for you, it's a complicated, old-person bar." In essence, calling us stupid for not immediately knowing what we wanted to order. She said, "It's giving underage," and proceeded to ID us a second time (we had already been ID-ed at the door). We are 22 and 23 years old. Then, she took my friend's beer before kicking us out with no explanation. The bartender was the heavyset woman with blonde braids working the 1 am shift on Friday night. Her attitude was egregious, her disposition was aggressive and hostile, and she deserves to be fired. This should be taken seriously, considering that the other recent 1-star reviews of Mona's are about this same miserable woman. As the reviewer Ryan D. wrote 7 months ago about this particular bartender, she might be the "worst human I've interacted with in NYC." read more

David A.

12 years ago

Nice vibe, watered down drinks for cheap, buck hunter, ski-ball, and terrible bartenders. This place is everything that a dive bar should be. The big problem with this bar is the discriminatory practices of one of their bar tenders. The woman who works the late night weekend shifts will kick out anyone with a west coast ID. She claims that the ID's seem fake, but the likely reason is that the bar is filling up and she is too lazy to serve a full bar, so she picks on the customers who she doesn't think are going to come back. After visiting Mona's, and the co-owned Josie Wood's and Phebe's, for the last four years (most of which was with an actual fake ID) I am sorry to say that I will not be returning as long as this bartender is employed. Please don't tip segregationist bartenders like this lame excuse for a woman. read more

Caroline K.

4 years ago

I came in with my girlfriend trying to get a drink, only to be violently berated by the decrepit old man working night shifts on saturdays. He shouted at us to get our ID's out as soon as we stepped foot in the door, fiddled with my friend's ID for a good minute, and since it seemed like he wasnt done with it i didnt pass mine up. He immediately begins to scream wildly vulgar language at us which my friend responded to and then he told us to get the f*ck out...? It's unbecoming and absolutely vile for a man of that age to yell at two younger women in that manner - don't come here!! Also saw a review stating that the place might be racist and for reference we are both asian/latina - take your money elsewhere until they get rid of their violent, degrading, miserable bartenders read more

Jae S.

5 years ago

This is about the racists patrons. One patron asked if I liked the beer I got - it was strange as if he wanted to start an arguement perhaps? I didn't think anything of it, I dont' care. Then another old guy, as he was walking to the rest room, singles me out, points at me and says - look at this - and hits the cue ball with his fingers. It was so odd. I asked what that was about. The guy wanted to show me the white power sign he was making with his hand. It's so pathetic and sad he is so upset at my presence he wants to curse me but too scared to actually do it. So sad, this guy was old as fuck yet still acting like a scared little child acting out. read more

Clari C.

3 years ago

BEWARE OF THE RACIST AS$H&LE they have as a "bartender". (the one before him was cool) This d bag refused service to a guy because he was Mexican and he admitted it when asked by the patron about it. He said he didn't care if he liked it or not cause he had been working there for ages. (With deep hate in his eyes and voice) He did the same to others that looked like "minority". Such a shame they still have people like this working in the service industry. Yikes. Shame shame shame. (The patron is a very famous actor btw) read more

Christopher P.

10 years ago

I have been going her for over 20 years, it's my favorite Manhattan bar I was in there in early Feb. 2017 and the customers were all hate filled intolerant alt lefties spewing there hate. Even the bartender was on board, It's become fashionable to be hateful and intolerant. It's embarrassing to be a Democrat. I Hope this fad ends soon so I can enjoy Monas once again. read more

Franklin O.

8 years ago

Don't go here if your black the bar tender tonight was a racist piece of shit he was soo rude b4 and after we got our shots we asked for lime and salt which goes with the tequila shots don't ever go here read more

Jimmy J.

3 years ago

Foul place, poor and racist service too, watch out especially for Aiden and the other washed up bartenders - mostly deadbeats and derilecst. If you want to have a good timeMona's isn't the place read more

David W.

10 years ago

Horrible racist bar, stay away if you're not a white person. Unfortunately one of the last remaining racist hold outs in Manhattan.

Anton K.

2 years ago

Worst bar, worst service, terrible experience, one of my worst while visiting new york. Never coming here again again!

Jack

23 days ago

Avoid at all costs bartender is a big back goofball nightmare screaming her big Buddha headass off karmas a mf j wait

Ramon R.

12 years ago

excellent bar , very good neighborhood time capsule Keep it real

Janice J.

Elite 10

267

18 years ago

A place where I can drink and others can read the newspaper.

W S.

14 years ago

Decent dive bar - cheap drinks.

Arielle C.

114

10 years ago

Best dive bar in the city.

Mona's - divebars - Updated September 2026

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