Midtown Happy Hour: Is Jimmy’s Corner Midtown’s Best Dive?

Of all the bars in Midtown, Rudy’s and Jimmy’s Corner are the two I’ve heard the most about through word of mouth when I’m looking for a dive. A Midtown Lunch poll back in 2009 had similar praise with Rudy’s and Jimmy’s Corner gaining top recognition for best Midtown Happy Hour. Even though they have both been written up in our happy hour column and there are many other bars to try, I thought it would be rude not to give them a try at some point.

I was nudged to try Jimmy’s Corner after reading an Eater heat map called “Where to Find Good Cheap Drinks in New York City” that explored where to get good, cheap cocktails. As usual, Midtown was devoid of options… but Jimmy’s Corner did in fact make this list. It was Midtown’s only bar to grace the list with its presence.

I went on a Wednesday at about 5:30 last week and it was packed. I loved the divey, sans-tourists atmosphere, the $4 beers and wells, the no-nonsense service, the Louis Armstrong music, and the obvious panel of regulars. I can see why Jimmy’s Corner loved by many New Yorkers — and I’m truly amazed that Jimmy’s Corner has maintained its low prices and modest digs in Times Square.

The only things I wasn’t a fan of were the limited beer selection (Sam Adams was the nicest on tap in my opinion) and the fact that there’s no food. But hell, you can’t have it all.

My question for Midtown Lunch readers — is Jimmy’s Corner the best Midtown dive? Did it deserve to be the only Midtown bar on Eater’s map when Subway Inn, Rudy’s, and many others were overlooked? What do you think?

1 Comment

  • Totally failed to mention this places esteemed boxing history back in the old Times Square when there was still a Times Square Boxing Gym. Jimmy, the owner, knew all the greats. Hence the decor (and relatively bad ass clientele).

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