Came here for Thursday Comedy night, but came a bit earlier than the scheduled time to catch a drink before the Bills game. There was a pretty decent crowd but wasn't overly crowded. There are dartboards and tvs all over to watch the game. Bartender Sam was super friendly and consistently checked on my group. The free Comedy show is in the basement, with about 20 seats for the audience. It's a super lowkey vibe and Corona just happened to sponsor tonight's show, so we got tons of free merch that night. There were about 6 comedians and the show lasted around 2 hours. Highly recommend coming to a show if you need a Thursday night date activity! read more

Great low key bar in NYC with good prices and nice service. Has a bunch of tvs and sound on for the games. It's definitely a locals bar bartender knew everyone's name. Dont think they have food but it's definitely a great place for a beer or a drink. read more

Divey - LGBTQ Friendly - Cozy Bestie and I on a Friday night we're looking for a cool place to grab a drink and chat where the music wasn't too loud but the vibe wasn't too bro-y. The Gaf was legit the perfect bar! The bartenders were so friendly, occasionally they played showtunes on the jukebox, and the vibe was low-key. I genuinely can't wait to go back! Downstairs have 2 bathrooms and they do comedy shows down there. Cool spot, can't wait to go back! read more

Gaf West - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Sam is a great bartender- she's kind and so personable. At 8 pm on Thursdays head to basement for free comedy. They don't serve food, but you can grab a taco around the corner on 9th ave. Jukebox, darts and super casual. Once Jimmy Fallon was at the bar!! read more

I went there and barmen wasnt taking our order and was being so rude and was discriminate people

The staff is amazing and well the pastry is to live for. It is pricy but worth it for the quality.

I'm from out of town and the service is amazing! This is such a fun lively place. Johnny and Bret were amazing bartenders! I can't wait to visit here again read more

One of my favorite finds in Hells Kitchen! The service is so fast and the bartenders Sam and Johnny have great personality and really make you feel comfortable from the moment you walk in the doors. I can see why this place is a neighborhood staple and is always full! read more

Been in New York a few days and haven't had a better night. Johnny made our experience unforgettable - hands down the best service we've had. This was easily our favourite night and it was all thanks to him. read more

The only downside is from many locations you have to walk through Times Square to get here. However, it's tucked away on a side street, and there's very casual, local vibe once you get inside. It was our first time here, but we were made to feel quite welcome by the bartender. Didn't stay too long, but enjoyed the wine, the conversation and the atmosphere. Definitely high on my list when I find myself in midtown again. read more

From New England. Felt very welcomed and Johnny was a phenomenal bartender. Great conversation, great drinks. Definitely recommend.

In town for a tradeshow, and the event I was at nearby was a bore so ducked out and wandered the streets for somewhere cool. Happened upon this bar and it gave me just what I was looking for. Local vibes, friendly atmosphere, good quality martini (surprising for a dive) and just an overall feeling of being home. Creaky wood floors, dark ambiance, the works. I felt like a local, thanks! read more

please give Johny a raise this man made sure we had fun! we had a blessing in this bar amazing drinks amazing vibe amazing bartender! my new go to place in nyc just because of Johny he is amazing!!!!! read more

This bar was very much a local hangout with a darts game placed in the most high traffic walking area. The staff was nice but it was an overall very average experience. read more

We went here on a Thursday for the comedy show. All in all the night was a success I would say. It wasn't the best show I've been to and there were hardly any people there. But hey, some of them were funny so I'm all for it. Plus-- there was free pizza. So... score. Three stars because our bartender was not very interest in helping us as she was chatting with friends at the side of the bar. I stood there for a while only to have her pass me over and help someone who had arrived after me. The bucket of beers (4 for $15) wasn't the worst deal though. Might go again. read more

Chris, Sam and Brent always hold it down behind the bar in a fast but courteous way that leaves everyone quenched and happy. They've got an awesome jukebox, dart board and Pac Man game upstairs and downstairs is more darts plus a party basement. One of my favorite bars in NYC -- highly recommended. read more

This is the neighborhood bar for a friend that lives in Hell's Kitchen. I've only come after work for a drink or two before heading off to another destination. Since I don't drink beer, the options are a bit limited. If you're a beer drinker, this would be a good spot to pop into and enjoy an adult beverage. read more

Bartender gave great service. It is a nice place to relax. Would definitely come back.

Sunday Funday was worth it!! Two Chicago girls in town visiting friends in NYC, Father's Day weekend. We chose this bar, because of the sign outside as we live in the hipster areas in Chicago and the bar felt like home. The local regulars that came in were nice BUT, the STAR of the bar, was Chris, the bartender!! OMG, was he the best!! Thanks for a FUN Sunday Funday before we flew back to Chicago on Monday. We will DEFINITELY be back and we hope to see Chris again!!! read more

Gaf West - a sign for the cafe - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I was basically told to stay away from this bar. On pride month too. And the bartenders didn't want to serve me because I'm not a regular. Didn't realize this was a high school cafeteria. read more

We went for the first time on Saturday and then for the second time the following day. So it's pretty safe to say we love it at The Gaf. They have darts. Big plus. We played darts with many people over the course of the weekend and all were super nice. Which brings me to the patrons. Everyone is SO nice. We are from out of town and literally everyone we talked to was awesome. The bartenders are amazing. Our bartender on Saturday was awesome and so was Austin on Sunday. I can't wait to go back! read more

Grabbed two beers while on break from my stage crew job and the ambiance was very chill. Nice and personal bartender. Charged my dead phone here for almost two and a half hours while i socialized with no problem. read more

I'm terrified of indoor dining but felt at ease at the Gaf West last night! We came in to watch the atrocity of a Bills game and couldn't have been happier with the service that we received! There was plenty of social distancing, and the shots and pints were poured to perfection. Seriously - might be the best looking and tasting Guinness that I've had in a while! We appreciated the banter and the cozy atmosphere was nearly enough to forget about the royal stinker of a game! Chris (?) really went out of his way to set us up with two tables that faced all of their TVs. Beyond sightline, he also took food into consideration and served up quick pints without ever being pushy. It's refreshing to see that warm service like this still exists in this day and age. I'll definitely come back soon! PS: Extra points for the shrine to Doug Flutie and for the killer PB&Js! read more

Edit: Definitely thought I would add the thoughtful feedback I got from this place! A personal message now less - "Hi Jesy, Normally I like to reach out to people who review The Gaf and say thank you for the input, good or bad. In this instance, I can't bring myself to do that. Your review is not only inaccurate, but blasphemous to the way we do business. I'm sure I don't need to say it, but don't ever step foot in my bar again. Live your miserable miserable life and good luck with your obvious drinking problem, you total loser. Cheers" And how! Super touched they took the time to reach out to me! ************** Sometimes reviews need a very simple explanation and this place hits the spot. The bartender gave us half second pours for our drinks. As in .5 seconds. For $8. In front of our faces. Pass! read more

3.5 stars... Decent local pub, nothing too special about the place. There's no food but they have a binder full of delivery places if you want to order out for food. Their happy hour is surprisingly only 5-7pm and is only a buck off drinks. What I do like about the place is that they have a couple well kept dart boards and an electronic gaming machine (i.e. photo hunt). I also like that they have a second long bar with stools to sit at. Not a bar with a bartender and drinks, just literally a platform to put your drinks, grab a stool, hang up your coat, and watch the game on one of their TVs. It's really a very cool idea. I rounded down as the pints are mostly $6, a litte more than I like to see at a low key dive like this. read more

Gaf West - Specials (in addition to Happy Hour: dollar off drinks 4-7pm) - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here as one of the last stop on St. Patrick's and gotta be honest... don't remember much HAHA. What I do remember is that for a dive bar/pub, this place is pretty nice. Quite a few TVs, but it was pretty late so only Sportscenter was on. We were able to get a spot near the bar. Bartenders moved fairly fast and they were friendly with us even though we were taking so long to order since we weren't as coherent as we could've been :P I also do remember this place having too many meatheads that were doing obnoxious things. Friend told me that a lot of people were complaining about that group. Hopefully it was just a St. Pat's drunken behavior! read more

This is my favorite bar in Hells Kitchen. I recently moved to the area and was desperately looking for a local spot for sports, beers and bar games. This has it all. The bar is an almost hidden place on a side street. This is good because it keeps tourists out. The space seems small from the outside but bigger when you are in. There are several TVs to watch games, a touchtones for music, and two well kept dartboards with lights and scoreboards. Also have a classic Buck Hunter machine which is incredible. The bartenders are always really cool and they have a good selection on tap. Don't like the Buffalo Bills stuff on the walls ("wide right") but do appreciate my alumni Fordham being represented. Overall, best bar in Hells Kitchen if you are not a tourist and like a tavern environment. read more

Great place to close out the night. Appreciate that they don't serve food here. Odd layout with a large open area right when you walk in, than a waist high divider, than the bar on the north wall. On the sides of the south (and only that I know of) entrance are a couple of odd short tables & stools. Short meaning they are only 2 feet tall. Really strange. Small place with dark red walls and a wooden floor. Very chill, but than again was empty the evenings I drank here. Darker lighting except for the spotlight that shines on the dartboard. A few hdtvs. Good rock music over the speakers. Solid bartenders and a friendly crowd. Bar top is great, beat up, well worn wood with a perfect, large rail to rest your elbows (the best there is). Bar back is awesome, mirrors, wooden, shelves. Wobbly stools. Never made it downstairs, guessing restrooms, but there is also a coed one in the main bar. Bartender had to ask a well-dressed, middle-aged gentleman that was sleeping at the bar to leave, the guy gave him some shit that he was not sleeping and a verbal confrontation started between the drunk, the bartender, & the bartender's friends. Nothing horrible, but it would have been smarter for the bartender to shut up his friends & repeat his request to leave. Probably 3.5 stars, maybe even 4. read more

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What fun! Came here for a free comedy night on Saturday, and the bar is fairly standard, standing room only, but in the basement they host free comedy, with actually really good talent, and for FREE with no drink minimum! 2 hours of comedy, over 8 different acts, and a really good audience too. Only gripe was that it was a little bit of a long show not to have access to a bar or service during the show. Comedy shows depend on a lubricated audience, so I'd recommend cutting down to 1.5 hours or finding a way to get a 5-min drink break into the schedule. Otherwise, go for comedy night- so worth the trek out west! read more

I came here for a work event, basically a bar takeover. It's a reasonably sized space that fit our large party (30-40 people) with typical Irish sports bar decor (Guiness toucans abound). They also have darts. Well drinks were standard, and they also had a good array of beers. Prices looked average for the area, though thankfully it was an open bar. Bartenders were decent. Bathrooms were clean. I don't see any particular reason to come back here, but they hosted the event just fine. read more

Great local spot in Hell's Kitchen . Friendly staff. I'll be back. Easy to get to. Nice friendly bar

I came here for drinks on a Friday I think this is one of my favorites bars in Manhattan. Cool vibe, good prices and strangely enough it wasn't ridiculously crowded. I was completely mesmerized by the people playing the shooting game next to me :P They also have darts, but they seem a bit impractical in a small bar read more

Had a freaking blast at this place great drinks and a comedy show in the basement called the bomb shelter comedy and it was free. I've paid for shows in the past at other location and never really laughed, last night line up they had me in freaking tears, I had the best laugh in my life! Nice job can't wait to come back! read more

Gaf West - a man and a woman eating food - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Nice very chill spot in Hell's Kitchen away from the tourist bustle. I first visited this place as part of a ShakesBeer pub crawl a couple years ago and try to stop in whenever I am in NYC. Solid beer list; haven't tried mixed drinks or food. Great atmosphere and service and a welcome oasis from the madness that lies east as you get closer to Times Square and theaters. read more

Owner posted a big sign in the wall saying that all the beers were 5 dollars and they charged us 9. Dishonest.

Love this place, you can bring in your own food and its a perfect place to just relax with friends. read more

Gaf West - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Yup, one stars. I was with my girlfriend and witnessed the literal half a second pour for our cocktails. Both of them - whishkey soda for me, vodka soda for her. Bottle slightly tilted, a splash of liquor and then the bottle got put away. I seriously thought it was a joke. We got a shot of their special ("moonshine" - I use the quotations because you can't really get actual moonshine at a bar) and cut our losses. My girlfriend was nice and tipped - but I wouldn't have left a nickel. And as you can see, you'll get a lovely response from the owner if you don't like his bar. Don't bother telling me not to come back, it wouldn't happen anyways :) read more

The bartender working on a Saturday night was extremely rude to me and my friends. We went to another bar before coming here based on solid reviews and regretted ever making the trip. When we were inquiring about the prices of a bottle or draft here, the bartender gave us an attitude. After we ordered, he asked for us to show our IDs. Unfortunately my NY State ID still had the "Under 21" on it because I've been too lazy to visit the DMV and renew it these past 2 years. However, it CLEARLY states my birthdate and the damned State ID expires in 2017!! (No, the DMV did not send me a new one) Yet the bartender said he couldn't take it. I tried explaining to him that this expires in 2017 and my birthday obviously indicates I'm over 21, but he just kicked us out and said "Well you can go somewhere else because there are lots of other bars in this area." And that is what we did. We went bar hopping because EVERYWHERE else accepted my State ID with no issues. I understand if my ID bothers him but he could have been a little more respectful about it. At least say "Sorry, I can't accept this ID", rather than "No this ID doesn't work" and just kick us out like that. *I will update this review once I find time to renew my ID. 3 hours at the DMV, here I come! read more

Some of my fondest memories of living in NYC were made at the Gaf -- albeit the Gaf East, albeit at the old Gaf East on 85th Street that no longer exists. But there was always a connection to the Gaf West, in part because I had friends who lived nearby in Hell's Kitchen, and in part because of guys like Brian, Johnny, and Killian who often worked both locations over the span of many years. The Gaf is your classic local bar. It means "home" in Irish slang. And although I never felt that the Gaf West had close to the same charm as the original Gaf East bar, you still knew you were in a special place, helmed by special people, and surrounded by strangers that you always felt were friends. I stopped back in for the first time in many years the other night. Unfortunately, Brian was no longer working this location, Johnny had moved back to Ireland, and Killian apparently moved to Oklahoma. I was reminded that Emer, my favorite local Gaf inebriate from back in the day, had sadly passed away long ago. And no one knows what ever happened to Jason, the friendliest scary bouncer you could ever meet. The faces all around me, including the one behind the bar, were all strangers. Yet with a single round of Jameson shots to toast the coming new year, I was suddenly surrounded by friends in the serenity of my home. That's what makes the Gaf so special. So happy to see that a local mainstay can still survive through the tsunami of change that is currently taking place in Hell's Kitchen. read more

One night, I played darts here with Jason Ritter, and I didn't even realize it was him because I was too focused on trying not to SPAZ too much as I played darts. My beau quite the darts master. I felt I had something to prove. We were playing two on two, and Jason's lady friend Sara ended up beating us with a bullseye. *sigh* Maybe we'll have a rematch...SOMEDAY... Regardless, this is a cute place! The beau wanted to play a few rounds of darts after seeing a showing of "A Queen for a Day" a few blocks down, and I wanted a drink. Well, well, well, The Gaf definitely filled both of those voids for us. Small, but spacious enough. The TVs were blaring various sports games in all corners, with one group of people screaming when the Rangers won while the other cheered another RBI by the Yankees. Decent beer and drink menu; I was pretty stoked to see bottles of Crispin, and I was content to steal sips of his Glenlivet and cranberry vodkas. There are two corners to play darts in; one near the rear, closer to the bar, and those kids were just two rowdy. The darts area by the front door is much quieter, much nicer. No wonder Jason picked it! (Haaaa.) I'm likin' it, indeed. I'd certainly add it to my roster of Hell's Kitchen bars to visit. read more