This place might get a bit more business if they had distinguishable signage with their name on it somewhere to be seen outside. I say this not only because my sister and I could not figure out the name of the place when we walked in but another patron actually asked us if we knew what the place was called. It would likely be hard to explain where you were to friends for them to come meet you if you didn't have to say...one of the bars on the corner of 2nd and Avenue A...The one with the black facade. Other than that, I think happy hour at 2A, (the name of which I found out via my Yelp Blackberry ap, thank you!), is pretty kick ass. Draft beers, cheap as is, are two for one. I had two Widmers for $5.50. Can't complain there! Seating is comfortable with couches, tables and the like and, as a bonus, the place was not too crowded. If anyone reading this has the capital to open up a place like this in my neighborhood, I promise, I'll keep you in business! read more

Solid bar in a great location - perfect staggering distance from the crib - didn't even make it upstairs, no need. Perfect school-night drink spot Bartender was super cordial, even funny and honestly I can't deal with the attitudes anymore. (Don't get me started naming names) - will absolutely be back. read more

We went here last night. For some reason, my friend and I (both white passing) were allowed to go upstairs without a problem and two of our black friends were denied access to the upstairs. When approaching the manager about the issue they said there was a private party upstairs and that we had to leave. Even if there was a private party why was there someone working there that literally didn't blink when us two (white passing folks) went upstairs and when our two black friends literally trailed behind us they couldn't get in? read more

It is really the classic East Village dive bar....remember when the top bands used to hang out there...I think some of them still do. Just a great place...I like downstairs more than upstairs read more

2A is probably the only place I've found in the city that plays country music. It's a bit divey with awesome views - check out the top floor - and a slightly older crowd for the most part. I was surprised by how empty it was on the Sunday of Labor Day, but that made for lots of space for me and my friends. read more

Sweet spot! Sleek, dark, sexy little interior with music popping upstairs. I was surprised, as I wasn't sure what to expect when invited there. I suppose I expected something a bit grungier. I was very pleased. And lucky me, I didn't seem to get the "asshole bartender" some people were bemoaning about. He was friendly, Marc Maron-esque in appearance, and made the perfect rum and ginger ale. I'd go back! I'm already adding it to my mental list of chill bars to perhaps spend my next birthday at... read more

This place is a meeting spot. Cross between truck stop and wall to wall Starbucks-like Windows. Tables in back are cramped for long limbed guys. Well-stocked bar, tended by dude in a Budweiser cap. Sticky floors. Paid $16 for shot of Wild Turkey + beer. Across from apartment projects. Drank from a chipped, non-full glass. read more

Bring your own party and you will have a blast here. No door guys, no mandatory bottle service, and no cover. Simply walk in, walk up or stay downstairs, go to the bar and order your drink! Enjoy. read more

Came on a Sunday at 4. They make an awesome Bloody Mary and also offer 2 for one beers at This time. There is also fresh free popcorn. Love this place. read more

2A - Free popcorn!! - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

2A is a just a good old solid, neighborhood bar. I would never go out of my way to come here, but I do appreciate have 2A down the street when I want to grab a casual drink with friend's and catch up. The prices are decent and there is usually always an open place to sit down. The one unique thing that sets 2A apart is the awesome movies that they project are the giant brick wall across the street. Very cool touch. Like I said - great place to grab a drink or stop by with a large group (make it your own party), but this isn't an end-game destination. read more

This review is basically for the upstairs lounge. The downstairs bar is non-descript, laid back and pretty much forgettable. It reminds me of the ground level bars of several spots in NOLA. The upstairs lounge is a comfortable sanctuary of leather sofas and big windows that fails to capitalize on its potential. The music is too loud for talking and the space is too small for dancing, so the hipster heavy crowd mostly drinks, nods their heads to the beat and yells into each other's ears. For some reason I don't understand, the bar projects old movies, documentaries and random commercials on the side of a building across the street. The space would be great for a private party or a more laid back lounge crowd. It could even have an APT style dance floor if you removed a couch or two. There are a lot worse lounges in Alphabet City. 2A only has to make a couple of subtle changes to become even better. Have fun. G read more

2 words... Free popcorn. This is one of my favorite bars in the whole city for that reason only. I'm sure the machine is a breeding ground for germs, but there is nothing better than some whiskey with a side of hot, fresh, free popcorn. Drinks aren't very strong but happy hour is 2 for 1. Oh, and watch out for the crazies. They love it here, apparently. There's always one or two around. read more

This was my fourth bar of the night. At this point I had no complaints with life whatsoever lol

2A's got a charm that the other bars in the area lack. There's something spiffy and intriguing about it. It's always pretty crowded. There are two floors here, with a bar on each. read more

Had a date here on a weekday, it was nice quiet, cozy, friendly bartender, cool crowd, strong drinks, upstairs is nice for larger groups, hopefully not that quiet on a weekend read more

I had a great time here for a friend's birthday about a month ago. My biggest issue with it was that the place was blazing hot. Lots of places end up getting a bit of condensation on the windows of their establishment, but this place was out of control. Water was dripping from the windows. It was burning hot. All that being said, it was cheap and the atmosphere was fun and casual at the same time - exactly what I wanted. The night was a blast, but in the winter time, there will probably be a place where everybody puts their coats. For me, this meant that I ended up losing my favorite scarf underneath the pile. Seriously, it was awesome, about 9 feet long and 4 feet wide. It was a little stretchy and pleated all over. The loss of this beauty marks the spot down a notch. Even though I liked the place, it ate my scarf. Consequences are consequences, and this place goes from four stars to three. read more

This is not a dive bar. It is a level up in class and a level down in fun. The prices are reasonable, the couches are leather and its romantically lit. Everyone inside kind of keeps to themselves. They project movies on the brick facade of the building across the street, which is kind of nice to watch. Good quiet date spot. Came here once when Karaoke was going on and I was pleasantly surprised. Then I got up to do a Violent Femmes song with a friend and after the first verse some chick took the mic and pretty much Kanye'd me. Meh, snobbery ruins my fun. read more

I really liked this place. They had good music playing in the background. My boyfriend and I were able to talk and actually hear each other. We sat at the bar, had a couple of drinks (the bartender was very knowledgeable), and talked for a few hours. It was a pleasant night out together. Every once in a while we could hear the music from upstairs, it sounded like lots of fun for dancing but we didn't go up. i would definitely go back. read more

I've been here 2 times. I definitely like this place. It's a decent place to meet up with a group of friends to catch up. The prices for the drinks aren't that bad at all. It was $8 for a shot of tequila. That shot looked more like 2 shots. As usual, we managed to snag 3 tables at the first floor to sit and chat. On the second floor, they were playing music and you can dance. I never went up there though. Overall, I like this dive bar. read more

I didn't have any intention of sticking around when I went into 2A. Maybe to just have a drink and move on. But then the crowd began to ebb & flow. It was crowded, then it wasn't, then it was upstairs and not downstairs, the vice versa. I ended up staying for hours. It was a good time. Halfway through my night, I tried to figure out the name of the place. The front of it has '25' on it, which is just their address..but I later learned it's called 2A..as it's on the corner of 2nd avenue and Avenue A.. I think it'd be tough to find this place if someone just said 'hey, meet me at 2A.' The bartenders were quick with drinks and it was relatively easy to carve out a corner for friends. When I first went in with a group, it was hot and crowded. Someone in my group actually described the smell and feel as 'Walking into a burp". So, it is was it is..which is a bar made for heavy drinking with lots of other people doing the same. read more

A complete setting and FUN bartenders (shoutout to Jenny and Charlie) make this rustic-industrial-honky-tonk bar different from any other location. Come for comedy or music or ambiance, it's all here. Be sure to see all three floors of fun :) read more

I've walked by 2A a few times (read: once) and thought: "I wonder what this interesting place is called." And then I would shadily skulk around outside, scanning, as inconspicuously as possible (though my definition of "stealthy" is leaving the megaphone at home), the doorway for a trace of a title. I would emerge empty-handed (not wanting to linger so long as to be mistaken for a vagabond. Or a stalker.) and continue on my way, disappointed. One night, however, I fortuitously made the bar my destination. What a pleasant surprise to find that it was the aforementioned, unnamed spot. I could finally put a name to a face... er, a name to a... Oh, whatever. 2A is dimly-lit and low-key. The music (emanating from the bartender's iPod) is kept at an unobtrusive volume. If you can't find a chair by the bar on the first floor, chill in a window seat. Better still, go upstairs. The second floor is packed and bustling on weekends. Lots of couch space for big groups. Return downstairs if you prefer to preserve the concept of personal space (not to mention chat up indie musicians from Liverpool sporting funky hats!). read more

This place is alright. My friend lives in the next building next door so this is his usual spot. It's a nice corner bar, with two floors. Live DJ is upstairs, she's pretty chill. "Nondescript" seems to the word to describe this place from other Yelpers. I can't say I agree or disagree. Come see for yourself. read more

Come here for the cheap 2 for 1 happy hour until 8. Stay for the decent music and pretty ample seating. I can almost guarantee that your bartender will not be particularly warm and friendly, but maybe that's the price you pay for cheap drinks? Generally pretty down to earth crowd, but can sometimes get pretty bro-ie :/ read more

+ Decent dive bar. + Very good friendly bartenders. + Nice happy hour - something like 5.60 or 6.50 bucks for 2 beers. + Popkorn available. + 2 Floors. read more

Good cheap bar in East Village. This place is my regular only because they have good cheap beer on tap for inexpensive prices! Whenever I walk into this bar, it is always really crowded on a weeknight. The bartenders are really nice. But, everywhere I looked I saw trash and empty glasses. Be careful, my friends and I had to walk through broken glass not once, but TWO TIMES coming here. Upstairs is definitely much nicer and spacious than downstairs. The couches are good for a group of friends. They have big glass windows so you can have a view of the little shops outside in that area of East Village. Candles are lit throughout the bar sometimes. However, the music is so random and bad upstairs. I thought it depends on the bartender and whatever music he chooses. But this horrible choice of bar music seems to pervade almost every time I go there during the weeknights. Still manageable to listen to if you're drunk or have a good buzz with good friends. read more

Horrible service!! You can no longer order from the window. You have to wait for your server. Which would is fine. But our server on 2 different occasions has been bad! Never brought our water. Can't find her and waiting to long to order another drink. Just ended up leaving. But the drinks are great. Just get another server read more

All around good times will be had here. 2A is relatively affordable (for Manhattan). I went here on a Saturday night, but I'm pretty sure this place would great any night. If only the bartender on the 2nd floor wasn't too busy on her blackberry this place would be even better. It wasn't too crowded, there was just the right amount of people. You could get to the bar easy and I never had to wait to use the bathroom. I can't say the same for the ladies though, I saw a line as long as two people. read more

Love the bar! Love the David bartender -David! Great dive bar .... Rock it! Not too far from city .,. Good drinks good times ! read more

2A - YeaH! - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I don't usually leave reviews but felt like I had to because this was the WORST SERVICE EVER. After my 3 friends and I came up to the bar to order drinks, we were lectured about how it's the 21st century and how we should learn to split the bill. It was a slow night and we were the only ones ordering drinks but nonetheless, we apologized for any inconvenience and tried to ask for the most simple drinks (vodka sodas, gin & tonics) . The bartender continued to lecture us about splitting the bill and become more visibly frustrated. We were a bit put off by her temper but proceeded to pay for our drinks and tip. The bartender (has "DAVE" tattooed on her left hand knuckles) began complaining about how we barely tipped and started throwing a tantrum. We tried to empathize and explain that we had also just returned from a long week of work, but before finishing our explanation, she began criticizing our career paths. Moreover, she began asking other, uninvolved customers, to get us "The F*ck out of HER bar". I could not believe that this was an actual bartender at a local bar. Would never come back here again. So many other better places to visit in New York. Anything but this place! read more

I go here frequently, and bring friends here to end the night - mostly because its right across the street. $20 credit limit. Happy hour is 4-8p, 2-for-1 special. After 8p, its standard EV prices. Example: $4 PBR. I love that they have Wildmer on tap. Air conditioning on nights hotter than 80F or so (red wine served at room temperature, so nights when it *is* 80F... ew). Awesome upstairs, why I continue to bring people here, actually - great lounging area with a great view facing 2nd and A. The 2nd floor is also good to sit with a large group of people. Drunken people watching FTW. The music is kind of retro but acceptable. read more

The PERFECT date bar if you're upstairs, with intimate couches and a fantastic view from the floor to ceiling windows. I've made my move there before, then gracefully tumbled down the stairs headfirst into the women's bathroom door. Gravity must be particularly strong around those stairs, because I've seen a half dozen people take that same spill. Stiff drinks, especially upstairs where it's usually less crowded, but it can be tough to get a couch seat on a weekend night. read more

Interesting dive bar with an upstairs lounge. Music at the bar today was something modern, not too loud to talk. Bartender was professional but could have smiled. read more

Not the biggest fan of the place, but its a good neutral spot for me to hang out with friends. Its a place that can really depend on the crowd, so go in a group to make whoopie and you can debate about where to go next over pints of PBR. I've been here on numerous birthday parties, and always upstairs is better because of the nice view of the block. I've just had the problem that, besides my friends, I didn't really care much for the crowd, although you'll never get shoulder to shoulder here. The couches are nice as well as the bartenders. I'm happening to disagree with the other reviews here, I didn't really like the music that much. The funniest thing that happened here was this emo-looking short, chunky asian girl was by the bar by herself, drinking away, looking a bit down and emo. Well, needless to say, a weak looking, heavily scarfed tan corduroy jacket dude comes in, with wavy coiffed hair and smug attitude written all over him. What happened next was awesome, it made my night. I guess he stood her up, or was incredibly late for their date/Magic the Gathering card game/emo lubefest because she spotted him as he came off the stairs and they went over by the bathroom (which is by the tiny bar) and she proceeded to grill him at full volume why he showed up so late. He was explaining that he had to take care of something, and then she smacked him. Hard. She proceeded to punch him in the scarf (good armor) and she then slammed him against the brick wall. I was almost crying by this point because he tried to walk away and she grabbed him by the scarf (bad armor this time) and pulled him back and slammed him up against the wall again. Emo goes apeshit. She then pushes him into the stools lined up against the wall she just slammed him into, he seems to be just taking it in stoic fashion. and then she pushed him into the back of the couch. She called him a "f#*($^g c*&t" and totally kicked him in the shin. Pardon my english for that last comment, but it was so goddamn weird. Everyone was just like, whoa. One girl he bumped into and she totally spilled a fourth of her pint. It was just an embarrassing show. read more

go to 2a in the wintertime when snow is gently falling. sit upstairs and luxuriate in the cozy quarters and cheap drinks while watching avenue a disappear in a blurry, stoplight-tinted wonderland. repeat. read more

this place deserves no stars, I went in once. growing up in the neighborhood I always passed this bar, finally I ventured in and was disappointed from the minute I sat down, The bartender was a prick. He was rude to all the customers and was even upset and yelled at a tourist who didn't leave a tip. I work in a touristic location and find it unacceptable to speak to people that way even if they aren't from here. That man should be fired, plenty of bartenders looking for a job in NYC read more

I had a pretty excellent time here on a Saturday night. 2A features reasonably priced drinks and a diverse crowd that filled the place up without being overcrowded. The real attraction here though is the upstairs lounge, with some leather seating and an entire glass facade that looks northeast over the intersection of 2nd and Avenue A. Definitely worth a couple hours out of your evening. read more

I used to think this place was okay when it screened movies onto the wall across the street, but after I got pickpocketed here once I've hated it more with every visit. The "lounge" upstairs is an uproariously poignant delusion of swank. Bronx apartment parties are fancier than this lounge. And hey, guys, let's spring for some additional latrines. The lines on the weekends to take a piss require a 20-minute commitment. Save yourself the grief; there are quite a few better dives. read more

If I could give this place -5 stars I would. The bar itself is sticky, stinky and vile-almost like a caricature of a gross dive. The drinks are overpriced for what they are and the worst-the bartender is offensively rude. I'll readily forgive poor service because I'm a normal human being with eyes and powers of perception and the world is not a perfect place where everything happens the way you want it to. Things happen. But when someone is just outright rude and mean for no reason, it is unacceptable. This neighborhood though, and all the bars in it with few exception, is a bro-tastic nightmare nowadays anyway, so I'm choosing to see that as karmic justice. Have fun with the bros. read more

There's just something about this bar. It always has an interesting crowd, and you never know who you'll see there. For instance, last time I was there, I saw David Cross from Mr. Show just hanging in what I presume is his local. It's one of the few places in this town where you can sit on the couches upstairs and actually have a real conversation without having to wake up sounding like Marge Simpson the next day. And the huge windows make it all better somehow. Go! read more