People who think this bar is "sketch" or particularly divey should vacate Brooklyn immediately. Not even approaching the level of Kelly's in Bay Ridge, where I was invited by an old dude in a Notre Dame jacket to "climb inside my fucking parka, pussy boy." This is not the bar to visit if you want to bring your friends and then talk loudly about what a weird place Montero's is. If things were totally right with the world, outsiders would nurse their drinks unobtrusively, and some woulda-been "contender" would damage the loud pseudo hipster gawkers with a tire iron. It goes without saying that your expectations should be greatly diminished if you order anything more complex than a Seven and Seven. There's an old snooze who's often at the bar explaining to the nodding out set the difference between port and sherry. Don't talk to him or you may be subject to hours of the Rime of the Ancient Idiot. read more

This place was completely out of the way from my friend's apartment and from the subway, and we were the only people under 40 in attendance. However... - Did a random friendly semi-crazy looking man in overalls make me a balloon hat? With a yellow flower atop a purple base that he declared was a "classic look"? Yes. - Was the jukebox awesome, cheap, and chock full of every song you ever forgot you liked but suddenly remembered upon seeing it listed there? Yes. - Were beers $4 and drinks very strong? Yes. - Is almost oppressive amount of trinkets, gadgets and signage that constitute the decor -- many nautical themed, as this place was apparently once a longshoreman's hangout -- completely impressive and absorbing? Yes. My friend had her birthday party here and we basically had free reign of the place. It was awesome and so much fun. I'd definitely recommend bringing a group here that would appreciate its wonders. Minus 1 because it was a little smelly -- which is to be expected at a dive bar, I suppose -- and the inclusion of "grill" in the name is misleading. read more

Let's set the stage: Friday night at a bar in Brooklyn... I know, you're thinking slender gentleman dressed effeminately, chicks in old lady glasses, and flannel. But actually, Montero's has a bunch of middle-aged people doing karaoke and a few bedraggled law students playing pool. Pretty confusing, but the drinks are cheap. read more

"Your bar must smell this bad to be considered a dive." Visited this place after a holiday party. It was kinda outa the way and smelled like beer and puke. I lasted less than 10mins before I escaped. If you're drunk and your sense of smell is gone, then this place is for you....cheap drinks and drink people...plus karaoke. Cash only I think. read more

A classic example of a fun little dive bar with tons of heart and soul. I would call this place superb for the kind of bar it is. Staff and patrons: warm, upbeat, friendly. Atmosphere: shadowy, cloaking, and intimate, enclosing, encircling, enfolding. Soothing. Museum-like. Subdued, mellowed, and gentle. All the wood grain has that buttery, powdery, worn-down texture which comes from years and years of people's elbows and knees buffing all over it. A real pleasure, that. Other remarks: I might style Montero's somewhat more of a place for hard liquor drinkers. You'll be side-by-side with experienced, seasoned imbibers here, old salts who can stand up to repeated, prolonged, series of shots and not sway in their shoes. But there are plenty of bottled beers as well (for you lightweights). Overall: solid watering-hole for when the workaday world around you is too bright, too loud, too crazy. When the breaks are beating the boys; when you're up against it...when you're down to the very last nerve cell between you and a jail cell...when nerve is all you got left in the left-sagging cheek--of the only ass you got left--and that ass is being kicked left and right by all the feet in the city...Montero's is where you must come for relief. read more

I'd have to say the bartender with the black bob was excellent. Family owned for many decades. Good people root for this bar's success. As humans working in the same direction for our collective betterment let us all remember the importance of supporting our fellow people. I have never had a negative experience here read more

I came here yesterday afternoon with three of my friends and it was good service, we were having a great time until the owner came in and started yelling at the bartender and two other young ladies. Basically saying that the two girls had to wait for him outside to help him in the cold. I hope he pays these girls good money with the way he treats them. read more

Stopped in a couple hours ago for a quick bud run after a day in the park and I gotta say, one of the worst establishments I've been to. Besides heavy dust, the place was baby friendly but a bitchy old man (the owner I'm assuming) spoke horribly to female employees. If it weren't for the bartender with great sense of humor, this place would get one star. Seriously stay home gramps. read more

Enjoy Montero's while you can. A weird mix of dive bar and old nautical history, awesome. Unfortunately I think Montero's will be consumed by the same weird Law School/Hipster crowd that has taken over other nearby bars. Last time I was at Montero's the karaoke night had attracted a crowd that must have got lost on their way to Zombie Hut. If it looks quiet and almost empty, than you should go in. Montero's is best enjoyed when it is still a gloomy, depressing, dive read more

Wait, have I seriously never written a review of Montero's? Best. Bar. Ever. I almost always leave wasted and never feel like I'm going to miss a rent payment because of it. It's a nice change from the douchery at Floyd's and I can always find a seat at the bar to hunker with my elbows out. It's my favorite karaoke place in the city because there are very few theater nerds trying to show off in this part of town unlike in Manhattan. We might have crashed an engagement party for the owner's son, but they still welcomed us and were insistent on us eating from the catered buffet. Looking forward to seeing this place again next week! read more

My girls and I were out in the neighborhood having dinner and decided to come in for karaoke. The bartenders were alright- they took a tip straight from our change without permission however we didn't say anything. We were going to give the tip anyway. I wouldn't recommend coming here if you're a woman who is coming here alone or with female friends, the owner is extremely disrespectful and was whispering some really inappropriate things to me while being sure to include that he was the owner as if I was going to be interested in him because of that. He would touch my ass everytime he passed by me and kept trying to get involved in my conversations. I felt extremely disrespected. He referred to my friends and I as "the hot girls" and kept telling guys to look at us. Dirty old man. read more

Heh-- as someone said earlier, Montero's should be landmarked. Unfortunately with the changing neighborhood the bar may turn into a Banana Republic any day now, so get there while you can. I love this bar and I even love the hipster-yuppies that are often populating the area and the bar. If you come here to chill and have a cold PBR and are friendly with everyone, Montero's will become your local favorite watering hole too. read more

Get a great karaoke partying here at this historic local bar in Cobble Hill. Pool hall in the back and fun crowd.

3.5 stars... I've lived down the street from Modero for years now and it never struck me as a place I wanted to check out, especially when there are some awesome bars just a few blocks away, it just seemed to me to be some dirty old dive bar. Well I decided to do an Atlantic pub crawl and hit all the bars on Atlantic between the east river and Hoyt. This consisted of (if starting from Hoyt and going to the river): Brazen Head, Last Exit, Pete's Ale House, Floyd, The Chip Shop, Roebling Inn, and Montero. Here's that list in order of appeal, starting the best: Roebling Inn, Floyd, Last Exit, Chip Shop, Brazen Head, Pete's Ale House, Montero. Needless to say I was following the pub crawl almost literally by the time I got to Montero. Montero turned out to be an easy bar to judge by it's cover but there were a few things I just weren't expecting that I thought were interesting. Yes it's a total dive bar but it's unlike any dive bar I've ever been to in NYC. The place was decorated with old nautical items and the place smelt like the cross between a typical dive and my grandparent's basement. The bartender was also this old lady that couldn't have been taller than five feet but she looked like she had more energy than I could ever muster up by 2am if I was on my feet constantly. The crowd here varied quite a bit in age but I'd say the majority of the people were in their late 30s to early 40s. They do have a back room with a pool table as well. I felt as though this hole in the wall bar really transformed me into a time in Brooklyn's past where men who worked the docks would come to throw down a few after work. Unfortunately they didn't keep the prices in line as a Bud Light was the typical $4 I'd expect from anywhere else. I probably wouldn't go back because this really isn't my type of place but I can definitely appreciate the certain weathered and divey charm that Montero possesses. By the way this isn't a bar and grill, it's just a bar read more

This is an awesome dive bar with a pool table in the back. The coolest night to go is karaoke night but I've been here other nights and I always meet very interesting people. It's all good vibes all around and the bartenders are a bunch of characters. It's a throw back to when bars were fun and you can get shit faced and not care what you look like. So hell yeah, go and grab yourself a beer and enjoy. read more

An odd place but the price for drinks are cheap and they have karaoke. My friend and I ordered 2 shots of jameson and 2 bud lights and it came out to $20. Not too shabby if you ask me. I went on a Friday night and there was a mix of older people who were running the karaoke night and a lot of yuppie nerds. Luckily, they were all very talented and put on a good show when it was their turns to go up and sing. It's a small place and because of the karaoke, I'm not sure if I'd go there regularly but not a bad place to check out if you're in the mood to sing in front of the entire bar. Best moment of the night is probably when the lady running the karaoke machine and the bartender sang a duet. Props to the bartender for singing while serving drinks and giving out change. read more

Throwback place. Pepe Montero will talk you up real good on a quiet afternoon. Did you know the King of Denmark drank here (40 years ago). That's what I'm talking about! read more

Montero's Bar & Grill - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

You have to be F'd up to be hangin out in here, but that's the best part about it, "You're drunk, I'm drunk, Everybody's drunk!" Cheap PBR bottles makes it classy, as well as the red felt pool table. Probably a good place to come as the last stop when you're having a night of all night. read more

If it happened to be the end of the night while me and the wife were arguing and I absolutely needed a beer or an excuse to get out of the house, I might pick this place. The beer was overly priced ( in my opinion ) and they don't even play football games on sundays WOW read more

This isn't the bar to take your mother-in-law. Personally, I don't think you should take your mother-in-law alone to any bar. But that's besides the point! I'm here to tell you Montero's is your classic dive bar that has been there so long that I can only assume the empty phone booth that is inside has had many a sailor that....stole a kiss from a sweet dame. See, this place is so classic and old school that you become a person of the past. The place has cheap beers as a dive should. But Montero's has a "low key" karaoke scene that actually could intimidate even the greatest of weekend American Idols! I swear everyone sings so damn good! You know how to solve those fears and jitters? Yea, you know...more cheap drinks. The karaoke gets pretty full after 10:30 on weekends so make sure you get your song requests in! The bar staff are always willing to chat and poke fun at my group of yokels, and we definitely deserve all the sass they can give. FYI, it is cash only, of course. (What is that plastic devil square you are handing me?!) This is Montero's you fool, The pride of the Brooklyn Piers and home to horny sailors(ok, haven't seen an sailors in a while) since the 1940's! read more

Bar & Grill? What do you mean "grill?" This is bar...traditional, old school gin mill of the Twilight Zone variety...meaning you step back in time and enter another dimension; a dimension where men went to a bar with empty buckets and lugged home a beerful of fun. And not even good beer at that. It is said that Arthur Miller was inspired to write "A View From the Bridge" at this joint...and I can see how that is possible. It has that kind of old bar feel to it. And that's where its charm lies. Some nights the place is dead...but if you go on a Friday and partake of the Karaoke, you can have great fun and watch young hipsters and locals having a great time...some singing beautifully...and many, well, just NOT. But you will still get a great laugh and have a Nice night out. Be nice to Andie the bartender and give her lots of tips! She deserves it and works hard often covering that busy bar...and if you are lucky, Pepe the owner may come out with a tray of hot dogs and hand them out for free. Oh, maybe that's the grill part. And if you see a funny looking guy in a hat sitting at the bar...say hi. He's a friend of mine. read more

Ended up at this spot after our original idea was closed. Dive bar with friendly & hospitable service. Played pool though I'm not very savvy, we had fun! A few beers, good vibes & great laughs is one way to enjoy life. Check this place out for a nice laid back community bar. read more

I Love Montero's!!. There is just a really nice vibe here: friendly, unpretentious, welcoming people and nice bartenders. My sis and I came to sing a couple of songs and had a ball. Everyone was really supportive and fun and even offered us pizza. Montero's is the bomb. Don't ever change, Montero's! read more

Dive bar without the grittiness. The incredibly welcoming and lovely woman behind that bar (Kaddy/Caddy) is half of what makes this place so special. She makes you feel like a regular right off the bat. I can't wait to go back!!! read more

Cool little dive, with some rockin' music (was it a jukebox? I can't remember... But there was lots of Social Distortion, and Bouncing Souls... That I do remember...) Not a place that I would seek out, but if I'm in the area, I'm happy to knock back a couple rounds, while watching hockey and getting some songs [from the 90s] stuck in my head. read more

Not bad for a Sunday afternoon beer break.. Good price, good vibe, and an interesting comb of ppl! Brooklyn is really changing for the best!! read more

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Comfort. That's what is so appealing about Montero. Andy is quirky, Pepe is old school and everyone is relaxed. No food but you can order in. Always a party in the back room. You've got to experience for yourself. read more

Montero's Bar & Grill - Need I say more? A nautical theme. - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Cheap drinks! Very fun environment and a great place to hang out! The bartender was super friendly and it is a cash only bar FYI. I'm definitely going again when I visit. read more

I love this place. Somebody reported (on Yelp) that they've closed, which is not true, so don't panic! I just called the bar and they were like "I don't care about Yelp! We're packed every night!" Shine on, Montero's, shine on. read more

Really friendly people including the fun KJ, Amethyst Valentino! She's super nice and has lots of songs, just ask. You get a karaoke ticket with each drink purchase. Cash only but there's an ATM, drinks are reasonable. Great little dive bar! So glad we found this spot. read more

I live in the neighborhood and wanted to love Montero's, but sadly there is a racist bartender there. I'm Asian and was sitting at the bar the other night with my white friend. The white bartender said to my friend, about me: "You know you can't trust people like her who have slanty eyes." I've never had someone say something like that to me in my life. I very calmly and directly said "Sir, you really shouldn't say offensive things like this to people." He said, "It was a joke." He didn't even feel the need to offer a proper apology. I live blocks away, and when my friends come to my neighborhood, they often want to stop by Montero's because of its authenticity and interesting decor. Now I'll tell them only go if you're white. read more

Montero's Bar makes it onto my list of Desirable Dives in NYC and here is why. I came here a while back with an old friend of mine and I have continued to think about this place from time to time. It has left an impression with me. I've been to lots of places I could easily forget but I haven't forgotten this one. If you like dives, this is one you should try. Montero's is a family-owned bar that is inviting and fun. Their claim to fame, author Frank McCourt, who wrote "Angela's Ashes" and "Teacher Man," lived upstairs and used to frequent the bar. Montero's also has karaoke for those of you who love to belt out a great song or two. Another bonus, the drinks are inexpensive. read more

My husband and I came to this establishment the other night unexpectedly after dinner. There's only one word to describe this place. Dusty. Please do not come here if you have allergies, or just for any matter whatsoever. I highly do not recommend this place if you want to have a good time in New York. read more

Classic brooklyn bar with in a great Brooklyn Neighborhood. Just a great little karaoke bar with awesome bartenders that are super chill.

I visited this bar one night with a friend and acquaintances after visiting another bar earlier that night. While vibe was good, it was surprisingly busy and crowded when we went inside. I had one cocktail while there. There was Karaoke there as well but there was a lengthy list of people who wanted to sing, so I didn't even though I wanted to. I spent much of the time in conversations while feeling nice from the previous cocktails. We left after a woman sung Anastasia's hit song "One Day In Your Life" which we enjoyed. Overall, I enjoyed my visit. read more

I love this bar. I've been coming here about once a week for a couple months now, and I'm hooked. I was originally drawn in by a friend for karaoke (Thurs, Fri, Sat), but I still find it perfectly enjoyable the rest of the week. The place has a great overall vibe, and the crowd varies depending on the night of the week, which I like. The walls are decked, ceiling to floor, with memorabilia and mementos from the dive's days as a sailor bar. Apparently, sailors will still stop in from time to time, and always make for a fun night. For my money, $3 PBR is the way to go, but the other drinks are just as reasonably priced. The karaoke here is great. You don't have to pay for it, which some places make you do, and regardless of which night you're there, it's a totally judgment-free crowd. Amethyst, who runs the show, is a total sweetheart and has a huge selection. I'm an Ohio transplant, used to honkey-tonk karaoke bars where you have a cigarette and your beer in one hand and the mic in the other, while you croon Patsy Cline from a three-legged stool. Obviously, Montero's isn't exactly like that (you can't smoke inside anywhere in NYC!), but it has the same friendly, home feel to it that I love about my old karaoke haunts back home. It's less crowded on Thursdays, but if you like the standing-room, whole bar singing along-type crowd, you'll love Fridays and Saturdays. Patrons sing their hearts out to the tunes of anything from Sinatra, to Styx, to Showtunes, to Shania, and even if it's an obscure song, the crowd is still supportive! If karaoke's not your thing, there's still plenty to love about Montero's. The staff are all super-friendly, the pool table in the back is only $1 per game, the jukebox is up to date, and the clientele are always entertaining - you never know who you're going to meet! Cash only, but there's an ATM right next door. There are also a few banks not too far away on Atlantic. For late-night patrons, I'd recommend taking the bus (the B63 and B61 stop just outside) to whichever train you need, rather than have to drunk-schlep back to Court Street or Borough Hall. read more

This former neighborhood coke-den has ridden many a rough sea over its 50 year existence or so, but you'll always find the Brooklyn that hasn't been turned into a condo in this joint. Your mixed drink might not be strong so get a shot. Your beer won't be on tap so get a bottle. And you might not have eaten dinner, so grab a slice or some KFC that Pepe brings out. This place is family even if you're not part of it. Looking to play a game of stick but nobody's playing? Just say something. You got 5 games ahead of you. And if you've had a long night grab a life preserver and put some crazy mix of songs on the jukebox. You're gonna have a good night. read more

My soccer team and I have chosen this to be our personal soccer bar, even though the official bar for the league is further up the street at Pete's Ale House. Although it might be a strange choice, we love how much of a dive bar it is. There's no frills, bunch of weird and odd decorations along the walls, price is cheap and the bartender is friendly and hilarious. read more

A gem of the old Brooklyn waterfront; sailors and regulars, pool table and phone booths. Go here if you are in the neighborhood; I'll leave it at that. read more

I love this bar. I love the nautical theme, the dim lighting, the near-random placement of decorative objects, the half inch layer of dust over every surface. I love that the average age of its patrons is 65. I love that when I order red wine it comes out of a bottle that's been open for 6-12 weeks. It tastes like vinegar, but it's honest, no-nonsense booze. There is also cheap PBR, kind of. I once stumbled onto a birthday party here and was welcomed by a sandwich the length of a grown man and a bounty of free cake. It was a magical experience and one I will not soon forget. From that day walking into Montero has meant that I am transported to another world, another state of mind. The patrons and proprietors are good, kind, fuss-free folk. I once left a jacket here and the bartender searched every inch of the place the next day to find it for me. Then he took my number and promised to call if it turned up. When it didn't he offered his sincerest condolences. read more