Photo by Bradley Maniscalco.
Bushwick has plenty of places to grab a drink, but its best dive bars offer something harder to manufacture: character. Think scuffed-up booths, pool tables, walls covered in graffiti, and bartenders who make it feel like a true neighborhood spot.
Some of these places are old-school beer-and-shot joints; others lean punk rock, embrace delightfully strange decor, or turn into a dance party after midnight. Here are the best Bushwick bars worth knowing when you're looking for a night out without the velvet-rope attitude.
Birdy's
Funky, compact dive bar with a throwback punk-rock vibe, pinball machines & a photo booth.
📍 1215 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Established in 2015
Open Daily 2 PM - 4 AM
Birdy's looks like a bar that's been around for decades, even though it opened in 2015. Dark booths, wood paneling, pinball machines, an old-school photo booth, and a rock-and-roll streak give it the feeling of an old-school New York joint.
Founded by musicians Holly MacGibbon and Andy Simmons with experienced Brooklyn bar operators, Birdy's is built around a simple premise: a neighborhood drinking spot you'll want to return to. Come for a low-key round; stay for pinball and another drink
101 Wilson
Local watering hole turning out beer & hot dogs in a graffiti-scrawled space with kegs for tables.
📍 101 Wilson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Established in 2017
If your idea of a good dive includes graffiti on practically every available surface, 101 Wilson belongs high on the list. This scrappy bar has become a Bushwick favorite thanks to its skate-culture sensibility, unfussy drinks, and parties that can take an unexpectedly weird turn.
Tagged walls, stickers, skateboards, and DIY-looking furniture give the place its distinct personality. The people behind 101 Wilson have also been involved with nearby Turbo Pizza, but the bar keeps its own rough-around-the-edges identity.
Carmelo's
Spacious dive bar featuring pool tables and affordable drinks.
📍 1544 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Established in 2017
Open Daily 4 PM - 4 AM
Cheap drinks and pool are a compelling combination, and Carmelo's leans into both. The two-story bar pairs a vintage-looking downstairs with an upstairs area where the pool table is a main attraction.
Opened in late 2017 by people connected to Birdy's and Old Stanley's, and Twins Lounge in Greenpoint, Carmelo's occupies a building with a layered past, including time as a theater. Now it's a lively, unpretentious place to spend a night with friends—especially if you'd rather compete over a pool table than study a cocktail list.
For other Bushwick spots with pool tables, check out:
Bootleg Bar
Chill, narrow hangout with a jukebox & pinball offering cocktails & draft beer, plus acoustic music.
📍 1438 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Established in 2014
Bootleg keeps things refreshingly simple. It's a beer-and-shot kind of place, with pool, a jukebox, and the relaxed atmosphere you'd hope to find in a proper neighborhood dive.
Opened in 2014 by Bobby Rich and Marek Gregorski, both connected to other Brooklyn watering holes, it doesn't need an elaborate theme to make an impression. For a straightforward, old-school bar, Bootleg is an easy pick.
Bootleg Bar specials:
Daily happy hour until 8 PM
Donate 10 books to get a $10 credit until 8 PM
$5 Beer+Shot combo always
Boobie Trap
Dive bar with an edgy vibe that captures the perfect mix of vintage charm and neighborhood grit, featuring a no-nonsense menu of beer & booze.
📍 308 Bleecker St, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Established in 2014
There are bars with quirky decorations, and then there's Boobie Trap. This gloriously outrageous Bushwick institution embraces kitsch wholeheartedly, with novelty objects, neon, toys, mannequins, and cheeky decor at every turn.
Longtime bartenders Kristen North and Paul King opened it in 2014 as a welcoming hangout with a playful personality. It works because the place doesn't take itself too seriously. If you like your dives colorful, irreverent, and just a little absurd, this one is hard to forget.
Honore Club
Chicago-inspired neighborhood dive bar with a back patio, classic pub fare (like Chicago-style hot dogs), and draft drinks.
📍 173 Irving Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Established in 2019
Open Daily 1 PM - 2 AM
Honore Club brings a Midwestern sensibility to Bushwick nightlife. Its vintage touches, laid-back atmosphere, and backyard make it an inviting choice for a more relaxed evening.
Owners Greg Diemond and Diana Orena drew on years of hospitality experience and Chicago neighborhood-bar influences when they opened it in early 2019. It's a little more polished than a textbook dive, but its welcoming, unfussy spirit earns it a spot here.
The Cobra Club
Women-owned indie establishment and rock n’ roll haven for misfits of all kinds.
📍 6 Wyckoff Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Established in 2012
Open Daily 3 PM - midnight
Cobra Club has one of the most unconventional origin stories on this list: it began in 2012 as a hybrid yoga studio and bar. Over time, the alternative-nightlife side became the main attraction.
Today, punk and rock music, karaoke, comedy, and performances shape its personality. It may not be the place for a quiet corner all night, but it's an excellent pick when you want a dive-bar atmosphere with something happening beyond the barstools.
Which Bushwick dive bar should you visit?
That depends on your night. Try Carmelo's or Bootleg for pool, Birdy's for old-school New York energy, Boobie Trap for maximum weirdness, and 101 Wilson for graffiti-covered, skate-adjacent character.
What these bars have in common isn't a particular look or a signature drink. It's personality—and a reason to come back.
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