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8th Ave-42nd St (A, C, E, 1, 2, 3, S, 7, N, Q, R, W)
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Pitchers as low as $7 each ( though I personally like the $9 and $12 ones better ) and FREE hot dogs - what a deal!!!
This place has definitely become more well known as of late but it's still got that dive bar feel in their prices and old vinyl-covered ( and some fixed-up red duct tape ) booths.
Bring a friend, or your whole crew, and listen to the tunes from the internet jukebox while you drink for next to nothing ( for midtown standards ) and eat for exactly nothing ( for anyone's standards ).
Another night at Rudy's and a record number of the inebriated patrons are scarfing down hot dogs. Fortunately for me I've already eaten, as during a previous visit years ago a bartender dumped a huge pile of shriveled, odiferous dogs in front of me waiting to be tossed into the night's trash. That put me off to ever partaking in the available free noshes.
A not unattractive blond approached me as I sat in front of that mound of putrefying weiners, approached in such a peculiar and brazen manner I could only imagine she was plying her wares rather than merely on the hunt for a stray dick. So I nodded towards the full plate and informed her "they're all yours, dig in."
The confused look on her face as she departed left me with the realization that I more likely passed up on a chance at an easy lay with an eager partner rather than avoided an indecent proposal.
On this evening I start off with a pint of Rudy's Red. I place my book down on the bar and not a moment later an old timer in the corner asks what I'm reading. Rather than attempt to shout over the din I hand the gentleman the novel.
A book is a great prop. Everyone always wants to know what you're reading. Even if they don't read much themselves, they'll initiate a conversation about how they ought to read more.
You best actually enjoying reading though. It will serve you none-too-well if that hot, interesting woman seated next to you wants to discuss that Steinbeck in your hand and you give her the impression you couldn't fight your way through "Horton Hears a Who".
The gentleman returns my book and I place it back on the bar, narrowly missing spilt beer. The bartender scolds me to be careful, I inform him it's just from the library and he says he still hates to see damage to any book, so I place the book at my feet. It couldn't possibly get showered with any residual alcohol on it there, eh? Not at Rudy's.
Moments later the bartender praises John Lee Hooker, whose music is currently playing. The man has good taste. I inform him I wholeheartedly agree.
A group of three women enter and approach the bar at my left. They place their orders for beer, but lose track of which pints on the bar are theirs and which belong to the guys who were seated there before they arrived.
"Hey, which beer is mine? You don't have swine flu, do you? Do you have the swine flu?"
They decide on whose beer is whose and I don't have the heart to tell the hypochondriac that she has in fact potentially exposed herself to the dreaded disease.
The tourist from Boston proceeds to get into an argument over the Red Sox and the Yankees with the man who may or may not have H1N1, then suddenly he's inexplicably taking snapshots of the woman and her friend with a digital camera.
At first I figured the camera to be hers, but when the women are critiquing their photos and asking that the man delete a number of them it appears as if the camera was in fact his.
I don't have the heart to warn the women that their faces will be photoshopped onto others' naked bodies and plastered all over the internet.
Now the second bartender is placing some candles in a Rudy dog and lighting them. He turns down the music and calls on everyone in the bar to sing Happy Birthday to a Rebecca. Amazingly, not only does the bar go fully silent at his request, but almost all of the patrons enthusiastically croon for Rebecca. Only myself and a couple of others caught in an autistic lapse remain mute.
Just as quickly as the crowd was hushed, they immediately resume their conversations voluminously the moment the singing is over.
My pint of Rudy's Red is polished off and I decide to stay for another round. I see a Stegmeir Amber for only $2.50 a bottle and decide to order that since I've never heard of it before. It's so cheap, and it's not pilsner, it's AMBER! Then I append a Powers Irish whiskey, neat, which turns out to set me back $7 additional.
Now seated adjacent to me is a wise woman who exhibits reluctance over whether to sample one of the questionable hot dogs. I offer an inane comment reaffirming her decision and she expresses her gratitude before turning back to her friends.
After my whiskey and beer are finished I decide I am too.
The munchies have returned and I need to pick out somewhere to stop to eat before I head home.
Hmmmm, how about Gray's Papaya?
"Rudy's! Rudy's! Rudy's!"
Ok, I'm sure I'm not the first Yelp reviewer to try and sneak that line in.
But Rudy's has certainly made a fan out of me and induced such chanting. It's not your classiest place. The booths are covered in red duct tape for crying out loud.
But it never tries to be. The pub aims to be your classic tavern for cheap drinks and good times. You can't beat the Rudy's Red ($3 per pint and $9 per pitcher) or their unlimited hotdogs (which actually aren't terrible). Even their tunes are good, as I must say I've never heard a swing version of "Wonderwall" before.
Never once had a bad time here, but good luck trying to get a place to sit on Thurs-Sunday.
FREE hot dogs + VERY cheap beer = gimmick + success. Then again, you don't need me to remind you of that.
Rudy's has, in fact, blown up a bit since I first visited a few years ago. I have been back and yeah, it's a little more crowded nowadays. And sure, they've had some issues recently with their outdoor patio space in the back...
Will any of that stop me from coming here? Hell no.
In two words to sum up this gastro conversion... Simply Amazing!
i will also add in tantalizing, but that in an extra word. =)
Rudy's has a secret place in my heart as it always reminds me of my years living in NYC and dropping in on a late night for a shot and a dog. yes, you heard it, their hot dogs are simply divine especially if followed by a shot Jameson whiskey. There is something about the Smokey flavor of the Jameson that perfectly adds to the heavy taste of the dog that makes a light night craving into a palatable wounderfall.
Remember, this is an old school bar and so please act with a bit of reverence and please for the love of god, do not order anything with an umbrella.
OMG what a GREAT dive bar.
First of all the seats are uncomfortable, covered in duct tape with no padding, so your ass gets quite a shock if you manage to snag a booth and sit down. The place smells like hot dogs. They serve hot dogs. Just hot dogs. And one of the bar backs looks like Ron Jeremy, which is distracting and weird.
There's a giant piggy statue outside and the place is crowded in a Friday night with the after work crowd. Standing room only.
But LEMME TELL YOU INTERNETS, the Rudy's Red Ale is AMAZING. Smooth and tasty and only 9 bucks a PITCHER! That right there makes the trip worth it. Go there on a Thursday and you'll have your choice of seating.
The bartenders are quick to serve. The atmosphere is kitschy and fun.
A great place to grab a quick drink or settle in for the evening and get hammered.
After a while you don't notice the hot dog smell.
Oh they also have free wifi, which brings drunk emailing to a whole new level.
I will return to you, Rudy's
I was looking for a place for a quick drink as I made my way to the bus terminal for my journey back across the river, and Rudy's immediately grabbed my attention. Not only did it look like my kind of place, it was packed on a Wednesday while other nearby establishments seemed to be either winding down or waiting for the weekend crowd.
I managed a seat at the bar and settled into the chaos of blaring classic rock on the jukebox and groups of patrons ranging from theatregoers to street musicians shouting over each other. The atmosphere was full of energy, and the very capable bartenders made sure they did their part to maintain it. They have a hefty selection of both draught and bottled beer, and not a single option was more than $4. Most were actually $3 or less, even for a pint of what passes for premium brew.
I stuck to lager, but the bartenders definitely do not skimp on the pours. A girl next to me exclaimed "Holy crap, I LOVE this guy!" as the bartender produced her drink, which was essentially a glass of whiskey that passed the soda gun a little too close and a dribble of Coke fell in it.
The decor is pretty low key and minimal, and doesn't feel like they're trying to generate any particular kind of environment. For example, there's a booth in the back corner upholstered entirely in red duct tape, but it looks like a series of repairs rather than some hip yet inexpensive way to decorate. The only thing that's prominently featured is the "You Fake It, We Take It" collection of IDs showcased behind the bar.
Great, lively, cheap, come-as-you-are scene, provided you can stand the noise.
It has spunk. When I first went there I was like really? This is the place my friends brought me? But as soon as I walked in and saw such an eccentric array of people I started warming up to the whole idea.
It was crowded on a Friday night but it was fun to just look at all the different types of people who came out to this bar, there were the people who looked like they should have been there (sorry for the stereotype) then there were some British chaps, some preppy NYU students and artsy lower east siders.
The beer was well priced and there hot dogs are really good! By this time I had melted completely and I really enjoyed my night.
I went back a few more times since my initial orientation and my only fear is that it is starting to become too touristy.
I still love you Rudy's. And so does my bank account.
Yet another awesome Rudy's experience!!! Rudy's, in my opinion, is the best dive bar around. The… Read more »
unfortunately i have never had one of the famed free hot dogs, but i have had plenty of cheap beer. pitchers here are about the same price as pints in most places..... this is reason enough to go back. see you there.
Now that this place is rumored on the brink of closing, I'll weigh in:
1) the DOB is a shockingly corrupt City agency. Not because it's shocking that City agencies are corrupt, but because it's shocking that any City agency could match the New York City Council for such corrupt and profligate wastefulness. The silver lining here is that a bribe might do the trick.
2) Rudy's is a fine bar. It's much better, of course, before 5 PM. The beer is cheap and no pains are taken by ownership to delude clientele with milk glass fixtures or other chintzy "decor" items. Before 5 PM, it's easily a 5-star bar. After 5 PM, college graduates come to "chill" and annoy you. But so few places these days avoid the trouble of noxious patronage that I'll stick with four stars.
I saw a man in a wheelchair drink the last dregs of three separate bottles of beer simultaneously at Rudy's once. Bud, Miller Lite and Bud Light. There's a mixed drink for the barman's page. Or the Style section. Or whatever the BCBG crowd is reading these days to decide which fashionable drinks they want to drink
Free hot dogs, Cheap (and good) Beer on tap and bartenders who have been alive longer than the building....doesn't get any better than that.
Best dive bar on 9th.
rudy's One of the best in NYC
check it out and look for Kevin the tour guide
and when present the star rating for the place goes up
the best tour guide in all of NYC
and he might sing a song for you
This place was perfect for what I was looking cheap beer and a dark place to get out of the hot sun. If I remember correctly a pitcher of Ruddy's red was $7. We got there early and got our pick of duct taped covered booths, but by 4pm there wasn't a seat in the house. This place is just what a dive bar should be.
I fucking love this bar. No really, I love it. LOVE IT.
The booze is cheap, the crowd is always super friendly, the bartenders are even friendlier, the hot dogs are free and in case I didn't mention, the booze is freaking cheap. It may be a "dive bar" so it's not fancy/ultra clean, but until I get a staph infection or something, I will keep coming here.
Go here. Find me. Buy me a shot for my recommendation. Let's become friends.
How can you go wrong with a place that has free hot dogs all day and night long?
It's in my neighborhood and my go to place whenever I get the chance or when I try to convince a friend that you actually can find a cheap cool place to drink in midtown.
They're in some fight with the City right now about use of the outdoor patio area. I hope they win and they can open it up again, because it's an awesome place to sit out and enjoy great pitchers with friends. With the patio closed the bar does get a little crowded which is my only gripe with the place. Otherwise the booths held together by duct tape, the grisly bartenders, and tiny bathrooms make this place one of the best dive bars in all of New York.
Cold, cheap beer... star.
Free hotdogs... star.
Friendly staff... star.
giant pig statue in front of the bar... star.
but unfortunately there is an extremely creepy clientele so no 5th star.
Pros:
- Drink prices are unbeatable
- Free hot dog with drink purchase
- Bouncer is hilarious and mingles with clientele
- Elderly daytime female bartenders
- Giant ceramic pig
- Proximity to Terminal 5
- And to top it all off... free wi-fi
Cons:
- A little too cozy at times
- Backyard has been closed all summer
- Rudy's Blonde is PBR
- Location
Verdict:
The most authentic dive bar in Manhattan.
Hot dogs that may or may not give you salmonella but taste better with each $7 pitcher you chug down? Check.
Leaky ceilings, pounding 90s hits, duct taped booths, sweaty atmosphere, and a men's room toilet that bubbles up and over like the Trevi fountain? Check.
Face it. This isn't the type of place you bring your parents when they come to visit or a girl you want to impress to. This is the place you walk into stone-cold sober at 2 pm on a Saturday afternoon and emerge belligerently drunk from at 4 am on Sunday morning. And, all told, you've probably spent 20 bucks and been sustained by the hotdogs all the while.
And in case you were wondering, if you pick up a guy or a girl at Rudy's? It's gonna be a one night stand. Just saying...
Let me be honest, I haven't even stepped a foot inside this place.
How can I review it then?
Because during the 10 minutes of decision-making as to whether we wanted to go into a loud-hoppin' bar or a quiet chill one, I had already fallen in love with Rudy's.
Why, you ask? Two words: THE BOUNCER. Yes. The bouncer. For 10 minutes, the burly dude blocking the front door kept us (perhaps just me) wildly entertained. He offered helpful tips for other bars to try, while innocuously suggesting we give Rudy's a try. I was already captivated at the thought of hot-dogs with my drinks... FREE HOT-DOGS. I mean that and the giant pig waiting for a photo-op outside just BECKON you to come in.
Sadly, we did not go in. But me and the bouncer decided I'd be back another day for some hot-dogs with him at Rudy's.
Rudy's is a classic dive bar in Hell's Kitchen, definitely a fun place to kick back a few.
For $3, try the house beer - Pork Slap ale - in a can. Fuckin A, it's a pretty good beer, too. The hot dogs here are free! And pretty tasty.
Grab a booth - they're all covered in duct tape, a nice touch - or better yet sit at the bar and rub elbows from god knows who.
This place may not be as rough-and-tumble as it used to be, but you're guaranteed to come across a few characters if you make a little effort, or even if you don't.
Hard rock from the Jukebox -- gets pretty loud in this joint.
Pork Slap.
This, my friends...is a dive. an unapologetic, grimey-floored, duct-taped-booth, "quick!-grab-that-stool!", "three-more-dogs, please", "i love this song!", "what's your name again?", "fine, one more drink", --DIVE. It is perfect in its essence. It's impossible not to start a conversation with a perfect stranger in this place. And every one here really is a perfect stranger; mellow, out for a good time, and liquored up--perfect.
Imbiber beware: it gets uber packed. If your brave enough to head there on the weekend, know that you will not sit, ever, you will have to wait for service, and you won't see your feet until your back to civilization, one 9th ave, looking back at the door thinking "why did i not know about this place before?"
Stuble home merry and full, for you've accomplished food, drink and company and minimal cost. you win at life, freind. you may now hurl.
Free hot dogs fill your empty stomach and get you ready for beer.
It's my first time to find an American bar to carry Japanese beers on tap.
On my way to work, I find one or two customers already drinking from 9 in the morning... wow
It's a popular place so usually very crowded, but wort to stop by if you are in the neighborhood.
Oasis
Pronunciation: \--ss\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural oases \-sz\
Etymology: Late Latin, from Greek
Date: 1613
1. Irrelevant definition
2. A situation or place preserved from surrounding unpleasantness; a refuge: an oasis of serenity amid chaos
An oasis lies in Manhattan.
--------------==========--
From free hot dogs to well-under-$10 pitchers to people with no interest in impending death. My kind of bar.
Free hotdog with $2.5 signature beer? Are you kidding? But if you are allergic to collage kids going crazy getting down screaming loud situation, don't even think about it.
After stumbling in with one of my favorite NY ladies on an already terrific Friday I found a bar packed with the usual crowd. I made my way through only to discover a stellar jukebox filled with good tunes. It became quite a conversation starter.
On top of that there was cheap pitchers of beer, free hot dogs (good enough to turn a vegetarian around), and friendly patrons hanging around who knew the lyrics to even the classiest of tunes 'Kiss by a Rose" and "Here I Go Again".
Its great for a fun cheap Friday night! I'll be back.
I found this place on Yelp and I am smiling ear to ear!! 1 star for the location. 1 star for the killer drinks specials ALL DAY AND NIGHT!! Seriously?!? 7 dollar pitchers? Where can you get that these days? Especially in Manhattan! 1 star for the free hotdogs ( but don't forget to tip the bartenders) 1 star for the divebar look, and the Final star for keeping it real Rudy's!! You Rock my world!! Thank you!
Dropped in for a brew and a dog and got exactly that. My Kona fire rock ale kicked some ass. and my hot dog was served with mustard in a delicious fresh bun. Me likey. Seems like there were half the amount of teeth for the amount of people there, if that makes any sense. I;d come back with friends who like free hot dogs.
PROS:
free dogs.
inexpensive pitchers of very drinkable beer.
lively, divey atmosphere.
relatively efficient, friendly bartenders.
probably a fun place if you are already drunk, with a group of friends, or just stopping in for one beer and a snack after partying somewhere else.
CONS:
crowded. difficult to move around and finding a place to sit can be tricky.
lively, divey atmosphere (the other customers!).
bartender placed our pint glasses upside down on the bar next to our pitcher. i definitely wouldn't put my mouth on that bar.
the inevitable beer burps that stink of hot dogs.
The pig is frightening.
Drink enough and it's even more frightening.
Look at the bill and you pluck down $100 more because you wonder to yourself, "You CAN'T be in New York....these are freaking Ohio prices."
The pitchers are cold (but it's cold enough already as is), the bar a complete dive, but the prices are outrageous - as in a GOOD way (I was in Newport Beach, CA not long ago and paid $18 for a shitty martini).
Stop reading this review and just go........
A harrowing experience, full of characters and free hot dogs.
A crackhead will offer you half her hot dog. Ask Steve M.
Thanks to Yelp, I was able to find an amazing bar worth writing home about (I wrote my mother a letter about how amazing Rudys was and so should you, to boost the USPS' declining revenue).
Yes, the bar as plywood squares patching God knows what on the floor.
Yes, the bar has booths refurbished with duct tape.
Yes, the bar has a red-light-tint to it like the creepy little room in the basement of the "Amityville Horror" (see the pics I uploaded).
These are the things that helped add up to a 5 star review. Rudys blond for $7 a pitcher in Manhattan blew my mind. $6 shots of Beam balanced me out from my high a little bit.
My load officially erupted once tasting one (OK, just in case one of the guys I was with had video of the night, I had 3) of the free hot dogs they cooked up behind the bar.
Great bow-tie-clad bartender, friendly patrons, and an internet juke set off the night I spent here that I will never forget.
The only thing I'd like to forget about the night is Blaise S. playing "Go Cubs Go" on the juke at 3:10am. No one should have to stumble back home with that song in their head. Ever.
It is what it is. And...you know it before you enter. There is an oversized sculpture(?) of a pig outside. Now what would make you think that this place is anything other than what it is?
This is a long running establishment in HK way before the current cool, fabulous and chic ventured into the neighborhood.
Sometimes you feel as if you are in redneck country, at other times a good ol' frat party...and at other times, the old Times Square neighborhood.
It is cheap, raucous and scuzzy...exactly what it claims by placing that pig outside. Thank you for your honesty. I wish other establishments were so honest.
The only setback: I know it is part of the charm of this place....but duct tape seating is problematic.
friendly little bar with FREE HOT DOGS! Woohoo! and good, cheap pitchers of beer.
will be stopping back when in the hood for sure.
When you walk up 9th Avenue you will notice a very delightful and inviting pig statue.. You may have wondered what lies behind those glorious doors and if you have ever had the courage to enter, you have found the paradise otherwise known as Rudy's. This fine establishment features cheap booze, questionable characters and most notably free dirty greasy and delicious hotdogs! The bar is so dark that everyone looks really hot, so guys you have a great chance of scoring here. If you have to go to the bathroom ladies, I recommend mastering your best squatting position because these bathrooms are on the scary side. Obviously this hasn't stopped me or the many other females from continuously coming here. Then again, I'm not very fussy and booze almost always over-rides cleanliness.
For the longest time I couldn't remember the name of this place and simply refered to it as "The Bar With the Pig"... everyone always seemed to know what I was talking about.
This is the best dive bar, I've found in NY... like everyone else has said, cheap beer and free hot dogs... the booths are upholstered in an amazing bowling ball red vinyl, covered in years worth of duct tape repairs.
One of my friends ordered a White Russian and the bartender actually ran next door to buy milk... that's A+ service
Oh and there is a giant pig out front
A dive, for sure. But totally the "Cheers" of 9th Ave, because here- everybody knows your name. My friend has lived next door to Rudy's for the past several years and any time we walk into the bar I feel like the staff has known me for ages. Excellent service, super friendly folks.
Not gonna lie, it's a little rough around the edges. But not enough to not want to return! And free hotdogs? Of course!
Is there something wrong with me when I want to check out a bar simply because it has a giant pig standing outside of it in a suit?
This place is a dive bar and that is another reason I liked it. The $3 long necks and $7 pitchers will make many frugal visitors happy during these tough economic times. Plus free hot dogs!
Friendly staff that is generous with buy backs and a decent crowd as well. The duct taped booths really add to the grungy look.
How tall is the giant pig outside? Shorter than he looks, guaranteed. He stands on a platform (see picture).
Great jukebox, unpretentious scene, and bottom-dollar pitchers total to a high value/price ratio.
Continuing my preoccupation with the pig motif, I asked the bartender with the bowtie what the name of the pig was. "Herbert Von Swine." I think he freestyled this. But his improv skills I admire.
Free hot dogs: I'd seen the Eyewitness News Exposes as a child about the shady stuff you find in street meat, so I wanted no part of this. But sitting at the end of the bar for an hour, right beside 36 rotating hot dogs, changed my mind. Actually, not so bad when drowned in ketchup and mustard.
We tried at least 3 times to check out what the packaging was on the hot dogs as the barback was putting new ones on the rotater (to see if I could recognize the brand), but he has a very good technique with keeping the label always facing bottom. I think he was onto us.
ps. The door to the backyard had a sign stating deeming it perilous to human life forms (paraphrased, but not kidding)
YES! I love when I go somewhere I haven't been in a while and it still lives up to my expectations! Just went again recently and the Rudy's Red and Blonde are still REALLY cheap and decent. The music people decide to play is always...interesting. Also, it helps if you're an unemployed female and no one in your group allows you to buy rounds.
FREE HOTDOGS! GO!
I used to work right on 34th street so this was a popular after-work spot for us for about 2 years.… Read more »
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