Very nice bar tender and nice local "dive" bar! No frills other than FREE freshly popped popcorn! plus they have a variety of games: pool, darts, pinball, and more. Definitely a chill hang out spot. read more

DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BUSINESS!! The owner kicked out our autistic friend who has sensory issues for wearing their protective headphones. The bar was nearly empty, yet they came to our table to remove us from the premise due to their rule of "not wearing headphones". There were no signs stating this rule. Despite us telling them about their sensory accommodations, they kicked us out. Absolutely do not support this business as they are not accommodating and extremely disrespectful. read more

This is an interesting bar. Local dive bar with a strict ID policy, it has a sign saying at least two picture ID needed , which is odd to me because what other picture ID does a regular person have. Apparently a lot of people have been ban from this bar for life locally :D. Bad behavior is not tolerated, and personally think it should not be. I like the vibe good juxebox, has a pool table nothing too fancy, they give you popcorn. No frills. It looks like everyone does know everyone in there but people are still friendly :) read more

Taps Bar & Restaurant - a wall full of signs - Dive Bars Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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HAD to check this bar out with all the bad reviews. Went over, and the front door was locked. Tried the side door with the ramp, and before we could open the door, someone came out and said they were closed. The website says they close at 2:00 am, and it was 11:45 pm, with patrons drinking inside. We said okay thank you, and began to leave. When we turned around, that same man was watching us through the window with another man to make sure we left. When we passed by the front door again, a different man came out, saying that they closed at 1:00 am and didn't allow people in after midnight. Again, we originally were told the place was already closed, the website said they close at 2:00 am, this man said they closed at 1:00 am and wouldn't let people in after midnight despite it being 11:45pm. Something is up with this place... avoid at all costs. read more

Went to this bar after a 90 minute comedy show at the Wescott Theater on 1/19. I was the last one of my group to come in and be ID'd- but the guy ID'ing everyone was extremely defensive and rude. He asked my husband if he was drunk (which he wasnt- we had one drink at the Wescott for the comedy show) and then insisted our short friend (who is in her 30s with a child) was a teenager with a fake ID because of her height. When we took out 100+ cash from the ATM to go up to the bartender (who was absolutely the friendliest person in the world) he came over to me and my husband specifically and said he didn't feel comfortable serving us and that we needed to leave because we were possibly too intoxicated. When we joked that we came to the bar to get drunk and that's the point of bars lol he said we needed to leave immediately, or he would have us removed. I wouldn't recommend this bar to cockroaches. And that bartender should get a job where she could actually make some solid tips because the guy "bouncing" for that place is actually detrimental to it making money. read more

This bar rejected me and my family because I did not have a license and just my learners permit. My learners permit has my picture and was not expired and has my birthday. I just turned 21 and was trying to celebrate with my family. I walked in with my family and they carded us which is normal but the guy who did it immediately told us to get out. We got defensive because we are obviously all of age cursed them out then left. It was the rudeness in which he immediately told my family to get out. We were caught completely off guard and we have a theory they are just racist and judging from the other reviews I wouldn't be surprised. I wouldn't come hear again if they paid me what an awful and frustrating experience. read more

We got kicked out at the door because one of us had a backwards hat on. We were confused because we didn't think he was serious and got booted before we could correct the issue. Apparently the bartender didn't want to do his job. I'm Honestly dumbfounded. Best of luck with keeping the doors open. read more

I have called this place on 3 different occasions, every time a male answers the phone, I ask for a manger they tell me no and hang up on me immediately. Incredibly rude behavior when you are in the customer service industry and from the other reviews customer service is obviously not a top priority for this business. shame. read more

ok so maybe taps isn't the hippest bar with the cute decorations. but this bar is a true beacon of culture in syracuse. the music is honestly not that bad, the drinks are cheap and strong, and the vibe is always on point. the owner is always behind the bar with a smile and a bowl of free popcorn for you. jukebox? darts? pool? can't go wrong. honestly wouldn't wanna go anywhere else on a saturday night in syracuse. read more

One hot, sweaty summer day they refused to serve me for stating on the way in that it "smells like a goddamn locker room in here." They seem to be in complete denial about what their establishment really is, which is a cheap den of filth where you can get drunk because there's not much else within walking distance. Just don't bring it up while you're there and you'll be ok. read more

DUMP. This place WOULD be cool if the owner wasn't so rude. He tries now and then to be "nice", but out of nowhere he'll be really stupid about things. For example, this is a DIVE bar and I sat at a table and put my feet up on an empty chair. WELLL, the bouncer comes up to me and says I had to put my feet down because the owner didn't like it......hahahahahahha REALLY???? This place is a S***hole and he should be happy people go. I went a few times for its proximity to my house, however the hassle is not worth it. read more

I got real drunk here and had no problems whatsoever getting drinks or dealing with employees. Everyone seemed nice to me. It's kind of funny that they require two forms of ID, but, seriously, who the hell doesn't carry a second form of ID? It's cash only (which is kind of odd considering they probably made you show them a credit card so you could get in) so I have no idea how much I spent but I do remember two Yuenglings and a shot cost $9 bucks at one point in time, so, it basically has average Syracuse prices, maybe a bit cheaper. I'm torn between three and four stars, but I'm gonna go with four because the other people that reviewed this place seem to be assholes. read more

This bar is about local culture for years. If you are not local you need to be on your best behavior till you are known. I know the owner and hes a very nice guy. They are always and have always been strict on ID's and also you don't put your feet up or get stupid in here...they's shut you down and you wont ever get back in. Now to the reality if you are fairly sensible , you drink and don't offend anyone you can get sloshed in here till the bell rings. They remember you, they give you popcorn, there is a good pool table in the back and you can walk right outside and smoke in the back or front. You can pick up women here sometimes you just have to be smooth about it and not too pushy. Legendary. Updated . read more

So I will begging by asking everyone who reads this to hear me out. Me and my buddies have been coming here for about a year maybe less. Have gone several times and the owner has given us a hard time here and there and honestly haven't had a pleasant experience with him bcs he a lunatic and overall j*^+ off. On our last night as college students we decided to go hit up Taps and play a round of billiards (on what seems to be like $350 s*it crafted pool table that the owner likes more than his family and life) anyway we go in and the owner is the bouncer. I automatically start thinking this idiot will start giving us a hard time with our ID (which by the way we all have legal IDs and are aged between 22-24). He starts asking us our birthdays and where we live like we're some disrespectful freshman with fake I'ds. He gets to me (the person who doesn't drink at all and is the most sober in the group) and starts asking me "have you had anything to drink tonight you seem drunk?" At this point I'm beyond speechless that he has the little balls to ask me that while I'm sober and coherent and I tel him no. He proceeded to let me in but tells everyone behind me to wait so he can watch me walk like he's a correction officer. I get to the bar and the b!@ch of a bartender asks me "why do u look so nervous are you 21" I tell her that I'm not nervous I'm shocked that your lovely boss has the audacity to do what he did to let me in. Little do I know this little 5' stubby f$ck is standing right next to me and tells me to leave and kicks everyone out. I ask him why and he says "because you have an attitude". Like what type of reason is that and how the bell can you run a public bar if you act like that with ur customers. This guy needs to sell that crap hole and get himself a new job bcs that's not how u treat people. Can't be making assumptions and being a hard ass with people that come to ur place. Ohh and I hope the bar tender somehow sees this bcs her job is to sit behind the bar and serve customers who pay her, her job is not to microanalyse people while they walk in and then say "that's a bad look" while her bipolar boss kicks us out. I'm pretty sure being a bartender has a worse look then getting kicked out of a bar for not doing anything wrong. Overall this place does not deserve to be open. If you want to have a really nice time at bar in Westcott I 1000% recommend either beer belly pub or Stout Beard Brewing Company. Both places have amazing staff that are happy to serve you and make sure you have a good time. And the best part is they have better beer and you don't have to be careful how you breathe so u don't get kicked out. read more

Taps is what a local corner bar should be. It's cheap. The staff are friendly. It's a nice place to sit down with a couple friends shoot a couple games of darts and pool and down some beers. The bar is strictly cash. They often want verification for ID if it's out of state. So what? If you live in the Westcott / SU Campus area and want a quiet bar to hangout at without dealing with the shithead students, this is the place to go. It's usually not busy, and I prefer that. The beers are always cheap and cold. The owner is nice, and is there every night. I don't know how anyone would think the staff to be unfriendly. The 1 star reviewers are just assholes with overly high expectations. read more

I feel like this place has gotten better over the years. Their ownership has been very helpful and resourceful in helping clients. For example, while they don't have (real) food, they allow you to bring in food from outside places and eat it there. They actively remove empty bottles and fill up popcorn and if they know you and recognize that you're a good person and a good customer occasionally you'll see a free drink your way. The key is to get to know the guys. They are cash only and require two forms of ID if you're out of state (if you're a student your student ID will work). This is more of a bar for adults and grad students than it is for undergrads. It's not the greatest to drive to due to limited parking, but it is in a populated area so it is safe to walk to. It's a good place to go as a group and with people you know will be there. read more

Do not need to worry about Jagerbombers here. Bourbon? YES! Love this place! Popcorn served by D. Been too long since I've been tho. read more

Dropped a couple pieces of popcorn on the table and the bouncer comes over and swipes the kernels off the table and tells me and my guest we will get kicked out if we do it again. Not very welcoming with those guys breathing down your neck. read more

Twice now, the staff at this place has given my friend (international grad student in his 30s) a hard time at the door. He showed multiple forms of ID and they let him in the first time when we arrived together, but only after extensive review and questioning. The second time, he arrived before me and showed the same set of IDs, and they refused to let him in. He went outside to wait for me to arrive (I was literally just parking; it was less than a minute) so we could pick a different place to head to together. They followed him outside and told him he wasn't even welcome to wait in front of the bar. Very unwelcoming and unreasonable. Clearly this guy knew the IDs he showed were valid as he's been let in before - and he was completely sober and respectful, and has been legally allowed to drink in this country for over a decade. He complied with the multiple ID requests and questioning both times. The only difference this time was that he didn't have a white person by his side the whole time. We were initially excited to find a chill dive in the neighborhood, but none of us will be returning after their blatant racism. read more

Great Local Dive! PBR tallboys are always great! Decent jukebox, dartboard and pool table. Taps is a place you go to unwind and relax. I wouldn't call it a place to get wild and crazy. People there are very down to earth and not stuck up. Taps was a staple of mine while I attended law school at Syracuse, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Being in Atlanta, I actually miss it very much. I lived close by and the pizza and deli place was next door too. I guess its a place to go if you don't want to drive out in the snow and you just need to get drunk, chat with the locals and shoot some pool. read more

We tried to go for a single drink as friends from all around the CNY area, and we were sized up and given the two forms of ID speech, which I have never encountered. I have been to that bar to play darts several times before, and never had a problem or even been carded. I am almost 30. My friends and I were given the runaround by two bouncers, told to walk up stairs to get closer so he could "check our height". I did what he said but felt dirty and patronized, so I turned around and said, "no, I'm not doing this. I wanted a single drink with my friends, but this is too much. I don't deserve to be treated like this." We turned and walked out. We were all sober and polite, but that left a terrible scummy feeling. I will never, ever go to this bar again. read more

I just went here after one margarita at dinner at Alto Cinco's and was denied because I had "too much." I was confused so I asked the bouncer what I did wrong and he simply said "you've had too much. Come back tomorrow." It was a real disappointment because it is the only real bar on Westcott. It's questionable if I'll go back again. read more

I'd rather not drink than go here. I usually like dive bars. But that is because they are relaxed and friendly. However, this is the most up-tight place I've ever been. They don't want you to come in, and they serve you grudgingly. It smells like the moldy corpses that used to be embalmed there when it was a funeral parlor. Not kidding. Also, if you aren't a Yankees fan, watch out. read more

This place is a little dirty and they are bad with IDs.... BUT it's so fun and cheap and cute... bring cash! ;)

This bar is what happens when you have too little competition in an otherwise competitive area. If you have dinner at Beer Belly or Alto and want to go out for a drink afterward, unfortunately this is one of your only two options. I went here for graduation weekend with my mom, aunt and one of my best friends. They wouldn't let us in because my mom didn't have her ID. Just to be clear, I'm 31 and they had just checked my two forms of ID, and I don't look younger than my mom. Now I've worked in the restaurant industry for most of my young life and I understand an ID policy, but for f**k's sake, this was ridiculous and left a bad enough feeling that I felt I should at least tell other people not to waste their money at this douchebag haven. read more

Giving this place an honest review of 1 star because it's mainly just for locals. I'm a local and I went last night with a friend and a couple family members. My friend and I are over 30 and they proceeded to ID his mom, seriously? I heard they've id'd an old man who walked in with a cane. I understand the legality of it, but seriously? They knew me as a local and still wouldn't let her in. Don't go to this bar if you're new in town, not worth it. read more

wouldn't let a friend into the bar because the corner of his ID had broken off. also mentioned that the picture looked "nothing like him" because he wasnt wearing glasses in it, even though he had multiple forms of ID. read more

This is one of my favorite bars in Syracuse, because it's always quiet and the dart boards are always open. The owner seems like a great guy, and one of the bartenders is a music/movie buff which makes for interesting conversation. Even as a regular patron, I get id'd every time, but it is what it is. With Tapp's, nothing ever changes and I always know what to expect. read more

Way too strict on IDs. We went here after going to alto cinco for dinner. They made my girlfriend walk up and down the stairs (wtf?) to prove she wasn't too drunk but still denied us entry anyways (5/9/15 9pm). We had only one drink so were probably among the most sober patrons. Very sad to see this kind of behavior. We will be considering other establishments in the future. read more

This bar defies the motto: "Beggars can't be choosers". This past weekend after an SU basketball game we walked all the way from the dome to eat at Alto across the street. Because there was an hour wait we went across the street to an empty Taps bar to have a beer while we waited. After the gestapo doorman demanded two forms of ID even though everyone in our group was clearly 30+ years old, he looked at me and declared that we had "had enough to drink already", without even talking to any of us. Yes, we were drinking at the game, along with 35,000 other people, but since they don't serve after halftime and because it took an hour for us to eventually walk to Westcott, it had been almost 3 hours since any of us had had a beer. We must have simply looked like we had been having fun, which is something that could never be permitted to see the life of day in this place. Nonetheless, the owner promptly bolted to the front of his empty bar and said we had to leave. When we said "fine, we'll take our business to the next bar down," the little weasel said "No you're not!" and bolted out the door in front of us, down the street, and into the other bar just to tell that bartender not to serve us. Nevermind that he did all this without talking to a single one of us to determine whether or not we were actually drunk like he claimed; but the fact that Taps was completely empty and he decides to get hard with the only people willing to endure the place shows what a shining example of customer services this guy is willing to deliver. Not to mention the Business I.Q. of linoleum. We proceeded to drink beer over at Dorian's until dinner, then ate a lovely dinner at Alto, where we had sangria and wine for the rest of the evening and went home just fine, and without incident. Want some advice? Go to Club D.C. for a better time than this joke of place. That is, of course, unless you get off on a little bald man slapping your knuckles with a ruler for smiling near his bar. read more

taps is fun. it's a townie bar, but it's what you make of it. go there, mingle with the local syracuse folk, and play some darts and pool. be open minded and youll have fun no matter where you are read more

Used to be a great place to hang out. However, nobody and I mean nobody goes here anymore. Well I went it to see why and now I know why. The place is awful the staff is unhappy and the selection awful. They need to sell this off to someone who cares. I wonder why all the old professors at SU never come in here anymore or the locals. It's because this place has seen its best days. Smells like a porno shop also. read more

I have never had a worse experience in my life at a bar. Me and two of my friends(females), one who was drinking one who was the dd. So first of all they made me where my hat forward and this isn't that bad but it didn't feel like it made sense, it felt more like a show of power and this trend would continue. Second they don't carry red bull which i have never heard of before. So are dd friend was just hanging out playing music and every so often would be represented with an aggressive pass by the OLD bartender, also a continuous attempt to get her to drink which was really annoying her. Then the girls had to go to the bathroom, so as they went to the bathroom i walked outside to have a cigarette, i set my drink down on a table next to the door then was met by another bouncer who told me i can't have my drink outside which it wasn't already i had made the decision to set it on the inside (another show of power). Little did i know as i was smoking the other bouncer busted in the bathroom on my two female friends and was pounding on the stall door saying open up she is in the middle of urinating and her pants were down, she said wait a second he then screamed no and tried to open the door on here while she was naked, when the extremely aggressive and stupid bouncer realized I was not in the bathroom with them (which i believe was a ploy for this bouncer/pervert to try and catch a peep show) he didn't even apologize. Even after that we decided to have one more drink, it was about 1230, a friend of mine was going to come meet us, i then said to my friend he might not come he's had a couple drinks. The bartender did not like this very much since he has been hitting on my other friend all night, were he then tells us if he's had any drinks he's not coming in here. At that point i left my full drink and walked out. DO NOT GO HERE PLEASE. I beg you they are all rude and losers. I love dive bars and this place is ridiculous. I could only imagine if we were some of John taffers decoys also I'm pretty sure if we wanted we could have a law suit on them for the male bouncer busting in the woman's bathroom for NO REASON!!!! I'm angry and disgusted! read more