Billymark's West

I have been stopping by this, what could be premier NYC dive bar, for years. I am completely at a loss as to why the reviews omit the obvious. It’s my understanding that two brothers own the bar and tend it alternately. What they have in common is that every time I have gone there they are utterly wrecked. Where I come from, this is illegal. Bottled beer here only and that is a good thing. When you watch the glasses being washed, it’s in theory only. I am not talking about a light buzz, it’s hard to believe this/these dude(s) reliably remain on their feet. Probably some sharp operator could drink there all day for free by tricking the nearly delirious dude tending, that’s just not me. Done. Take your chances if you wish. I will go to Walter’s or others. It’s a big town.

From the outside you would think that this is a squat for homeless people but when you walk in you discover that it's normal bar. Run down as it is, you quickly relax after your first beer and shot at $8. The owner generates a friendly sort of atmosphere: it's a young crowd ready to pull their IDs out to prove they're old enough to drink - the signs posted in the bar give them amble warning... Highly recommended!

PERMANENTLY CLOSED as of last weekend. Just saw someone hanging a For Rent banner on the building.

Great atmosphere. Real New York bar. Can’t wait to return

I haven’t eaten the food before but Billymarks is a great little bar, they’re always friendly and making sure you have a good time.

Authentic New York City bars are few and far between these days. Beer and shot specials are great work 😉

No frills dive bar excellent music on the jukebox..had a dart match..bartender was great, told us he wanted us (our dart team) to have a great time…we did!!

Been going here for more than 15 years. The absolute best neighborhood dive bar in the city bar none. Like the sign says, “love this bar”.

Everything was great!! Everybody was drunk. Shots were flowing. Gonna miss this place.Operated by the nicest 2 jerks ever!!

Whenever you're in Chelsea, High Line, or Penn Station area, Billy Mark's West is one of the city's great dive bars, a hangout for locals. Great music, a pool table, and chill. Good cheap beer or go for the Beer and Shot Special, a great promo! Stop on by!

Believe the reviews.. these people are RAAAAAAACIST! We were there last night for our [post] holiday party. We were already a little apprehensive coming here due to the multiple concerning reviews citing numerous incidents. We were told that there would be 3 bartenders staffed to provide adequate service - it ended up being just him. He quickly got overwhelmed and began a tirade of racist insults, referring to our Black and Hispanic staff as "homeboys" and shoving our drinks at us (when we eventually got them). He kept calling us 'greedy' for ordering so many drinks - mind you, this was our holiday party. They group felt very uncomfortable and awkward and we ended up leaving early and head to another bar. This was an embarrassment for our boss since he's been talking up this place for weeks. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place.

Love love looove this place. No frills typical dive bar. Fab drinks with an attitude.

No frills shot and beer joint with a pool table which I love. Touchtunes jukebox so you can play what you want. Bartender Naomi was very welcoming. Its cash only but they do have an ATM inside. Will def repeat when in the city again

If your looking for authentic NYC, this is it. Open during the hours you'll want to drink, it has drink specials and an incredible assortment of liquors and mixology knowledge for those special drinks. it's atmosphere and friendly staff will help you relax and enjoy your refreshments. They have "steel tip" dartboards, pool table and a jukebox that has online capabilities.

Pretty diverse crowd while I was in, which was pretty grim(y) day drinking on a Tuesday between 11:45 and 2:30. Neither Billy nor Mark was there; instead a very pleasant female bartender with a lot of body aches. Food was served (more than I can say of any other NY establishment I've ever visited other than Rudy's): party mix on napkin. There was also some intriguing memorabilia behind the bar, the highlights of which was a (n apparently real) small, but very good Keith Haring drawing. One of the regulars regaled me with stories about Kenny Scharf (who I'm not so wild about), but some people like. All in all, a good time!

Owners, who are also the only bartenders, are not nice. Would frequent for conversations with them, until 1 day they pretended not to know we were and did not treat us respectfully. I've seen the actions prior, but different when it was done to us personally. Will never return.

Absolutely disgusted. I didn't check the reviews before coming here so of course I was unprepared for the pure filth that lie within. I walked in fully prepared to play some pool and order 4-5 drinks. I shoulda been put off by the 3-4 male patrons here at 9:45 on a Saturday night. Anyway, I walk in and the bartender immediately yells, "no bathroom here. Get out." I'm dumbfounded as I hadn't even showed my ID and was fully about to order a drink. The bouncer shakes his head and checks my ID then tries to tell the bartender I'm not here for the bathroom. The white older male bartender proceeds to talk down to the African American bouncer in a way that signifies a complete lack of respect. The bartender then proceeds to kick me out based on zero premise. I think this establishments suffers from an aura of sexism and racism and I highly advise against spending a minute of your valuable time here. I feel bad for the bouncer/security guard. I hope he finds a better job soon.

You either get Billy or you get Mark. You want Billy. If you get Billy you'll get a 5 star night. If you get Mark, just leave. Really not even worth 1 star.

0 stars- Terrible customer service! The old guy bartending was very rude i absolutely do not recommend anyone spending money here !

Bar guy was very rude. Older man. Seemed very aggressive when walking in, in regards to asking immediately for my identification. I didn't even sit or take two steps in the bar. I showed him my I'd and exit the bar I couldn't stand to be uncomfortable my whole time there which I came to have a good time with an out of town friend.

Reasonable dive bar. However, old guy behind the bar was getting weirdly heated with another patron about how women's rights are a non-issue because of {some sort of imaginary conservative fears} are more important. Seemed like a joke at first but then he looked legitimately infuriated. Kept screaming and doubling down on these weird Fox News talking points. I like a shitty dive bar as much as the next guy; just got no interest in supporting a d-bag.

Great spot to go, no frills but always a good time! Enjoy the game or play some pool. Great prices and vibes!

Sorry, but no longer a dive bar when you charge $7 for a domestic bottle of beer. Will not return.

Yes !!!!! Billymark's is open again.....Coming to NYC on Amtrak this coming Monday and I will be there for my first beer of the day,,, I am glad your back and will be happy to support you once again

Classic dive bar located in the Chelsea area. We came in around 9pm on a Friday night and it wasn't packed at all. They had a few specials but most of my friends and I took advantage of the $8 Beer + Shot combo. We selected Hennessy as the shot but believe we were given a cheaper alternative instead; bartender was not the happiest when we pointed it out lol. He was pretty friendly and funny though. Some of my friends got regular well drinks for $9 and seemed to enjoy them. The jukebox and pool table on the spot were cool. I also noted they have plenty of seating both around and at the bar. The women's bathroom could've been cleaner but this isn't a fancy place per say.

Stopped in for a beer on a long walk and ended up having a great time. It is a no frills bar that caters to the working class of the neighborhood and they will treat you right if aren't a a$$ hat.

Dives make the world go round! You can't escape their allure! After a fancy art evening, my friends and I walked up to Billymark's. I was pleased to see that our drinks portion of the night was not taking place at a hoity toity fancy Chelsea cocktail spot. Nope. Quiet the contrary! This place is a dive in every essence. Walking in was 70% dudes. Construction dudes and regulars. One thing was certain, they love CHEAP BOOZE! This place is not as cheap as I would have preferred but it is in Chelsea. It is also CASH ONLY. This is tough, especially since I never carry cash. I happen to have enough for two beers. There is a beer shot special for $8. And don't even dare ask for salt "what?! Are we in Mexico". Loosely quoting a bartender when my friend's husband asked for salt. I don't use salt. Like a good Mexican! Hahahahhaah! The bartender, Gregory I ordered from was a sweetheart! He was always attentive and funny. The music here was booming with old school classics like Chuck Berry. One guy was even getting his groove thing going right next to the juke box. Watch out for the guy in the orange vest! He was all over the place. My favorite was the super tall guy with the old school curled mustache and not at all in the hipster way. Super fun spot for cheap drinks and a good time in Chelsea.

Was with a group of friends -the 2 men in our group were already at the bar. My friend and I came in to a very dirty bar with bottles left all over the bar despite it being empty. I gently moved them to the side, while my friend tried to get the attention of the bartender. She said "excuse me" and he his crony at the bar immediately started laughing. Eventually he came over and we ordered a drink. She asked if they had something on draft which they don't - another cause of mirth for barman and his crony. Eventually he served her t without her permission a beer. He then made some slur about her needing the money to get her documents so she could come into the US a few times and went on a rant about how he had served his country! We are both American. So insulting. I've been there before a few times but this barman was the worst. If you want a drink from a grumpy miserable racist - definitely go here!

I was extremely disappointed to hear how my friend was treated at this bar. The bartender said to him, "I don't serve your kind," a clear reference to the fact that he was the only visibly black person in the room. Establishments that condone racism from their employees should not be permitted to stay in business.

I was sitting at the bar. Paul made me yell at him across the bar to order another drink instead of coming over to me so I asked for him to come over and he wouldn't and helped someone else so I left. Was trying to find a chill dive bar to hang out at and this is not the place. And he charged me doubles when I ordered singles. Not okay. 2 stars only because he let me charge my phone.

First of all, I was looking for a place to play pool with my girlfriend and one of the women at Maggie Reillys warned me that its rough in there. I thought nothing of it as of course its a dive bar. So we walk over go grab a drink at the bar, and I come back from the bathroom to find the bartender being extremely racist to a local and could not believe what i was hearing and proceeded to spit on the bar as he was making remarks. Will never go near this place ever again and no i do not recommend it. There are so many other places id rather be. No one should be spoken to this way and its beyond me how a place like this is even open.

Stopped in for a few drinks with coworkers. When we walked in the bar was empty. Similar to many other reviews, the old man bartender was incredibly rude to us picking fights and making sexist and racist political comments. I've never experienced anything like it. We left after a drink and went down the street to Maggie Reillys which was fantastic.

I thought I would join the hipster crowd after a BBALL game at MSG. Parking is a pain and once you get inside they have a number of chairs at the bar and side tables. Their beer selection was okay but it wasnt all that I thought it would be. Maybe I caught the place on a slow night.

Billy is such a sweet guy! An attentive bartender and interested in your story. Great prices especially in the city and a bit dive bar-y. We loved the pool table and darts. The shot beer deal is a DEAL, $12 for a beer AND a shot. Will come back when in the area for sure. (Also love the brother bar story)

Classic NYC divebar. As other dives seem to shutter every day, Billymark's stands alone. No fancy booze here, but beer and shot specials aplenty. I got a beer and a shot of Absolut for like $8. Pool and darts readily accessible, it's not crowded and there are always characters around. Have fun.

This is such a great NYC dive bar! It's like time stopped. They have a shot & beer special for 8$ every day. We always get a whiskey and a beer and hang out at the booth. There is a pool table and darts and friendly people hanging out and drinking. It gets crowded but the bartender keeps everyone well watered. Don't expect fancy micro brews or bar snacks. This is just a neighborhood joint for a cheap drink in a dive atmosphere. Bring friends and have a good time.

The worst! Bartender was super rude and refuse to serve us. Never coming back ! Don't come here st all! Don't come here

Best bar ever! If you can't appreciate it then you're missing out on a great old school local bar. This is the kind of place that's meant for chilling, drinking, and making memories with your friends. You're probably not gonna get an espresso martini here but you can get great conversation and a quality look into what Old New York was like!

A hostile and homophobic experience - don't go! 1 star is generous as the guy who owns the place explained his desire to hurt me. Bartender was clearly drunk and aggressive and just decided that I was "pathetic". Can't even imagine a worse place to drink with friends, especially considering that there's a bog standard Irish pub next door that was infinitely better. Starting our night here almost ruined it. Wayne on the door was sweet tho!

What a dive bar should be about! I came through after a pricey dinner at Death Avenue around the corner and wanted to get some drinks without spending an arm and a leg. For $8 dollars you could get a beer (miller highlife and one other) and a shot. And it wasn't low quality shots either, the whiskey was jameson! The place had a pool table in the back, some interesting signed photos all over the place, and character galore including a graffiti-esque entrance. The bartender/owner/stand-up comedian was Billy. As soon as we walked in he greeted us with a smile and said welcome to the VIP Section (pointing to the 4 open bar stools by the front). He was funny and entertaining between drinks. I would peg this is as a go-to quick drink spot before an event at MSG or any time you happen to be near penn station!

This has been our post-game, go-to spot for our softball team when we play in Chelsea. We like to come here to celebrate or commiserate. It's always a good time. There's no pretension here. Ever. I am happy that bars like this still exist in NYC. (and, yea, I was a Mars Bar patron for years and opine about the loss). Still, the best jukebox in Manhattan. Cheers!

Quality bar. Probably the best in the immediate area. Dropped in on a Friday afternoon after showing some visiting friends the High Line. The beer snob in me looked at the selection of bottles (no draft) and sighed, but I manned up, had a Miller Lite and a complimentary shot of Jaeger and I was happy as a clam. Very laid back place, lots of regulars. Met one of the owners, Mark, who was awesome. Funny, frank and genuine, he and his brother have a great place on their hands. Even though he says he laughs when he hears people give h is bar bad (or good) reviews on Yelp! The bathroom's a little scary, but that's not going to impact my rating. Check your attitude at the door and check out this awesome, authentic NYC treasure.

Cozy place,, nice bartender, chatty and helpful, pool table would need some refurbishment lol,,lovely short stay!!

Here is the deal. These one star reviewers...pu**ys. This place has character. Mark and Billy are two stand up family guys. But guess what? They don't have time for your crap. So if you walk in with a stick up your butt expect the cold shoulder. I have been coming to this bar at least once a year for six years. Billymark's West is a gold mine for anyone who loves the local dive bar experience. Don't like drunks? You are in the wrong place. Transvestites give you the willies? Keep on walking. Want a shot and a beer for 8 bucks! DING DING DING! You just hit the lottery people! Come early in the morning or late at night. The door is always open and the booze is always flowing!

Man, I really want to like this place. Over the last four years I just keep coming back hoping that at some point I won't have a negative interaction with somebody behind the bar. But alas, even just today the owner himself made some lewd comments about my personal life that made me leave the rest of my drink and depart immediately. Do yourself a favor and find a better dive bar (unless you enjoy being verbally belittled by the owner regarding your chosen profession, lifestyle, or even fucking GENDER).

Stopped in here for some drinks KS before our bus ride out of NYC. This was one of our favorites tops for the weekend and I was so glad we got the chance to stop in. Drinks are very affordable with the $8 beer and shot combo. It is cash only so bring your cash! The crowd there was friendly and we loved the bartender. Definitely will return on our next visit! $8 every day special includes either Miller high Life or rolling rock and your choice for shot.

I don't really understand the complaints below about the rude service since my party and I were treated very well by the bartender. He was funny and friendly to us. The patrons are sketchy looking but they've always been friendly too. But I do want to gripe that since this is a DIVE (and boy is it a dive, look at the regulars and then go into the bathroom. I've also seen people stumble out at 8am. You read that right, 8am!) the prices are sure not Dive-y. They're more akin to a fancy hotel bar. $6 for a miller lite bottle. $9 for a well drink. I get that rent is high but for those prices, I would rather go to a "nicer" dive bar?

Billy greeted us as soon as we walked in the door and gave me the best jack on the rocks I've ever had in my life. Just moved my friend up to NY from Orlando and we've definitely found our own haunt with Billy and his brother mar

Look I love a good dive bar - cheap drinks, simple drink options, cash only, pool table, bathroom with layers of stickers and sharpie tags covering the walls. This place checked all those boxes. However, we ended up leaving mid drink because the bartender was a jerk. When we first walked in the bartender was missing. No big deal. We thought he/she probably went out for a smoke and will be right back. Typically dive bar situation. After 10 minutes he pops out from the back room. We order drinks and he insists that we order a shot since it's $10 for any beer and any shot combo. We all think sure we are celebrating a birthday after all, it's a good deal and he's just encouraging us to have a good time. We take our shot, grab our beers and relocate to the pool table area so two people in our group can play. And this is where things go down hill. After about 10 minutes two more of our friends meet up with us. We are minding our own business in the back corner when all of a sudden the bartender (who had once again disappeared for a lengthy time in the back) reappears and the first thing he yells in our direction is "What are we having." At first, even though we are all caught off guard we think it's no big deal and it's probably his way of making sure the people who just came didn't need anything. Boy were we wrong. One of the people doesn't even drink alcohol and both of them were just stopping in to say happy birthday for a moment. We try to explain this to the bartender but he just keeps yelling "what are we having." Then he starts yelling he shouldn't be in a bar if he doesn't drink and it's a liability to have him here. Whatever that means. The last straw was he also wanted us to order another drink. We had not even finished our first round, it hadn't even been 20 minutes since we ordered and he was not harassing any other customer (several were nursing near empty glasses). I get that you need to generate money for the bar but there is a way to do that while still treating your customers well. I would not recommend this bar to anyone.

The bartender was unbelievably sexist. He told me to smile and ridiculed me. I accidentally interrupted him and that was his response after I apologized twice. This place is cute if you want to hop back in time to the turn of the 20th century before women had the right to vote. Forget this place.

Billymark himself served us at the bar and COMPLETELY ripped us off. We payed $15 extra than what he originally told us. Rude and absolutely no atmosphere.

NYC dive bar, this is it! The place has personality....it's what NYC is about. Its real, it's dirty, it's shady, but that's what you want in a dive bar. Kudos for keeping it real Mr. Marks!

Wow. Let me preface this with saying, I fucking love dive bars. I'd consider myself a bit of an enthusiast, but this place was straight hateful. The owners/bartenders were verbally abusive to the girls in our party and I put up with it for a bit. However, it got to a point where I had to speak up and when i did, the old-ass bartender physically assaulted me (and then the bouncers grabbed our party). When I asked for my money back for the drinks I ordered and did not get, I was met with a smirk and the bartender saying, "well, it's my word over yours". This place is absolutely despicable and the owners should be ashamed. I'm all for the mild abuse you sign up for when you step foot in a dive, but this was pure hate.

I love dive bars. Like, REAL dive bars. Like, the kind where the bathrooms are so sketchy you feel as though you walked onto the set of The Warriors circa 1979. Like, the kind where you can start drinking at 8am in the morning and still find people passed out in booths from the night before. Like, the kind where in one spin of the barstool you'll spot a businessman, a homeless drunk, an off duty blue collar worker, a prostitute, and a professor. Oh yes, you have not arrived in life until you have drank at Billymark's West. This is where the professional drinkers drink. This is where you go when you want to meet characters and just tie one on. Long live Billymark's!

This is probably the worst establishment I have ever set foot in. If you enjoy rude old men and your toilets covered in piss, step right in! The minute my boyfriend leaves for the bathroom, the elderly bouncers gather around me and harass me. Next, I ask the bartender how much drinks go for, and he tells me if I ask I can't afford it. Nice! Then while I'm deciding on a drink, he tells me to "hurry up you're not buying the whole place" (I took probably 20 seconds). I go to use the bathroom and I'm stepping in literal human waste. This is the women's bathroom might I add, filthiest place in NYC, my hand stuck to the bar. Drinks weren't even good either, not sure how someone can mess up a vodka cranberry. Go to walter's bar instead, so so much better!

My wife and I stumbled upon this place while waiting for family in NYC. We met Billy and some regulars and had a great time. I had a shot of Tequila and she had a shot of Jameson. $8 in total! My kind of place! This is not a place for cruising, sheek or posh entertainment. This is a place to get drunk after work and go home. Seriously. In addition, the glasses aren't so clean...LOL. It's pretty sleazy but you get a bang for your buck.

Whoa. I've been in New York for two years, and within 5 minutes of being here, I encountered the rudest bartender I've met so far. My two friends and I ordered and he said "wow, you guys are embarrassing, just embarrassing" and then proceeded to give us the wrong beers (out of literally two options. Come on). What a weird 10 minutes of my life. I didn't know I could chug beer that fast; I guess that's a plus. Ps--toilet doesn't flush. So that's good.