Manitoba's
99 Ave B; (bet 6th & 7th St); 212-982-2511
Manitoba's
$5 pints are a bit pricey by dive bar standards and the pool
table downstairs is crooked as a politician, but the black and
white photos of punk rock legends that line these walls are
worth the price of admission. Owned by punk rock icon Dick Manitoba
(frontman for the Dictators) this rowdy spot is at its best
on Wednesday nights when local punks, blue collar Joe's, and
the occasional tourist swings by to hear old-school DJs spinning
punk rock, reggae, country, funk, surf music or whatever they
please.
Mars
Bar
25 E. 1st St; (@ 2nd Ave); no phone
A
leftover from when nearby CBGBs and trouble were the only things
to be found near the Bowery, this dumpy little joint holds its
ground on First Street while dorms and commercial buildings
are sprouting-up all around. A compromise between art and graffiti
covers the interior and exterior walls of this seedy single-room
punk rock bar that time forgot. The loud and muffled classic
punk can be heard from entrance to the bathrooms in back where
the doors don't always lock- possibly a move to deter the unsavory
behavior that starts when this joint open at noon.
Red
Rock West
457 W. 17th St; (@ 10th Ave); 212-366-5359
This
raunchy roadhouse often "out-Coyote Uglies" Coyote
Ugly. Same gimmick different place, Red Rock West features
sassy bartenders who dance on the countertop, drink like sailors,
and harass and arouse the blue-collared men who come here
to play pool and listen to Me and Booby McGee repeatedly.
The brews average about $6, but the bachelorette-type female
constituency is always prowling around for "gentlemen"
who will buy them a shot or three.
2
By 4
68 2nd Ave; (@ 4th St); 212-254-5766
Formerly
a popular gay haven, this corner bar is now a roadhouse style
dive that's still heavily populated by men. Cheap cans of
Bud ($1!) sate friendly neighborhood locals while bartenders
who occasionally serve-up body shots keep things lively on
the rare occasion this place gets crowded. A pool table and
Galaga machine pass the time for those who arrive early hoping
that the action will picks-up later in the evening.
WXOU
Radio
558 Hudson St; (bet Perry & 11th St); 212-206-0381
A
neighborhood bar with more that a splash of dive spirit, WXOU
is owned by the same folks who run the also radio-themed Magician
on the LES and the East Village's WCOU (aka Tile Bar). A simple
room with a TV tuned to the Yankees game and a jukebox playing
25+ years old roots rock, country, and blues, this watering
hole emits a neighborhood-oriented vibe that non-locals might
find alienating. A handful of tables against the wall accommodate
groups, but sitting at the bars and getting to know the regulars
will influence the bartender's response time and occasionally
earn a buyback.
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