Jimmy's Corner — Restaurant in New York

THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF A NYC DIVE BAR

If you’ve never been to a real NYC dive bar, it can feel like stepping into an unspoken world of social codes that locals just seem to know. We walked into this small, dimly lit, and packed bar expecting a casual drink—but quickly realized that places like this operate on a different set of rules. As outsiders, we had to learn fast.

The Unwritten Rules of a True NYC Dive Bar

Know What You Want to Drink—Fast There’s no time for indecision here. The bartender isn’t looking for small talk, and a long pause in ordering is enough to get you ignored…Trust me! Stick to beer, whiskey, or a simple mixed drink. No craft cocktails, no elaborate modifications—just order, pay in cash if possible, and move along.

Find a Spot and Own It (But Don’t Linger in the Wrong Place) Space is tight. There’s no hostess, no assigned seating—just bodies pressed together, standing shoulder to shoulder. If you see an open spot, take it. If you’re in the way (especially near the bar or entrance), move before someone tells you to).

Expect Physical Contact and Random Conversations You’re going to bump into people—a lot. Unlike in most bars, no one really apologizes for it. It’s just part of the environment. Strangers will talk to you, sometimes with warmth, sometimes with a rough edge, but always in the spirit of the place. If you embrace it, you’ll have some of the best, weirdest, and most memorable conversations of your life.

Don’t Expect Fancy Service—Or Any Service Beyond the Basics The bartender is not your friend, your therapist, or your guide to the menu (I tried twice to tell this bartender why we were there and failed miserably). They’re here to pour drinks, take cash, and keep the place running. If they’re short with you, it’s not personal—it’s just how things work.

Leave No Trace (And Tip Well) When you’re done, don’t wait for someone to clean up after you. Take your empty glass to the bar or an open spot. And always tip generously—it’s how you earn a little respect in a place like this.

Final Thoughts

A real NYC dive bar isn’t about curated aesthetics or Instagram moments. It’s gritty, unfiltered, and deeply social in a way that most modern bars aren’t. At first, it can feel overwhelming, but once you lean into the chaos, you realize the magic: a place where everyone is equal, where social walls come down, and where the night takes on a life of its own.

Would we go back? Absolutely. But next time, we’ll be ready to order, ready to move, and ready to embrace the madness.

P.S. A surprise for us—this place takes cards, but only physical ones. They hold onto your card and open a tab, only returning it when you close out. As outsiders, this felt weird, but it’s just how things work here. A little trust exercise to complete...

This spot is a welcomed oasis in the middle of a sea of lights and hordes of tourists! My pupils get wider, eyebrows raised and palms sweaty with excitement knowing I'm stepping into history with each visit! How so you ask, Jimmy's Corner is one of the only African American owned bars within a 20 block radius. Hell, it might be the only one in all of midtown! I'll surely need to do some research to confirm that fact, but I don't think I'm stretching too far out with that claim. Jimmy's Corner is owned by the legendary Jimmy Lee Glenn, a former boxing trainer. Jimmy is almost always in the house holding court, keeping a watchful eye on things. He's watching that bar like a fighter in boxing gym. I was introduced last year by a friend of a good friend and I've been here a dozen times since. It's the last of a dying breed, the old man bar, the quintessential New York watering hole. There are a few left in the city and Jimmy's Corner stands on top in my book. Bourdain should have featured Jimmy's Corner on his Layover show. Then again, naw, no he shouldn't have. I like my gem all to myself. It's a place that makes you happy in spirit (emotional and drinks). I could go on, but I'll stop gushing now and get to the deets. Once you step inside, the bar stretches some 20 feet perhaps to the jukebox. It can be tight but up the steps there's seats from the jukebox to the restrooms. And you may have to wait. Be patient you'll get a table or a seat at the bar! The drinks are cheaper than most places around Times Square. One recent night a round of three drinks ran us $14.50. Jimmy's stocks the classic jukebox with CD's (remember those round things that play music?) playing a range of music from old soul, to Michael Jackson hits, to the obligatory Frank Sinatra. And the wait staff/bartenders are friendly and courteous. You don't have to wait long to get a drink refill or at least asked if you want a drink refill. With the average drink costing $5.00 you can't find a cheaper Cuba Libre anywhere in Times Square. They have my personal favorite, Beck's on tap! Now if they had Powers (Irish Whiskey) that would be a KO (excuse the boxing pun)! They don't have Powers and that's ok. Jameson is a damn fine stand in! I'm sure if you walked over to the Westside Rudy's might challenge the drink prices and the jukebox, but Rudy's can't match the atmosphere in Jimmy's. There's young, old, middle aged, black, white, Asian, Hispanic, gay, straight all sharing a common space together. At the end of the day isn't that what it's all about? It's never too loud with just the right amount of hum. You can talk without yelling and that's good if you're trying to meet a new friend. A great bar, good cold cheap drinks, a good jukebox, a great staff and a cool humble owner equals...

Long time Patron of Jimmy’s, one of the best undercover spots in Midtown. However, this past Tuesday a group of us had one of the worst experiences we’ve ever had here across the 5 boroughs. We walk in with a group of 9 on a Tuesday, pretty empty in the back. The head bartender, closest to the window as you walk in, was super nice, appreciative, and accommodating as we entered the bar and poured us our exact shots. As we sat in the back, the waitress back there was very oppressive and mean, not just to us but to the other patrons in the area. We have been to Jimmy’s multiple times and spent hundreds of dollars, so to be yelled at and called “children” - direct quote of the waitress, especially after we order 30+ dollars of drinks as we walk in was pretty demeaning. The patrons around our table also looked confused. Once we finally sat down, when we went to order drinks we were scolded by the back waitress to not move from our seats. At that point, we decided this was not our night at once of our favorite establishments in the city and left. Our back waitress tried multiple times to stop my female friends from leaving the establishment, and caused an embarrassing scene with myself, the head waitress at the bar, and herself once my friends had left. The back waitress falsely stated we ordered 4 more drinks than we had. The front waitress was so accommodating, understanding, and amazing of our circumstances, stating once “this is a common reaction she causes among guests”. The back waitress then came up to us at the bar and accused me of ordering 3 shots without baying, which absolutely didn’t not happen. The front bartender was very understanding and apologetic, but we tipped 66% because I do not like being accused of theft. At the end of the day we know good people own Jimmy’s and great people work at Jimmy’s but it was one of the worst experiences I’ve had, customer service or...