The Ding-Dong Lounge

I started this review in 2009 because I liked it here. Fast forward to 2014 and this place is closed. That’s what I get for procrastinating.

Never been here for the musical acts but I was here for drinks, good times and hula hooping with a side of billiards. Be aware that that pool table is pretty popular, so dont be surprised if there is a wait. I got all of the above, plus met some pretty decent folks. Crowd is more diverse than I expected and for a bar in this area.
I would frequent this place with a group or even alone. If you’re alone, more than likely you will make a friend or two without a problem. Atmosphere is laid back, lighting is low and what’s not to like about a place called «ding dong»?
I would rate higher but I must return in order to know for sure if I can call this home… ding dong… hahaha

Hula-​hooping and good times. This remains one of my favorite dive-​bars in NYC. Certainly my favorite dive in Manhattan. I don’t think I’ve ever been before 1am… so I can’t say much about the earlier hours… but my friends and I have made countless good memories here. Friendly bartenders. Cheap drinks. Pool tables. There may be a photo booth?

Great dive bar, live music almost nightly, happy hour, drink specials, and almost never crowded. Pool table, DJ… Yeah, I’m a fan…

We really enjoyed our New Years here. We wanted a low-​key dive bar environment and that’s what we got.
The music was great, it didn’t take long to get a drink, and there was still some elbow room.
I ordered a sangria which was not a good idea. It wasn’t good wine, no fruity taste, and I abandoned it. I should of let the bartender know how I feel but I felt bad because she went out of her way to make it. Instead I simply switched over to drinking the Flying Dog Weiss on tap and I was very happy with that choice.
It’s definitely a relaxed bar and everyone in there was completely focused on their friends and the moment, which is a wonderful moment for revelry.
It’s a $ 15 minimum for using a card and they don’t have an ATM machine. Plan accordingly!

This place was cool, I came here pretty early in the day on a saturday to watch my boyfriend’s band play. When I say early I mean like really early, like 3pm. So I can’t say how this bar is at anytime past that time: P
I liked the atmosphere, really friendly bartender and four dollar beers :)

Just a side note the name of this place is pretty funny haha I would really want to hang out at a «Ding Dong» lol
Anyways came here on a recent trip to New York City. This places wasn’t bad, good vibe. No TVs so it forces you to socialize. It was really dark in here but it was good. Came here on a Sunday night, wasn’t packed SF l. Drinks were cheap. Had a pool table and some pinball machines which were nice. Definitely a nice hang out spot. Will be back when I’m back in NYC

Could not believe that this bar was up here when i went. It has a sort of Brooklyn/​Downtown type of vibe. The staff is cool and the beers are great (cheap] Topless Tuesdays? What can i say about that… Plenty of seating and the bathrooms made me feel like I was at a concert.

5 years ago or so a friend used to live above this place and we’d go there when I visited. Since he moved I still try and make it there when I’m in town, and it’s one of my favorite dive bars.
Plus, they have (or had when I was there) a BUCKET OF BEER $ 10 for 5 beers — sure cheap beers — but that’s even cheap here in the northern exposure outpost of Minneapolis! Not to mention strong drinks, and a cheaper pool table!

This place is a gem in the UWS. Granted I don’t really hang out around the area, so I really don’t know what I’m talking about. But the artwork on the walls were fantastic, very Bansky-​like. What lured me in was the sign that said, «Soup of the day… Whiskey» Loved it!

This is the type of place that you probably would love to hang out if you were high (and I was not). With that said, the drinks were strong and cheap. Could be an interesting pre-​game place.

Best place in the neighborhood for a beer. Fun times with alexay, jesus, matt & sia.
Love these kids, love this bar.

Lower east side vibe on the Upper West. No TVs which is a plus when trying to avoid the frat crowd. Always wacky customers to talk to or just people watch. Divey. Divey. Seriously — DIVEY… bathrooms are gross… not much interesting liquor, most folks drinkin beer. REALLY dark… REALLY loud.
so yeah… I LOVE this place, have ever since I moved here… I bring everyone I know and only a few ever want to go back but they all have a great time. most tell me theyve thought it was a gay bar at first…
Also they have a pool table which is nice. Folks are friendly. the bartenders and bouncers are kinda take-​no-​shit which is just fine by me.
I was here with maybe 10 other patrons over hurricane sandy drinking something tropical which is the only time Ive seen people have cocktails…
Also — hula hoops. yes.
oh– the prices: place is inexpensive though surely not the cheapest in town… definately havent seen any 7 $ well shots here — more like $ 6 for a shot and a beer… very cheap buckets of cream ale, sometimes they have draft specials, decent happy hour– Lions Head is definately cheaper but if you want to avoid a game-​watching/​wing eating crowd this is the place to go

The Ding Dong Lounge is the Che Guavera Tee Shirt of Upper West Side bars. Sometimes they have music, though, and that is good.
Let’s just be clear: I like dives and I like punk, but this place is neither.
Why?
Well, it isn’t it a dive. Sure, the décor is just garbage and it smells like port-​a-​potty chemicals, but… $ 7 well shots? Excuse me, but when you’re 100% more expensive than less out-​of-​the-​way places, you’re not a dive– you’re just a bad deal.
A fancy spot in hobo drag.
As to punk, it’s a discussion I don’t like to have. What is and is not punk can be about exclusivity and a real bullshit kind of elitism. Nobody owns the term. But if you can tell the difference between Jello Biafra and Justin Bieber, calling this place «punk» probably wouldn’t pass the laugh test. Every time I come in it’s either Weezer or Modest Mouse blaring on the bartender’s iPod. And that’s all right. It’s not bad. It’s just not punk. And it’s grating, because it’s a real punker-​than-​thou atmosphere.

Keyed in -«dive bar hula hoop» and this place popped up and had decent reviews, so we headed up. WHen you walk up to the place you know you are walking into a dive bar. But once you get in, the bartender, the patrons… they were all very friendly. We had a long discussion on old beers making come backs, slogans, jingles. And the beer there wasn’t bad either. Good selection on tab (and a bartender who could tell you about what he had) and the price — two beers (one bottle, one draft) for $ 7. Not bad.
The bathroom was decent, not scummy scurvy.
And the hula hoops, hanging on the pillar, take a larger one; they have theweight needed to do it properly. The smaller ones don’t work well.
Enjoy. Oh and free wifi… happy hour is 4 until 8PM too.

A friend recommended I check out Ding Dong Lounge since I was new to the neighborhood, I went on a Monday night. When I spotted the bar from across the street I thought it was closed but don’t let the dark windows or dim lighting inside fool you, it’s all part of what amounts to a very cool ambiance. Ding Dong Lounge is the very best type of dive bar; vintage rock posters, exposed brick walls, and the occasional chandelier — somehow not at all out of place. The music is definitely on point both in terms of selection and volume, a rare combo.
There was a surprisingly decent crowd on the Monday I went and when I returned on a Saturday it was just right, busy enough to be good for a Saturday but not quite busy enough to be overwhelming or cramped. You’ll get a mix of Columbia students and neighborhood locals who are all very friendly, something about the nature of places like this make people friendly and talkative. I think I saw a hula hoop competition at one point.
If you’re looking for cheap I’m not sure you’ll find anything that beats a bucket of 5 beers for 10 bucks.
The bartenders are great, especially Alexay — very friendly, cute too. If you want to play pool the table never has a very long line and they buck the neighborhood trend of charging $ 1.25 a game (very annoying). I have a feeling this will become a frequented spot for me.

Very cool vibe. This bar is definitely a dive bar. Seriously. It’s a dive.
But, it seems pretty trendy. A rocker/​hipster atmosphere. I have a feeling it’s a really popular spot. I wouldn’t know because we stopped here after dinner so it was only like 8:30 by the time we arrived. Not really the most happening bar time. But, I definitely am gonna come back and check it out at a more reasonable hour.

The Ding-​Dong is my kind of neighborhood bar, dark, poorly lit, low glowing candles, almost to the wick, placed on top of old wooden tables near mismatched chairs. Good music. Good Service. Good people. Perfect place to meet up with friends and drink the night away. It’s a true dive bar with almost average bar prices – but c’mon we’re in Manhattan, you don’t get $ 2 tall cans here. But the Happy Hour comes pretty damn close.
HH everyday from 4 — 8pm. $ 2 Cans, $ 4 Tap Beer and $ 5 Well Drinks. All day everyday, a beer and a shot goes for $ 6.
They’ve always got a daily special going on and carry local beers on tap. And the Ding-​Dong goes for the crafted beers mostly with a higher percentage of AVB. So you don’t come here to order a Bud Light. I came in around 1am on a Thursday night and got a few pints of the Sixpoint Crisp for $ 5. That was a pretty tasty Brooklyn brew. And did I mention they have shows here? Find it in stumbling distance from the 1, the B or C and Central Park. Pop in for a visit and you might become a regular. P. s. This is not in Harlem!

Everyone says the drinks here are cheap, but in the area, it seems like the Lion’s Head Tavern has cheaper better drinks. Though, it’s possible that PBR is cheaper here but I do not drink that unless it’s the only choice. :)
However, the atmosphere here is pretty cool (though it was kind of a sausagefest when we went in.) They have cool lights, art up on the wall, a pool table, and a cocktail arcade table. If you are a hipster who went on a bender and somehow ended up this far away from Williamsburg, this place can be your last stop.
It’s kind of a very San Francisco sort of place (hipster and SF go together) especially with the art.

TRACT 187 CULTURE CLATCH where a poetry slam streaming live here.
Ding Dong to all the @-HO’s in my life who inflicted deceit, betrayal and believable lies! There is a raised stage for live performances of poetry slams, emerging artists to debut or enhance their presence, and I’m sure comedians engaging their acts of shameless. Two microphones functions clear and audible without an echo in the background. Loud punk music drowns all and ample yet dilapidated seats for patrons who wants to chill from life’s daily grind of the daily deal. Ding Dong to dive-​y!
A dive bar not noticeable in the bar and lounge area but the dinginess’s and dive-​y in its true form is visible in the two facilities. Happy Hour is available until 8pm. My glass of red wine at $ 4.00 was rather a course taste when touching my mouth, which is not top shelf label but poor quality do not hold any substance. It was served in a orange juice glass, not a regular wine glass… ICK, now that is crass! Albeit the bar tender is also, I believe, the owner who is friendly and attentive.