Overall a decent old-timey classic bar without the grit/dirt of a regular dive. Unfortunately, the owner/bartender has a thinly veiled but overall apathetic borderline territorial attitude about the place, revealed by frustration when a paying customer has the gall to ask for a drink and thus commit the unspeakable sin of interrupting a service worker from his banter with the regulars. Decent drinks and ambience for a seemingly non-pretentious bar, unfortunately the lack of third spaces in NYC creates a culture of old-time-ry spiritual curmudgeons and ingroup outgroup dynamics among regulars not worth being around if you want to have fun. May be if you're Irish and/or older Gen Xer, you may have a slightly better experience. Despite its placement and weekly karaoke catering to a younger demographic, it's still a crotchety old-man bar at heart though perhaps not really malicious, just annoying and set in its ways... Better options: Adirondak, Hinterlands. read more

Shenanigans is a solid bar - looks divey, but without the dive attitude. I popped through before the Kentucky Derby and enjoyed a few drinks before pushing on. The drinks were nicely priced and the bartender friendly. As it was Derby day, they were even serving Mint Juleps! I hear they have a cool Karaoke scene and will need to check that out soon. read more

Service was apathetic, beer was overpriced and the karaoke was screamed loud and out of tune. People seemed to be having a good time, but not my scene. Will not be back. read more

Had a blast singing with the neighborhood all stars. And I do love having a local that serves such fresh pints.

Our fave root neighborhood bar! Love love love it! So down to earth and really affordable drinks!! Great staff too! Love their Saturday night karaoke!! read more

Best Buffalo Bills bar in NYC! Amazing community of football fans new and old. Labatt's on tap! Everyone is welcome and instantly becomes Bills Mafia family!!! GO BILLS! read more

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A terrible karaoke spot. Not nearly crowded enough to justify the wait times. Every time I've been to Shenanigans I have waited about three hours to sing a song. The DJ just acts as a juke box and lets people stacks countless songs so that you will hear the same dudes sing 5 songs each while you wait. Winnie's in Manhattan does a much better job of this despite being ten times more crowded. Many dive bars do a far better job of having a fun karaoke night. It stinks because this place is near my house, but I have tried 5 times or so and have just had an interminable experience regardless of how crowded it is. If you get there an hour before karaoke starts, your group can put in as many songs as they want, and you will sing them all immediately. If you arrive after karaoke has started, don't bother showing up if you want to to sing. read more

Great vibe. Karaoke was great and made it a fun Saturday night. Would definitely go again.

Still a great hang. Inexpensive, un pretentious, and welcoming. Everything a neighborhood bar should be.

My favorite spot to go for Wednesday night trivia. The host is great and so are the bartenders! Also a good place to grab a few drinks in the neighborhood with good prices, outdoor seating, and darts. read more

This place is FRICKEN AWESOME MANG... Wednesday night trivia is always good times. You guys ROCK!!! read more

Shenanigans Pub - Karaoke King Randy McNash Live!!! - Karaoke Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I must say for not being in a bar never, cause it just was not my thing.I was introduced to this bar by my great friend who came here for years. I will say I am happy she invited me to join her on several occasions because i had the time of my life on a Friday and Saturday. I am a lady that loves to dance and have fun and this bar atmosphere offered all of what l loved! The drinks are great and the bartenders are the sweet,silly ,funny ,respectful & down to earth. Very great place thanks to my great friend I now found a awesome fun bar to enjoy myself at. I recommend thousands to COME!! LOL Blessings to the business ,business owners and workers in this current time we are in. read more

Found this bar while visiting nephew and family in Brooklyn. Went on Friday night. Great live band and friendly staff and patrons. Great neighborhood bar. Don't go there with an attitude. They don't need you anyway. read more

The service was so good I HAD to come back.. karaoke Saturdays. Drinks pouring. Best place to be. See you there

I went here with my boy friend on a Saturday night and while he was parking the car, I thought I'd run in and go use the bathroom. When walking past the bartender he asked me "am I going to buy something" .. and was extremely rude and intimidating. I was going to spend my evening there and felt obligated to get at least one drink after he rudely assumed I would not buy anything. But after we ordered our devils juice the bartender felt the need to TELL my boy friend (I'm South Asian .. bf Black) that I was lying about what he said to me .. and that I should have addressed him when I walked in as people use the place as a "rest stop"; however, I did not see him stop any of the white patrons for stopping by the restroom first and Not "addressing him". I don't usually assume people are racist pricks BUT there's no denying the bartender is a RACIST PRICK. If I could give this a zero star I would. *In addition, the bartenders have been rude on separate occasionS to my soccer group. I gave the bar the benefit of those being isolated IncidentS but NOPE! * read more

I love this place. A true NYC bar with a beautiful long bar on a sleepy corner in Brooklyn. A nice local vibe.

Transphobic and disrespectful bartender will laugh you out of the bar. I've been here a few times now with a friend who lives nearby. Won't be returning and am telling all of my friends of what I encountered last night. As soon as I arrived to meet my friend, another patron and the bartender said the bartender preferred "they/them" pronouns. Then began to laugh together. I asked if this was a bad joke or serious, to which they both responded it was a good joke. I told them I was offended. Bartender walked away. He continued to ignore my need for another drink and laugh loudly with the equally offensive patron. Later on, this same patron made another transphobic joke to the bartender loudly, to which I told her I shouldn't have to ask them again to stop making offensive jokes. The bartender dismissed this as "bar talk," and told me I was too sensitive. He then, in lieu of an apology, groaned "jokingly" about how he'll probably get "another bad yelp review." I wouldn't be making this if he had just apologized and realized offending a customer was wrong and disrespectful. Since he suggested it, here it is. read more

Quiet little Irish bar down were i live... never been here before but meet with an old friend to catch up. I've heard some kool stories about this place but unfortunately i didn't stay long to experience it. Bartender did make me a delicious Vodak Gimlet on the rocks just how i like it. There wasn't a lot of people there but you can diffidently tell who are the regulars. Well like to come back with some friends and Experience the fun nights that i heard so much about. read more

In life, sometimes you are called upon to be a very good friend. And sometimes being a very good friend means riding further on the F than you ever have except for that time you went to Coney Island. That was REALLY far. Shenanigan's is in Kensington. Have you heard of Kensington? Me neither, until my friend S moved there. Kensington is a lovely enough place, and it is only made lovelier by the presence of Shenanigans, sitting unassumingly across the Ocean Parkway overpass from where S lives. Shananigans is full of magical surprises, most magically surprising perhaps being that you can smoke here. Me no likey the smoke, but me likey the irreverent disregard for laws and things. Also magical is Eddie Mac's Saturday Night Karaoke party!!! Because you are in Kensington, you are the only person here, and you will have the mic basically to yourself, except for the occasional Eastern European ex-pat. So you see, Shananigans makes it really not so hard to be a very, very good friend. When your friends live in Kensington. read more

This is an excellent neighborhood bar. The bartender is really nice. Super generous with pours and big on buy backs. I'm a fan of the backyard when the weather is nice. It's hardly ever crowded. The crowd can be totally different from one night to the next, but it's almost always a kind of weird mix of people. When I'm not in the mood to deal with the crowds on Cortelyou or I want to meet up with a bunch of friends, this is the spot to go. I do avoid it on karaoke night, though. read more

yo you idiots stop tweeting about this place and 'south brooklyn' this place needs about 25 people and karaoke if they still have sausages on sunday I would give it 35 stars. for real if you read this stay in bushwick forever i hear bushwick has brunch and is 'edgy' (moving out puerto ricans at record rates) fuck all of you (fuck all of you) shenanigans is a bar that also checks your trust fund when you walk in, if you have a trust fund over 100,000 you have to submit a bank receipt to the bartender I don't make the rules but you should know to keep a bank receipt on you brooklyn is a white ass trash factory stay at home five stars i'll be watching nfl be quiet. read more

I passed by Shenanigan's Pub many times before finally entering this fantastic pub. I could see people calling it a dive bar, but I don't think it's quite that. It's a no frills neighborhood bar. I was talking with the bartenders while here, and learned that the bar has been in the hands of just a few owners over the last 5 or 6 decades and I decided it is very much a neighborhood gem. I'm hoping to move into this neighborhood, so I fully expect to spend many more days at this solid spot. The one funny thing is the beers on tap. The options are Foster's, Killian's Irish Red, and Budweiser. They have a lot of other options in bottle, but just those three on tap. I liked it, though. Killian's is always a good choice! read more

Not even worth one star. This place is absolutely terrible. I've been to a lot of bars throughout the country and abroad and this is absolutely the worst. The bartender is a miserable human being and makes your visit as miserable and uninviting as possible. Came here with a bunch of thirst soccer players and I guess he didn't think we were drinking fast enough while a World Cup game was on. We probably brought in more business then they ever had on a Sunday afternoon and he still treated us like shit. Something is up with this place if they don't care about our business. I've also had a few friends show up here late one night when they were obviously open. For some reason, someone took a look at them and said they were closed. Sketchy business. read more

My girlfriend and I just recently moved down the block from Shenanigans, and being in our young twenties we of course looked for the nearest bar. We stumbled upon Shenanigans and we were welcomed into the neighborhood with open arms. We knew after our first time that we would be regulars. The drinks are strong, the prices are good, and everyone treats each other like family. Joe was the first bartender we met that night, and he remembered us the next day. Since then we have met all the bartenders and the owner and they all couldn't be more friendly and welcoming. Hands down greatest dive bar in Brooklyn!!! Thanks to Joe, Eric, Kathleen and Seth...YOU GUYS RULE \m/ -Jena and Casey read more

For a neighborhood dive, it's open, bright, clean and modern enough to have HDTV. The drinks are cheap, but it's worth paying a bit more for brands because their well booze can strip paint. After that, it all boils down to who shows up. read more

I honestly can't say much about what Shenanigans is like Sunday through Friday, but having been there pretty much every Saturday night for the past two years, I say with confidence that the Saturday night karaoke is the warmest, most fun-loving, environment I've ever seen in a bar. The punks and queers and meatheads and hipsters and blue-collars all get together and sing along with Eddie Mac. If this sounds too United Colors of Benetton or Breakfast Club to believe, then come on down sometime and see it for yourself. read more

Old guy Irish bar on a forgotten street in Kensington. I've seen minivans dropping their alcoholic grandpas off here noonish, but I'd never stopped in until tonight. A little after 11:30 on a Tuesday, I don't expect a bar to be slammin', but there was no one in there but me and the ancient barkeep. Court TV cranked to 100. I saw the Guinness signs and ordered one. He cracked a can into a pint glass, which he placed on some oscillating tesla coil vibrating jimmyjobby. "I've never seen it done like that, sir." He assured me it's the newest thing. Whatever. It had ok head, but tasted more like toothpaste than stout. I also don't think a can of beer, no matter how you shake it up, should cost $5. Still, this is the closest English speaking bar to me, and the good old boys who emerged from the card game in the back room waxed philosophical about the state of the economy and politics. I got a half pint of cold Bud for free somehow too. If you've got an old guy to take to a bar, Shenanigan's might be the place. read more

Definitely a dive bar - go there after pickup soccer. They have a back patio with a for-your-use grill if you bring your own food. Bring your own crowd cause I've never seen a huge amount of people there other than those I'm with. read more

Shenanigans is my second home. It's got that Cheers-like atmosphere. Everybody knows everybody. The type of place where you can leave your purse behind at the bar while you go to the bathroom and nobody will mess with it. Almost every Saturday night (unless there is a wedding or death in the "family" - in that case, the whole bar basically shuts down), Eddie Mac sets up karaoke and attracts quite the crowd. As of late, with the recent expansion of the G line, you've seen a wide variety of hipsters coming through with the wind. But it's okay - my favorite bartender, JR, says there's only been three incidents in the many many years he's been at 'Nanergans. If you're looking for a karaoke spot with cheap booze and a good crowd, look no further. And everybody clap! read more

The place is AWESOME!!! the beer is cheap and the crowd is mixed but usually very friendly. Saturday night karaoke is the best and Eddie Mac is awesome. back yard is very nice in the summer too. my favorite place to hangout after work. read more

Moving to Kensington in 2 weeks YAY! I'm super excited about it! I'm slowly discovering the neighborhood, and came across Shenanigans just a block away from our building! It's super cute! Laid back, and I hear the back yard is awesome in the summer! The people a totally mixed crowd, def. very local and old skool-but I like that so it works! The vodka tonics were like $4 or $5 bucks! I'm excited to have a couple cocktails when I get off work! why not!!! read more

Great local Brooklyn bar. Bartender is cool, vibe is chill. Good for the game and hanging with your buddies. Beer is cold... read more

I'm still unsure how I feel about Shenanigans. My friend and I that lives nearby finally bit the bullet and decided to try it out. I've heard of it before. . . . being mentioned randomly in conversation with acquaintances and I think even a Yelper once told me that I really need to go to Shenanigans. Maybe it's better during karaoke night. Or at night in general. It's the epitome of a dive old man bar. I did come in on like a Saturday afternoon and it was dead. Their well drinks are pretty strong though, I will give them that. Priced kind of average as any bar - it was about $5. Beer options - really basic and very few options. Has kind of a certain smell to the place. A little run down but with that Irish charm lingering in the air. I will give them this, I wish this pub was across the street from my apartment instead of Denny's. This is definitely a better old man pub. There are definite regulars hanging out in here. But we both got antsy as we both pretended we liked to watch NY baseball and turned around and went to the Adirondack after our drinks were done. I'm a fan but it just needs to grow on me maybe during a more hopping night. read more

When I walked up to Shenanigans, the first thing I noticed was a Rascal power scooter parked out front. A willingness to drain that precious battery power on a trip to the pub has to be indicative of a spot worth visiting. The interior of Shenanigans is about what you'd expect from the outside. Wood paneling, dim lighting, a jukebox, and a couple of TVs. It's basic but it's perfect for this type of place. When new, hip joints in Williamsburg are starting to be referred to as "dive bars," the term is probably a little over used so I'm not going to classify Shenanigans as a dive bar. Instead, I'll say that this is a bar lover's bar. Drinks are affordable, service is prompt, buybacks are sufficient to keep you returning, and the volume of clientele is not so overwhelming that you can't easily get to the bar to grab a fresh beer (though maybe that does not hold true on karaoke nights). As to others' claims that they've had issues with racism, I've only been to Shenanigans once and didn't see or experience anything of that sort. There were minorities that came in during the evening and seemed to have no issue at all. The bartender was also a minority. Not that this precludes his being racist but it would seem odd. In any event, perhaps it's a specific bartender and, if that's the case, it's unfortunate because this is a solid spot based on single experience. The bartender that served my friends and I was solid and I never heard anything but the standard bartender/barfly talk while I was there. All-in-all, a great neighborhood pub and on par with my favorite Park Slope watering holes. read more

I've only been here on Saturdays for karaoke but man, what a blast. Very unpretentious and low stress, Shenanigans is the perfect place for karaoke. I would recommend bottle beers here as the draft I had was a bit flat. It also has a sizable backyard and darts. Cant wait to go back. read more

I like this spot. Total dive. A few TVs with one that doesn't work. Cash only. If you want to talk to folks you can. If you want to just cry in your beer no one gives a dang. Ain't no mixologists here but if that's what you are after you're in the wrong place. If you just want to drink. And drink cheap this is your spot. read more

Great spot. Authentic local hangout. Brooklyn vibe all the way. Backyard is awesome. Drafts are limited but that's the nature of the beast I guess. read more

Was a Sunday night regular back in the day and liked the place. It was our post-soccer go to spot and the bartenders were great. One, John, used to pour my girlfriend a Jameson and give her an ice pack for her knee the minute she walked through the door. Once spent a late night there dancing to Santana with a cop in a kilt who'd just been to a wake. The people were always friendly . . . until about an hour ago. Went in with a bunch of people after soccer and popped open a spring water bottle like I always do. The bartender asked me if I wanted a drink, I said in a minute, and he told me to leave because they didn't permit outside food and drinks. I typically bring my own water to bars when I've just played because I don't want to be bothering the bartender for endless fill-ups. But I always buy drinks too. I told him that if it was a problem, to bring me a Jameson, but I came to my senses, left, and went down the street to the Highbury, where they're friendly, have better beer, and don't hold their slow nights against the customers who actually show up. An extra negative is the angry old guy at the end of the bar who gave us attitude from the moment we walked in. Our soccer group has 1966 members. And we've had BBQs and pizza parties at Shenanigans over the years. I won't be back personally, and I'm recommending to our other 1965 members, and to the greater Yelp community, that they avoid the place too. If you're desperate for a drink in the neighborhood there are plenty of better options on Courtelyou Rd. and in Windsor Terrace. I grew up in working class bars, and I find the pretension at a lot of places in Brooklyn unbearable, so, in some regards, this place WAS refreshing once upon a time. I'm not too big on gentrification, either, but I'm big on civility and friendliness. So the sooner this place is bulldozed the better. Bad possibly racist/homophobic vibes all around. read more

I wish I could give this 0 stars. The last time I went here, there was a birthday party out back, which really pissed off the bartender, who thought they were all Muslim and not drinking enough. The party left, and when a (black) woman from the group came back to look for something, the bartender said, "Is there a trail of bananas here?" Then he demanded that my wife and I make out. Repeatedly. With force. To the point where I was actually terrified for my physical safety. Obviously, we shot the rest of our drinks and left. I won't even walk past this place, let alone go inside. read more

I live two blocks from here and want to love this place...ummmm not so much. Outside of the storied magical Karaoke nights where unicorns gallop and Hall and Oates plays loudly, this place is a hateful dump. It is run like a social club by people who simply don't wan't your business. I stopped in this evening only to be told they were closed on a Thursday night at 11pm. Sound suspicious? I thought so. I called immediately after on the way home, only to be told they were not closed at all. I guess they just found two normal, sober guys looking for a pint Guinness pretty threatening or unwelcome company. I hope the Shenanigans family wakes up and realizes that a business week is not made only on Saturday, and they could do a great deal more business if they were nicer to people in the neighborhood who have lived here for many years. read more