Hank's Saloon

Doesn't Recommend

EthEx

Joined 2 years ago

Lowest of the Low. Some dive bars have an atmosphere that belie their appearance; the sordid look of Hank's may be the best thing about it. The main bartender has something called "movie nights" when he plays seedy macabre films (one of which has a scene of someone putting a newborn infant in a garbage dump, and he thinks its funny), and the "toothless drunk man" the other reviewer wrote about? He actually works there as their porter!!

Weekend bartenders are sleazy old women who have a mostly alcoholic clientele come in but when they see a "ca-ching" opportunity, they'll be more than happy to look the other way. Most of the clientele are simply the lowest of the low...criminal records and welfare cheats all.

Oh, and the barbeque outside? It's been gone for years, like most of the musical events.

Recommends

smcole

Joined 3 years ago

Nothing subtle about Hank's. If there is a more "What you see is what you get" place in all of NYC, I don't know of it. You will either find the, well, "ancient" amenities "charming" or you you will be put off like CSMobileUser.

This remains very much a cult establishment, relying less on locals and more on its offbeat music offerings.

There's no "happy hour" to speak of (prices being as cheap as they are), but the day crowd is, frankly, every bit as dingy as the surroundings. At night you get a more trendy scene (with the same great jukebox, when live music isn't sending), and as long as you stay out of the bathroom, you almost forget about the condition of the place.

This is definitely not for the sports-oriented (try the 5th Avenue options), the literary types (4th Avenue pub), or the college crowd (who have basically destroyed Brooklyn Tavern across the street anyway). But if you want the unique dive bar scene with cool music, Hank's stands alone.

Doesn't Recommend

CSMobileUser

Joined 5 years ago

This place needs a makeover. Omg!! I have never been in a place like this one before, it looks like a junk yard, it absolutely stinks like urine, the bathroom is for lack of a better word disgusting!! I am all for the bohemian/rocker style bar, but ugh! They have a teeth less drunk man by the door that 1.stinks and 2.talks to himself. They were playing a porn/horror video that it was very inappropriate in my opinion ..I guess this is where all the junkies socialize, the bartender was ok, I actually felt bad for him. Thank God there are more bars in this area. This was the first and last time there..I was so repulsed by it that I am gonna call the heath dpmt.

Recommends

brownsuede

Joined 5 years ago

Hooray for Hank's. Hank's Saloon is the quintessential 'dive bar', and I mean that in the best way possible. With its free live music, dark dinky interior, crappy bathroom, no kitchen, cheesy jukebox, junior pool table, and 100's of blue collar bumper stickers all over the place, it makes you feel like there's no place better to just have a drink.

If you need modern decor, glitter and buffalo wings, this isnt the place for you. If you cant feel comfortable here, then the problem is you.

NYC needs more places like this. Unpretentiously perfect.

Recommends

yukster11

Joined 8 years ago

Very much a dive. This is a dive located about a block from the Atlantic Avenue train stations. Beer prices are affordable $4.00 for a bottle of Coors Light ($3.00 off during happy hour. It features a long bar and a pool table in back along with a stage for live music (entertainment is free). Clientele is blue collar and trashy (you won't find any Rhodes Scholars in here). Jukebox was a bit of a disappointment. It ranges from classic country to ABBA to some classic soul but there's not much of a selection in each genre. Bathrooms are in poor condition.

Recommends

mskittynyc

Joined 6 years ago

BEST BAR EVER. HANK'S IS THE BEST BAR EVER!!!!!

GREAT STAFF!!! CHEAP DRINKS!!! DIVEY IN A GREAT WAY WITH FANTASTIC LIVE MUSIC!!!

EVERYONE SHOULD VISIT THIS BAR

Recommends

brooklynchick

Joined 7 years ago

Back at ya BoerumBrahmin. Wow Boerumbrahmin. As one of the "New" owners of Hank's I'm thrilled that you actually took the time to write a review, however I do need to correct some information. Who was fired for younger bartenders?? It seems to me that the entire (amazing) staff is still there. There is ONE new person, and I guess if you consider 36 young, then you're right. I'm confused. Oh and by the way, Hank's is closing sometime before the end of the year because we're Expanding. Yeah I know, get on your high horse again and tell me that nothing should be changed etc..., but if we can spread more free music to Brooklyn, then why the hell not make it bigger? Don't worry, it won't lose it's charm. "drip it to death"... I am shocked, you my friend have no idea what this place means to me. Where are YOU from? Connecticut? Long Island? I grew up around the corner from Hank's (Doray Tavern). I have the utmost respect for that place. OUT of cans of PBR? There is a distributor war going on on in NYC at the moment and to be perfectly honest, as a bar you're not even technically supposed to be able to BUY PBR in NYC right now. So we consider ourselves lucky when we can get it. Please check your info next time. Get your facts straight. There's nothing worse than someone spreading rumors that are false. Or even better, come and have a PBR with me. Much love, "The Owner"

Doesn't Recommend

boerumbrahmin

Joined 7 years ago

Last Call. Hank's is closing sometime next month. The owners who bought the place last year (who fired a number of the old-school bartenders for a younger set but otherwise let the dive/dusty image untouched) apparently didn't realize that the lot was going to be built on and the shabby shell of a structure which houses the place demolished. Unfortunately, instead of letting this Boerum Hill institution go out with its head held high they are apparently going to drip it to death - they are "out" of cans of Pabst - the trademark beverage of the place which was what customers were drinking there before the new bartenders' parents were born.

It's still a cult place for out of towners and Manhattanites on Sunday nights for the New Jack Ramblers and the soul sausage...but shame on the owners for not letting it have a hearty last call.

Recommends

Kara Zuaro

Joined 10 years ago

This rough and tumble hillbilly bar, smack dab between Carroll Gardens and Park Slope, hangs tough while the neighbors get trendy.. The Scene
Menacing painted flames curl up the cement facade, neon beer signs glow in the windows, and barflies of all shapes and sizes stumble out to light up cigarettes. But this isn't another ironic hot spot for hipsters playing tough. Inside, before a backdrop of beer and bric-a-brac, local ladies clink glasses while neighborhood machos man videogames and flip through jukebox selections as varied as the clientele (Lucinda Williams, Chuck Berry, Parliament, and Kiss share a page spread).

The Draw
For those who dig a low-down, dirty dive, Hank's offers the most bang for your buck. A rough-edged bar maid pours pints and well drinks that are tall, cheap and stiff--about three-parts liquor and one-part mixer. There's never a charge at the door, even when the pool table gets pushed aside to accommodate some raucous country-punk band come to cover outlaw anthems by Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.

Recommends

etown1123

Joined 9 years ago

You'll never want to leave.. Hank's is the perfect hillbilly bar that somehow ended up in the middle of Bklyn! Bartenders are great people with pretty damn good buybacks. Sundays bring in Kershaw & the New Jack Ramblers - the best damn band around - doing covers of Hank, Johnny, Willie and the other kings of country PLUS the free burgers and dogs cooked fresh on the outdoor grill. The scene has a few to many hipsters, but they are well balanced out by the older, rougher crowd that rule the bar during the day. You've got to squat in the bathrooms... but they have cheap PBR! Fantastic jukebox. I love this bar.