Iron Horse NYC

We were wandering around Lower Manhattan and just happened to stumble in to Iron Horse. My wife and I had a burger and a beer with a great bartender! The most reasonable price for drinks during our entire visit to NY!
I also was spurred to review when saw the story on responses from the owner. Exceptional! F em! Of course it’s not the «spot for a quiet drink», dumbasses! You can kinda tell as you walk in the door. When we return to the City, we’ll make Iron Horse a priority stop. Thanks!

The bartenders are angels but the bouncers are on a fucking power trip. Will never come back. Super fun until the fatsass bouncer got involved for no reason. Bummer.

Great place to let loose and have a good time. They have a pool table. They also have a swing on the bar that the bartenders get on and give a show. Love it here. Always a good time!

This was a great spot. Local and casual! Jewels was a great bartender and awesome personality. The wheel of drinks to spin was cool too. I’ll def be going again before I leave the city.

I’m here way an excessive amount. If you are trying to find something different, both when it comes to bunch and cost from the regular FiDi menu, this is your place. Every bartender is good looking, fun, and an entertainer. The place can undoubtedly get packed on the weekends as this is a little organization, and you might be waiting for a drink while the bartenders dance, breathe fire or give out shots, BUT YOU’LL BE AMUSED.

Got here around 4pm on a Saturday — great drink prices and the bartender was really nice and outgoing. Played a few games of pool and put some cash in the jukebox. Leaned against the pool table and got yelled at by their busboy. Sorry, man. Other than that, great place!

I went here a few years ago for a UFC. Not only did they have the fight on all the TVs, but in between rounds and fights, you could be entertained by people (usually good looking ladies) on the swing. Drinks are very cheap (2 – 3 $) and for as crowded as it was, the bartenders were quick.
I’m hoping to go back next weekend if they have the Jones fight when I’m visiting friends in NYC.
If you don’t like dive bars, don’t go, you won’t like it. For cheap drinks and a GREAT atmosphere, this place is amazing.

I would have given the Iron Horse 3 – 4 stars because the bartenders are really sweet and attentive and the drinks are really cheap. Not to mention this place will give you a good laugh with the entertainment. Whether you are a native New Yorker or a tourist you can enjoy the show here. The bartenders dance on the bar and they bring the patrons up for fun as well. If you get up on the swing with the bartenders you will get a free shot.
There is really nothing else like this in NY that I have ever seen.
Unfortunately the female security guard here is extremely rude!!! They have USB and regular chargers under the bar which is awesome! But it was dark and I was having a hard time catching the plug. The security guard SNATCHED my charger out of my hand literally and made a very snide comment because she got annoyed. There is definitely no reason for them to be that aggressive and rude. This is a DIVE BAR and they take the fun out of it. She kept eyeballing us the entire night. For privacy reasons you aren’t allowed to take pictures which I understand but they will approach you if you take your camera/​phone out. And before the swing show begins security will step on the bar and stand over you until you remove all of your stuff off of the bar. It was a very uncomfortable feeling and we left after 2 drinks. Unless I hear that security starts to take a non aggressive approach I will not be returning. It is inexcusable to snatch something out of someones hands.

Friends invited me, took their word. I have to say It was a very fun place ! People dancing on the bar and the swing was amazing !. Although the bartender was very rude ! She wouldn’t not give me back my credit card back unless I showed I had cash. I was far from intoxicated. Her indication that I wouldn’t give the cash or $$ at all is appalling and demeaning. As if I’m some wasted amateur obnoxious individual .
Which I never gave her any indication to even think that remotely. She just assumed, possibly because of the clientele there that night. I guess you get what you pay for. The reason is because there is a $ 20 minimum for credit card which I was fine with without hesitation. But to have me show her I had cash first in a ill manner, like I was a dog waiting for a treat after my trick. Lol.
I felt like a pion and belittled. She even didn’t give any change back after paying tab, which is very trashy ! Because I had said «no tip» because she was rude. Yes I stood up for myself. It’s the principle not the money ! I don’t mind dives, I’m not pretentious, but she was ! Not sure if I would return sad to say, because the place looked fun !

Walked into this place on a Saturday around 5pm and it was as if a frat party was taking place. But that wasn’t my issue, my issue is the lack of customer service. How long do you have to stand and wait for a bartender to attend to you? I’ve been to many bars and I think I know the protocol, but this was ridiculous this man was intentionally ignoring us. Eventually the guy standing next to me did the exact same motion that I had been doing for the past 10 minutes and got the guys attention and ordered for me. The food was cold, the drinks were so so… there’s really no point of me ever going back here; the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth.

Such a fun place to go! Their wheel of misfortune is so worth the 5 $! I came here for my birthday last year. I never knew anywhere in NYC had a swing on the BAR! It was so bizarre to me, and I mean all my friends tried to get me to go on it but that wasn’t happening. The bartenders pour shots into your mouth straight from the bottle and people get pretty wild dancing on the bar!
Only problem I had with this place was the size. It’s pretty tiny. Not too clean, meaning sticky floors but how much do you really expect from a dive bar with drunk people everywhere.
They have a photo booth which I loved!

I love this bar and I like the fact that is close to my job. They have so much going on, the pool table in the back, a photo booth, games to play like jenga, connect 4, awesome rock music, a swing in the bar, awesome crazy bartenders. Oh wait they also have great happy hour!

Unpretentious to say the least. Filled with young locals willing to jump on the bar and dance for a free drink. The bartenders force themselves to be nice, and go out of their way to be tolerant of silly nonsense. It’s loud, it’s cheap, but fun times can most definitely be had if you look for ‘em.

Last night for New Year’s Eve, Iron Horse raised the price of the small cans of beer to $ 4 each (they have always been $ 3 since they first opened) just because it was New Year’s Eve. I understand management’s comments regarding it being because there was no cover charge, yet it just wasn’t expected and was never done in previous years.
The bartenders are excellent and always put on a great show. Although, I’m not a regular, I do notice the energy level of the patrons tends to rise whenever rock or country is played on the jukebox, so I disagree that most patrons rather hear pop/​club music.
But, as long as the bartenders remain friendly and entertaining, I guess I can’t complain too much. I am an old guy and the changes I’ve seen at Iron Horse over the years have not been for the best in my opinion. Therefore, I will no longer be coming here since too many changes have been made, while my tastes remain the same. I have been going to bars for over 35 years, so I definitely know without a doubt how a bar should be run successfully in order to keep loyal patrons coming back and keep their doors open. Absolute proof of this are the bars that last the longest such as Duffs, The Patriot, and Doc Hollidays. However, I edited this review by adding a couple more stars only because the current bar-​tending staff deserves it.

Iron Horse is an absolute blast, and I definitely recommend checking it out if you’re not from town and looking for a unique experience.
Our first night in NYC was spent hopping around Brooklyn and Manhattan bars. This was the last one of the night, and it was definitely a treat! It was an ultra friendly vibe — we were greeted by the extravagant bartender as soon as we walked in. Patrons were all super drunk and super friendly. There were pool tables in the back of the bar, a jukebox to the side, and a swing ON the actual bar.
I asked what the Wheel of Misfortune was, and the response I got was «The Wheel of Misfortune, man!» The bartender spun the wheel, pulled me onto the bar, forced me onto the swing, joined me on the swing, (motor boated me?!) and poured a generous amount of fireball in my mouth. I was so taken aback by the situation — no one does stuff like this in Chicago that I’ve seen. The man next to me spun the wheel, got a nice little dance and tease, and a free shot, and a little submissive action.
Security was super nice, (Richard was a sweetheart) drinks were CHEAP, and overall this was a fun experience that I recommend, especially to tourists!

Came here on a Saturday during the day when it was actually empty. Ok so maybe we got there more on the earlier side of the day after a boozy brunch. Needless to say it was actually a ton of fun. The bartender was really nice and offered us for free shots for dancing on the bar. So yes we were the drunk people dancing on the bar while it was empty. It was a dark, dive bar –just the way I like them. (Penn State game was playing in the background).
The drinks were cheap, the bartender was awesome, the vibe was great– definitely go!

Found by chance for lunch drinks… Loved it! We were there at an odd time (just after lunch on a weekday) so, barring a few solo guys drinking at the bar, we were the only one there… A group of 6 girls reunited and looking for a fun, dive bar… And fun was had! Dark, loud jukebox, pool table… Even a photo booth! Awesome bloody Mary’s, tried the Big Apple and loved it too! Very accommodating… The bartender (who was awesome by the way) even gave us credits for the jukebox so we could rock out to our tunes. Having a great time and we were about to leave when the bartender asked us to take a ride on the swing (I hadn’t even noticed it when we arrived!), so swing we did, with enthusiasm, to ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’ blaring on the jukebox (almost too enthusiastic as I almost swung my friend’s head into the ceiling!) Unbeknownst to us, a shot from bottle to mouth is required before exiting the swing, which seems fitting… :-)
I’d totally recommend this place for a group looking to let loose and have a good, down to earth, time without costing a fortune. We’ll come back the next time we reunite in NYC, and we’ll be sure it’s in on a Wednesday so we get the same bartender!

Is it a swingers bar? No, not really. But they do have a swing hanging from the ceiling above the bar.
And they give you shots if you dance on the bar and if you’re a girl.
And they have a wheel you can spin for $ 5 for all sorts of random drink specials (most of which sound terrible).
They also have a coin operated pool table in the back, for when you just gotta be real.
Solid dive if you’re into rail liquor and watching people make spectacles of themselves.

Grab a few cheap beers and bask in the glory of watching bridge and tunnel chicks take a ride on the swing. Yee-​Haw!
Its the kind of dive bar joint made famous in the movies. Think Hogs & Heifers and the flick Coyote Ugly. Same basic theme. Female bartenders dance on the bar, they drag up giggling gals and sometimes drunken guys to shake their booty up there, and have some patrons also take a wild ride on the swing above the bar with loud rocking tunes in the background.
Ride ‘em cowgirl!
All the while cheapo drinks, beers, and shots are being served. Take a chance on the Wheel of Misfortune for $ 5 and earn a libation based on whatever it lands on. Some are funny and some are a bit embarrassing. Like Truth or Dare for a drink. Be warned!
Kind of a narrow bar space. Good rock music playing. Fun sexy female bartenders slinging drinks, and also performing on the bar doing some semi-​slutty acrobatics and dance moves. $ 3 PBR’s and Natty Lights. Pool table. Photo booth. Happy hour. They serve a bar menu of food here too but I did not sample any the night we were here. Too busy pounding down those cheapie brews!
Overall, par for the course as it resembles a few different bars here in the city doing this kind of thing. Seems catered to the 20-​something bridge and tunnelers bro and sorostitute crowd. If this is your kind of thing you will be in proper company.
Overall, it’s good unclean kitschy fun!

I’ve since left New York City and moved upstate. I sorely, sorely miss this place. My original review was written 5 years ago, but my love for the Iron Hizzy still burns strong. Whenever I visit my best friend/​former roommate who now lives in New Jersey, guess where we wind up? Riding the goddamn bus from NJ to the Financial District to slum it at The Iron Horse.
Since I left, the smell has, in fact, gotten worse, which I didn’t think was possible. But as you approach the place you’ll see people fleeing, shaking their heads and cursing about the stench. Shit yeah, it’s bad. Think of it like hazing. You want to be in the club? Power through it or get out. You wanna hang out at a stuffy lounge that smells like baby prostitutes and Axe, paying $ 18 a drink? Didn’t think so. Put on your big girl panties and shove a travel sized Febreeze in them.
I brought my mom to the Iron Horse in 2011 to show her the place I always talked about. At first she was disgusted. An hour later, her alter ego, «Veronica» was tugging on a shirtless man’s dreadlocks in a way that made me feel dirty on the inside. My parents have since divorced.
I was back there a few months ago and to my surprise, even though it’s been years, who do I see but Mr. Dreadlocks. The memory of Veronica/​my mom inappropriately stroking his bare pecs sent a shudder down my spine. Moments later, longtime bartender Melanie, slides me my vodka Red Bull, points at Mr. Dreadlocks and shouts: «remember when you made out with him??? HAHA you were so drunk!»
No, I do not remember making out with the same man my mother violated.
Whatever your age or position in life, The Iron Horse will cut you down to size and no one is safe. But couldn’t we all use a little more adventure in our lives? Live on Iron Horse, live strong.