Josies

Zoe was an amazing bartender! Great vibes, reminded me of Sandy Bells in back home in Edinburgh so much! Good times. Loved it. Can’t wait to visit again soon.

Is a nice quiet little place to get an afternoon drink. It has outdoor seating and indoor seating. Everything is reasonably priced and its easy to be here.

Stumbled upon the bar with friends exploring east village. tried ordering and the extremely rude, disrespectful, and aggressive bartender. have never been treated so unkindly in what should have been a normal interaction. will never be coming back.

We were all having a good time until the rude bartender ruined our whole night. I was trying to get his attention to order a drink (without saying anything or being overly annoying) (also waiting an abnormally long time) and he lashed out at me, saying that he can see me and I’m being annoying and he is super busy. I was just subtly motioning to him to get his attention. He did not make it known that he sees me. All of my friends agreed his reaction was extremely inappropriate. He was extremely loud and rude and aggressive when talking to me. He also lashed out at my friend when trying to pay, making comments like “what’s so confusing?” And “wow look at me it’s my first time at a bar”. Funny enough, one of the people we were with said he hates this place cause he’s gotten yelled at by a bartender before for celebrating a win in pool. If you are a young male aged 22-26, don’t come here cause the pathetic bartenders will feel intimidated by you and hate you immediately. Don’t care if you’re busy and having a bad night, no excuse to talk to me that way. Also worth noting that they will continuously be very polite to any young girl, and serve them constantly. The bartenders are clearly on a power trip since this spot is small and local, and they think that they get to play up the “local bar that’s gritty” trope or whatever. Also hilarious how there’s so many reviews on here saying the exact same thing. Point is, just don’t come here.

Josie’s is a proper relaxed locals bar. Every time I go I have a nice conversation with someone. The bartenders are cool. I love pool and they have a good table. Aside from the great atmosphere, the best thing about the bar is its jukebox. So good!

Rude bartender and strange crowd. I’ve been here twice and it seems like they just make up stuff on the spot to give you a hard time about ordering drinks or playing pool

I had an incredibly strange and horrible experience here. My friends and I were enjoying ourselves until myself (woman) accompanied my upset friend (woman) to the bathroom, and when we left we found the bartender waiting outside the bathroom to kick us out. We were polite and respectful when we were told we had to be kicked out because they have a “no two people in the bathroom” policy. We immediately left, but were SO confused because there was no signage about such policy and we weren’t even given a warning. In fact, we waited in line to use a bathroom that two people came out of! There seemed to be a double standard in effect and if the female bartender there didn’t like you just by the way you looked, you were targeted. I respect that bars have to have rules in place to prevent nefarious activities from occurring in the bathrooms, but in 100% honesty we were just two girls innocently accompanying each other to the bathroom out of habit (this is not unusual in girl world). I think to prevent problems like this in the future the rules should be made clear through signage or a warning should be given first before taking such drastic action.

A great neighborhood bar. $10 card minimum but not hard to reach. On busy nights it can get difficult to get the attention of the bartender as every time Ive been theres only one.

Senile white guy working the bar demanded a tip from me for taking 2 seconds to hand me a canned beer. Proceeded to patronisingly lecture me and asked me to smile. Cheers mate if you want to rail about tipping culture you should understand that it requires an actual service and not running your mouth xx

Bouncer was insanely rude like ridiculously rude. So disappointed because I used to absolutely love this place.

I shyly walked up to the bar last night, already drunk from the last haunt and desperate for a martini, expecting to be scoffed at because well, it’s a dive. “You can put it in a rocks glass, I don’t care!” Ry behind the counter immediately served me the best damn dirty martini I’ve ever had for $11 and did so with serious enthusiasm. One of the most personable and friendly bartenders I’ve ever had the pleasure of engaging with. This was my first time here and it will certainly not be the last.

Bartender will be a rude jerk unless you’re a regular. Straight hostility off the bat as they give you the “rules” of the bar. Honestly 100+ better dive bar options in a 5 min radius

I don’t usually leave reviews but... I am just a tourist in New York. So far the experience has been great, but upon reaching this bar with my group we were denied service since the bar was at “maximum capacity”. After asking how much time it would take to at least get into the bar, both the manager and the attendant were extremely rude. Not sure if this was done do to the ethnicity of our group as they nicely served the other customers at the venue. Would not recommend. If you are visiting New York, literally any other bar has more friendly staff. Have a nice day!

It’s a no for me dog. I’ve lived in NYC most of my life… as a high school student we’d get in here and felt really cool. They do filter at the door and if you’re a cute girl you’ll have better odds of not getting rejected. I understand the fun at that time, however, when I went to NYU everyone wanted to go here. It’s just a bunch of hs students and college freshmen. Fun if you are young, not so much if you are legal. In newer times I have been told that they have cracked down a bit more about carding and actually rejecting kids with fakes.

Layout/atmosphere*Bar area with one TV; old fashioned cash register; tables; pool table, jukebox & arcade game in back; taxidermy; wood panel walls; beer lists on chalkboards; covered outdoor structure in streetFood/drink*No food menu

Great bar but door guy is border patrol. Friends ID was expired and wouldnt scan. We are all 30s-40s so wasnt expecting a dive bar to have more regulations than a club.

Looked cool and was about to spend decent chunk of change there, but bartender lady was extremely rude and was cursing towards customers. Can’t support a place like that. Will frequent one of the other many dive bars in the area instead.

Woman behind the bar was the worst bartender I’ve encountered in NYC

Neighborhood bar. Some of the regulars can be territorial of their seats and pool tables. Bartenders not always nice but fun spot if the vibe is right.

Bouncer was the rudest Ive ever encountered in my short two years in NYC. He broke my friends legitimate ID claiming it was a fake when it wasnt. He refused to pull out a book or use a scanner to verify the ID. She was visiting me from out of town and now she has to buy a new ID due to the seal of the laminate being broken from him mishandling the ID. He would not let us speak to a manager and continued to yell at us on the street, making a scene and causing an unnecessary disruption. He had originally let me into the bar and then pulled me back out as well. As I said, the WORST experience in a nyc bar in my life (and there can be some crazy people in NYC). Will NEVER come back and will spread the word. What a disservice to mistreat patrons of age without even attempting to verify identifications. He also let someone else in after us that did not have an ID at all. Rude, stubborn, and disrespectful. He claimed he was going to call the cops, and we said we were even fine with that and we would wait. To which point he started cussing us out on the street. Maybe you should hire a bouncer that doesnt turn away people of age. Disgusted by the way we were treated.

The staff of the bar were friendly and attentive, however the patrons of the bar were easily some of the most rude and unpleasant individuals I’ve ever met. I wouldn’t recommend this place due to the crowd it attracts.

This is a solid dive bar, an LES institution. Good happy hour, pool table in the back, various hunting trophies on the wall. Youll make friends, youll shoot pool, youll get drunk in this dimly lit but spacious place- what more can you ask for?Good times abound

HORRIBLE service, bouncer denies real out-of-state ID that SCANNED without checking any sign of legitimacy.Bouncer was standing inside when we showed up, as we opened the door he was a bit aggressive and we were forced to step back away from the door. I get it, you need to check IDs outside, but maybe you should be outside instead of ambushing people at the door as they try to come in.We handed over our IDs immediately. He took my MD ID, flipped it over immediately and scanned it, then handed back me without saying anything. He then did the same exact thing with my friends IDENTICAL MD ID, flipped it over and scanned it immediately, and then shook his head. Both IDs scanned obviously because they were real, but he barely even looked at either of them. He had each of our IDs in his hand for maybe three seconds, and clearly didnt take the time to even read the birthdays or check for ANY signs of legitimacy.A group of seven people came up behind us and were let in no problem, so it obviously wasnt a capacity issue. If you can’t tell a legitimate out of state ID as a bouncer its time to find a new job. Its ridiculous to deny two people like that without even looking at the ID.

Absolute worst service at a bar yet. Tall bearded guy was so rude, there are many bars in the area so I can’t echo enough to go somewhere else with your money. I understand the industry as I waitress in the city but to be treated in that matter is genuinely unacceptable.

Miserable staff. So rude . I literally thought they were joking .

Lovely place.Good price drinks, friendly waiters and amazing atmosphere. A bar you always want to come back to.

Incredibly toxic vibes

Friendly place to have drinks. The food is great, not what you would expect from a pub. Reasonably priced and great quality. They dont rush you out either.

I do there usually after leaving sidewalk. Ill have a few more drinks, talk with whomever is airing that night, than call it a night. Friendly, low key, decent pricing.

On a recent Tuesday early evening, this was a 5 star bar. Lovely barmaid, cool clientele, super chilled / slightly competitive pool table... loved it%.

That kind of hard to find spot thats not too nice, not too divey. Recommend!

One of the best dive bars in all of New York. Bring some singles with you, grab a cheap beer, and throw on a song from the jukebox (also one of the best in the city).

Drinks are reasonably priced, theres plenty of seating, and the bar staff are always welcoming. Good spot for friends!

Very recommended, good music and very delicious food 😋

Asked for a menu and a tall male bartender told me its across the street. Initially, I was confused as I have never heard of the odd advertising practice (I try not to judge), but obviously it was probably a joke so I left.Clearly, good bartenders shouldnt joke about their menus or lack thereof to prospective customers. Either he abused the trust I have in bartenders to possibly inconvenience me and passive aggressively tell me off, or really doesnt know its unprofessional.

A very low-key neighborhood bar. I was looking for a place to sit and read on a Wednesday evening for a bit, and it was great. Clearly a lot of regulars, including two dogs 🥰

Stay away from here if you see a black lady bar tending. She is the most insufferable, disrespectful person you will ever meet. She is rude to her customers, demands tips, and publicly outs you if she doesnt like you. Every time Ive been to Josies while shes working its been a nightmare. Shes always causing a scene. Im not sure how this woman is still employed because everyone hates her. Who in the world refuses to serve water without a tip?? Im sober trying to enjoy the night out with my friends and play some pool.

Great bar, My mate Matt Murdock and I got absolutely blind here.Limited disabled access though.

Be careful with the bartender named Ry O’niell. There have been multiple reports about him harassing women physically and verbally.

Awesome chill place with great bartenders, meet the locals of the neighborhood or just enjoy the jukebox.

I love Josies - its my go to dive in Alphabet City. Great staff and clientele.

Nice old time bar. Good place for conversation. Pool table.

“If I could have lunch here for the rest of my life, I’d be a happy man” - Aidan O’Shaugnessy customer

Tragic, i heard nothing but good things about this place but my time here was hostile and lame. the women bar tender (tall blk lady) was weird saying we ruined her night for having basic question and saying she just woke up. So wack to go to a place you hear about then have it ruined by unfriendly workers. DO BETTER please.

The service was quick even during their evening rush. The staff remembered my order the whole night!

Josies was most hostile bar experience I have ever had. The bartender was unfriendly and would openly make fun of patrons for ordering cheaper drinks. There was a environment of elitists and predator drinking where the bartender would shame customers by not allow them to be served well drinks to be served; absolutely disgusting. Beyond that she was was truly an ameteur bartender, having one to four second pours and inconsistency across the board. Definitely a place not to get your moneys worth. I feel bad for the owner for having to deal with such a troublesome and entitled bartender. I would rate it a 0 if I could.

Great bar, love the music.

Good bar but had an odd smell. Music was on off

Always had a good time here don’t know what the fuss it about, probably too many “invasive species,” bros and basics tend to ruin everything.

Great ambience and a pool table -- who could ask for more?

Tried to get water for my friend. They kicked me out.

The bartender was rude and obnoxious for no reason

Liked how they restored place to old school splendor. Pretty boring though.

A really generic dive bar that looks suspiciously similar to a number of other bars in the area with one great exception: dogs. Every time Ive been there have been two or three dogs running around, having a good time and making friends. Theres a pool table and a good amount of seating from which to watch the aforementioned dogs enjoy the bar atmosphere. I wish the beer selection was a little more expansive but its good enough for the kind of bar that it is. And did I mention the dogs?

Josies is a tough one to beat. As long as youre cool with a dive bar where all mixes of people wonder in and out. Are the drinks or ambiance special? Nope, but the people are. That is what this place is about.

Beers start at $4, which is great. Service is attentive and nice. Theres a pool table, a jukebox (usually spinning good tracks), and enough space to sit down or lean against the wall (or the bar). All in all a solid, laid back, little place to have a good beer (I forgot to mention that they have a decent selection), and unwind for a couple of hours in good company.

This place is incredibly rude and offensive to the people from the neighborhood. Really would not recommend. John the bartender was especially cruel and unkind here.

Classic NY dive bar with really nice bartenders and great drinks. Shout out to the bartender for the buy back.

I tried to visit this establishment on Friday 6/29 but was denied entry for a fake ID by the bouncer. When asked if he could scan it, get a flashlight reader, or an ID book he proceeded to yell at us to get out and pulled my friend out of the bar that was granted entrance. He threatened to call the cops, to which we said he could and then he continued to yell at us to leave. We asked to speak to management and he responded with explicit language. My friend attempted to call the bar to get ahold of management and no one answered the phone. To add insult to injury, this bouncer broke the laminate seal to my ID and I now have to purchase a new one from the damage he created from bending it. When I told him he broke it he said he didnt care because its fake. This was the most atrocious experience I have had trying to gain access to a bar. I understand this is NYC and customers can be unruly, but we did nothing to invoke the treatment we received on this night. I am sure management will not be concerned, but I would not recommend anyone to this bar based on this experience. I wish I could say better.

The place itself is cool, but it suffers from the same thing every other bar in the area does during the weekend; nyu kids. It may be even worse here for some reason. But if you can avoid those crowds, its a great place to kick back with some friends or the final stretch of a date night.

Force tipping.... dont waste your time here.

Decent drinks and atmosphere but bouncer was very rude.

Currently has the best staff a neighborhood bar in the east village can have.

- great dive bar with no frills- limited but good drink menu- neighborhood atmosphere- nice bartender

Drinks, pool, taxidermy. $7 jamo rocks. Enough said.

Too crowded at night but such a great vibe during the day. Cheap drinks, great bartenders,dogs chilling around, and great music. Overall a solid sister bar to Mona’s. I prefer Mona’s overall but this is my day drinking spot hands down.

Awesome spot... great people and amazing bartender!

Love the vibe!!! . Easy going strong drinks!! Pool table in the back!!

Fun place, though someone tried to offer me drugs on the line to the bathroom. Not the bars fault though!

Great neighborhood bar. Easy to start up a conversation with the locals.

Great atmosphere. Some of the best pool Ive played has been here.

Great drinks & Food,Pool , darts , jukebox, screen TVs

Nice, semi- dark, almist cozy feel. Reasonably priced drinks.

Much welcomed - Great old school pub- pool table juke box- low key

Is Matt Murdock still comes here ?

Fun spot for beer, shots, and pool. No frills, low-key place.

Solid, no frills bar with good people and vibes. Friendly bartender.

Exactly what you would expect from a dive bar.

One if the best bartenders ever

Great local bar with good beer selection.

Great neighborhood spot. Locals heavy.

Rudest service. Don’t ask for water.

Great bar, cool staff

Your normal bar - they have a pool table and a juke box.

Great bar, rude bartender.

Feels like home (upstate), +1 for pool table.

Great place & Great drinks

Extremely rude and unhelpful personnel

Good place

DAREDEVIL hangs out here

Dog friendly :)

Best bar

Local watering hole with a pool table

This the real america... great place!!!

❤️

Pool. Jukebox. Chill vibe.

Good relax ambience

Bartender ruined the evening

Some of the locals are ropey

When youre here youre family

Bridgette is the best!

I like it here.

Great Korean

DAREDEVIL

Mean bartender

It only has one genre of music but the place is nice.

Are Matt, Foggy and Page still going out for drinks? Give them a hug. I love the show, its the best Ive ever seen. And I loved your bar. Its wonderful, one day Ill visit

Cool shop - more for locals