Scratcher

1/30/2015

I actually Yelped Scratcher from a nearby restaurant because we were looking for something with cheap drinks with a divey atmosphere. That's exactly what we got with this hole-in-the wall dive bar that seems like it's actually in the basement of a building. I'm honestly surprised we found it...

We walked in and were met with extremely dim lighting, an extensive whiskey menu and beer list, and a lively, inviting crowd. Our group of 5 luckily snagged one of the many tables along the back wall, but they have a nook in the back as well for larger groups and of course a long bar area. For a Friday evening it definitely wasn't too crowded, so we were able to catch up and just hang out.

I'd recommend going with a group of close friends - it seems to divey for a date - and for some pregame drinks. It doesn't seem like the *main event* kind of place, but it does the trick and I'm very glad Yelp found it for us!

1/20/2015

If you are meeting people, make sure you tell them there isn't a sign! This is def a dive bar, I can't remember if my Guinness's were $7 or $8, so not really Dive bar prices, but then again I am in Manhattan.

Big + you can bring your own food :) I ordered a pizza!

11/23/2014

If such a thing as a classy dive bar exists, this place fits the bill.
Nice, relaxed atmosphere in a cozy decor (think dark wood furniture and candles throughout). If you come at peak hours on a weekend night, it might be kind of crowded and noisy, but still nice just the same.
The drinks are cheap and the booths are cozy, and if you're there when it's not too crowded it's the perfect place to bring friends or dates because of the chill vibes.

One of those rare bars where you can just relax and enjoy your company/drinks.

2/1/2015

This is actually a great spot if you're in the area. A dive bar type of feel- without the dive bar crowd (if that makes sense). It's dark and not rowdy. Which is great because spots like these usually give me a headache.  Great bartenders. Good spot for groups.

1/22/2015

The bar tenders here are top notch!!! Plus the door guy is pretty cute so that doesn't hurt! Love this place!
-Tip well, be well!

1/31/2015

We were looking for a low key bar where we could sit and have a drink, talk, and relax. That's exactly what we got at the Scratcher. The people weren't rowdy like they are at other bars. The bartenders were great. I would definitely come back here

8/20/2014

Relaxed dive bar with cheap beer.  On a Tuesday night, its pretty slow.

I can see it being a ton of fun on the weekends.

4/29/2014

I was here on a weekday evening during happy hour ($4 beer!) and there were enough people around so that it didn't feel dead, but, just barely.  It's a chill bar.  Not a dive, but, nothing fancy.  The words "watering hole" came to mind, and I don't mean that in a bad way--I know people who'd walk in here and think it's the perfect bar.

Be warned: for reasons I didn't clue on to and didn't endeavour to learn, the place is overwhelmed by a strong smell of incense.  You get acclimated to it quickly but, then, the human mind is designed to get acclimated to anything.  If you were raised in an ashram, you'll feel right at home here.

5/1/2014

Some friends and I were out on a Wednesday night. We wanted to find a bar. Not a bar where we could sit quietly and have meaningful conversations. We wanted a "bar" bar. We walked into a few other places in the neighborhood and struck out. Then we stumbled across Scratchers and knew we had found our destination.

We walked in and there were 10-15 people in the back playing amazing and upbeat music on string instruments! I don't think this was something that Scratchers coordinated, but it was awesome! We walked up to the bartender and said, "We want to drink cheap tonight." His reaction? "I got you." $3 PBRs all night. Just what we were looking for.

I'm not sure what this place is like on a typical Wednesday night. I think a group of people playing Irish music could make any bar pretty cool. But we were there until 2am and I can't wait to go back.

Side note - we had just gotten done seeing a concert, and guess who shows up at this bar? The cellist from the concert. With her cello. And yeah, she freestyled and got in on it. Epic.

• 

  Best performance I've ever stumbled upon.

  Best performance I've ever stumbled upon.

8/25/2014

As a bunch of college kids, we were heading to Phebes and B bar on a weekend night but typical weekend fashion, the lines for both were massively long. We rounded the corner and found Scratcher. You might miss it the first time because it's below ground level but once you enter it's definitely a comfortable bar where you and your friends can just grab a nice drink and talk. There are wooden benches (not single chairs so be aware when you want to readjust) and tables. Some of the tables were a little loop sided but it wasn't that big of a deal since we just had our drinks on the table.

The drinks additionally were very cheap, even on a weekend night so I can't imagine how much of a steal they would be during the day/ happy hours. A beer was about $7 and mixed drink around the same. The light was dim but not so much that you had to squint and the bartenders were very nice and attentive.

12/29/2013

Chill is such a crappy word. Millennials use it too much. But here I am, a millennial and you know what? Scratcher is a chill bar. With chill prices and chill beer (chilled beer too!).

So go there to chill out.

5/27/2014

I had a 9-hr date here once.
Needlesstosay I will be coming back.

11/19/2014

Ended up coming here last weekend. Seemed like such a pretty chill place. I am in my early twenties and the crowd seemed mid twenties-late twenties. I was not particularly fond of the bartenders, two women in their thirties who seemed to just want us to down our drinks nonstop. Kinda uncomfortable. We had shots of henessey ($10). Shots of jack daniels ($8) and a bahama mama and a long island (abt $11.) The portion sizes were small and the bahama mama was just pineapple juice-completely. I like the environment here. But Idk. Somethings off.

11/20/2013

Came here on a date and loved it immediately. Unassuming, cozy and warm and close to my apartment. What's not to like?

The bartenders were friendly, the beer selection was pretty good (I'm always sold on a pumpkin beer), and I ended my night with a pickleback. Which perhaps clouded my judgment slightly, But I stand by my review.

Visit for a low key drink, a chill night out with friends or just to get drunk, and try to keep it a secret. We don't need this turning into Whiskey Town, now do we? (Psst, we don't).

3/22/2014

Two words: perfect bar.

5/29/2013

My favorite bar in NYC.
Always laid-back with great music on the jukebox (and live on Sundays) and the bartenders are super friendly.

1/2/2013

Pretty good neighborhood joint.  A good beer selection, and usually a fun crowd.  They also have some good live music.

Only issue: gets VERY HOT in the summer, and no AC.

10/17/2012

"Love this Bar." My Yelp Check-In Tip.

It's true! I love it here. I don't come here often but when I do it's always relaxed and friendly and a good time.

12/22/2012

Cool place to hang out and grab a drink with friends. Pretty laid back bar with fair and affordable prices.

The only downside is the really really tiny bathroom.

8/22/2013

I'm hesitant to write a review of how fantastic this place is for fear that I will ruin its atmosphere. But its too good not to. Come here. Get a lager and lime. Talk to the bartender. It's worth it.

2/15/2011

I'm certain that this little underground watering hole would average out to four stars after visiting on a weekend night when the charm of the little space is obscured by the trite throngs of the Lower East Side. However, it was five sparkly stars on a Monday night - perfect for the anti-Valentine's Valentine date I was sort of on. Nice and private, but minimal PDA from the couple couples that were in attendance.

The music, presumably controlled by a living, breathing DJ tucked out of site in some mini cavern somewhere, was non-incidental; The Cure, MGMT, stuff like that.

Sorry I never found out if it was cash only or not because for the first time practically ever, I was prepared with the lettuce in hand. We had our first pints of ale at 9:30 p.m. or so. The next round, I made the leap from Blue Moon to a Guinness...the one woman manning the bar was definitely in her happy place; consequently, I went all the way to the bathroom and back and the drinks still weren't ready. It doesn't take THAT long to fill a pint glass with frothy stout!

In a generally good mood, I waited patiently while she talked to a young, edgy looking married couple she seemed to know well and multitasked a bit with White Russians for a party known as "the film people" seated at a table. She told me one of my beers would arbitrarily be charged at the happy hour price. When she finally brought me the drinks, she said, "They're both happy hour, because I knew that took FOREVER." Sweet!

Soon, we were convinced that neat whiskey and dirty martinis were definitely the way to go, tomorrow be damned. She poured generous tumblers of whiskey and made proper martinis (meaning she chilled the glass by setting it aside with ice in it, meaning she knew that the default base when someone says "martini" is gin, and not VODKA, as some greehorns actually believe).

The unexpected bonus was a huge cup of olives that she plunked down at our table, saying, "Olives. I forgot these. Here they are." It was as big as the cup that most bars keep behind the counter so they can garnish a hundred separate martini orders.

The next time I went and got yet another dirty martini, I thanked her for the most lavish helping of olives I had ever received in my life. "Oh! Yeaaah, seriously, what happens in bars is that we have to use all the juice out of the jar for dirties, then the olives get dry and we end up just throwing tons of them away.

So obvious, but I had never figured that out. "That's HORRIBLE!" I shrieked, eyes even watering a bit. Yeah, I was buzzed.

"Do you just want like a whole PINT glass of olives?" She asked nonchalantly. Hell yes...so we picked off about three pounds of salty, pitless olives. The result? The clock moved like it was on time lapse photography and we shut the place down at 4 a.m.... No hangover the next morning - just puckered lips and an intense feeling of unquenchable thirst, not to mention a level exhaustion tormenting even the hairs on my head.

This was an original experience, probably thanks mainly to the bartender (who also brought us tall ice waters without us asking right when we needed it), along with the nude paintings on the bathroom doors (though a couple dudes still utilized the facilities behind the door with the naked, breasty female on it)...

To preserve this enjoyable atmosphere as the brine filled jar preserves a turgid olive, I will never bother to come here on a weekend night. Weekdays, however, will be other stories.

1/30/2013

This is one of my favorites.  They have pretty solid beer specials every day. The bartenders and bartendresses (is that a word?) are awesome.  Its a great place to grab a beer and a killer conversation.  Go with a small group and grab a table in the back. Or go by yourself and chat with the other patrons or bartenders.  Never a visit goes by that I dont have a chat with someone in there about something interesting.  What more could you ask for in a bar?

1/19/2012

Decent pub, friendly priced

The place is a default location for weekly happy hours with our friend circle.
Not too noisy, not too pricey, and conveniently located.

Good place to hang out with mateys - wooden benches and overall low-keyness. No food, but they could allow you to bring in some of your pizzaz.
Not very exciting if you are on a romantic date.

Get there on time (4-8pm), and you'll enjoy $4 beers and GTs. Have fun!

12/7/2011

I love this place!
If you're looking for a cool hangout with just the right kind of crowd, this is it. You're gonna love it.

11/23/2011

If I had to write a review about this bar within the first few seconds of entering on Friday night, I would probably have given it three stars. Pretty decent atmosphere, not uncomfortably crowded, but no real music. A laid back atmosphere to down a few before heading somewhere else.

Or so I thought.

Why the one star? Simply put, the service was god awful. But service usually stinks in a crowded bar on a Friday night, you say? Not like this.

Seriously, though. I've been in crowded bars before, and most bartenders have enough tact to say something along the lines of "I'll be with you in a second", "Just a sec", or even a simple hand gesture to indicate that your presence has been acknowledged. Apparently that's too much to ask at this place.

After being rudely told to "Hold up" numerous times, and after being called "bossy" for having the audacity to request eight shots of a ridiculously easy-to-make SoCo and Lime (which they managed to butcher anyway), I decided to leave a tip that I felt was pretty much commensurate with the service I received from the two bartenders.

I, of course, was called out for leaving such a "low" tip (even though it was more than 10%). I'd call that VERY geneous, all things considered. I walked out of the bar with a friend, and one of the busty gargolyes actually FOLLOWED ME OUTSIDE to tell me that I'm no longer welcome at the bar.

Heh. I don't think they were referring to me, everyone. According to the bartenders, NO ONE is ever welcome here. Stay. Away.

4/22/2011

If you want to be yelled at by a drunk bartender then, by all means, go to Scratcher.

The worst thing about Scratcher is that, at first glance, it seems like a fine place. The music is alright (if you can stand them playing the same Radiohead album over and over again every Thursday night) and the ambiance is tolerable. It looks like any darkened date bar.

Then you meet the bartenders. The woman bartender, who is perpetually strung out, and her angry Irish counterpart. When they are actually behind the bar- which isn't often mind you- they provide mostly the worst service you could possibly expect from a bar. If you ask for a PBR (which they run out of at about nine PM every night) they glare at you like you just punched their mom in the face before lazily opening the can and handing it to you. If you don't tip them for every single drink they call you out on it. Not a polite "Is there something wrong with my service?" No. That would be too nice for an employee of Scratcher. They just say: "Where's my tip, you bitch?" So, basically, what you have to remember at Scratcher is that drinks are actually a dollar more expensive than they are on the menu. Well, more expensive if you don't want to be yelled at by their staff.

Example: Last night a group of friends and I were waiting at the bar for drinks. We'd been waiting for some time so I rose my hand to flag her down. She stopped in the middle of what she was doing to tell me that I was a bitch and that she wouldn't serve me. So, I'm a bitch for flagging down a bartender for drinks. Wonderful. This is just what I wanted from my night out. This was after I tipped her all night too.

Scratcher is the worst possible bar in the East Village. If you want to go somewhere to get insulted for expecting good service- then it is the place for you. If not, try one of the other 800 bars in the East Village. Other bars which are cheaper than the overpriced Scratcher. Every time I come back with friends (who inexplicably like this place) I think it will be different- that, perhaps this time, I won't be showered with profanity for expecting decent service from a sober bartender. I guess that's just too much to expect from Scratcher.

3/12/2013

Grace, the super sweet bartender let me taste a couple of beers before I settled on the Spring Fling that I refereed to as the sexy lady beer. You can see why when you see the tap. We grabbed a table by the window which gave us a nice breeze from the street. The lighting was nice and cozy. The music was just low enough for us to chat.  Happy hour is til 8 which gives you enough time for a few rounds.

6/29/2011

A friendly bar on a hide-away street, this place gets much less riff-raff than McSorely's on 7th, and is just a skip and a jump away.  They serve good pints, and bring in a no-attitude crowd.  I really like this for a laid back pub style spot when I'm in the mood for that.

11/6/2011

This is a charming cozy little place to hang out. It really is a great place to go with friends and meet new people. It gets full but never uncomfortably overcrowded. Scratcher's patrons are friendly, but I can't say the same for the staff. The bartenders can be nasty, so they don't get much of a tip from me. They just seem pissed to be there and having to take my order. It's scary. Otherwise, this bar never fails. It just gets three stars because it's not anything overly special - it's just a solid bar with the basics you need on a laid back  night out.

11/17/2011

This is a tiny bar but what I like about this place is that it's not crowded and you get arm room which is a rare experience for me whenever I go to bars which I don't even go often.  

A couple of friends of mine decided to come here when we got kicked out of Podunk (refer to my review of Podunk to find out that story) and I think we had a better time here than when we would if we spent it there in the other place. As someone from the group said: "I can spent $5 for a beer instead of $8 for tea" and if I was in my drunken state at the time she said that, I would've responded with  "True that" because the beer was $5. That was the lowest price for a beer ever. Most places in Manhattan would charge $7 or more.

The bathroom was small but not cramp, a bit dark from the tiny dim bulb they had but luckily it didn't smell bad and you know how bad bathrooms look and smell so I won't have to describe it for you to save you from having your stomach churning.  

What was really interesting about this bar was that they had menus from restaurants in the area because they didn't serve food and they don't mind that you order outside food. That was very interesting to me but I'm not complaining. I would definitely come back here. Low key place but if you're drinking, you're drinking. Beer is beer. Alcohol is alcohol. "Why pay more" you would ask? All you you would get is a fancier and higher chair. 4 stars!

4/15/2012

This watering hole is greater than the sum of its parts.  There's just something about Scratcher.   On one of my many nights here, Christian Bale was having a drink alone at the bar, a guy a few seats away from him was reading a book and a few of the tables had small groups of friends casually catching up.  Ambient, but upbeat indie rock music and warm yellow lighting filled the intimate space while the pleasant bartenders served well-priced drinks.  I haven't been able to find another cozy, neighborhood spot like Scratcher in NY.  Unfortunately, these days you need to avoid Thurs - Sat nights, when it gets too crowded.  Meet up with old friends on one of their quieter nights (you can even order your favorite EV/LES food to be delivered).

12/4/2011

I've been to Scratcher twice and I'm not entirely sold. The pros are good happy hour specials, plenty of room, and rare crowds.

The major con is that the woman who tends bar (or at least the one who was there both nights I went) is really impatient and unfriendly. The first time I went in I asked for their beer and whiskey special but (unbeknownst to me) I'd missed it by about half an hour. She very condescendingly told me it wasn't available and rolled her eyes at me. The second time she asked me what I wanted and then, when I hesitated for a split second, immediately walked away. The bar wasn't even crowded but I had to wait several minutes for her to come back. It was unnecessarily rude.

Scratcher is probably a decent place to go with a few friends for some casual beers on a work day because of the ample seating and the ambiance, but it's definitely not my favorite; I don't go to bars to be talked down to by bartenders.

11/5/2009

OH Scratching Post! I already miss you!

This bar, as everyone else has mentioned, is chill and dimly lit. Someone else reported that it is a "writer's bar." The wooden benches resemble old pews or one room school house seats. Sundays they have a running acoustic live music series where they expect you to listen. Sundays are the perfect night to grab a hot toddy or cup of tea and just sit back and enjoy the vibe. The plethora of ambiance and Irish accents might even lull you to believe that you are in a little pub across the pond.

1/3/2009 Updated review

Love this place. It was wild and woolly last night, but in a good way.

People are so friendly here, it's insane*. The DP and I were kindly asked if we wouldn't mind switching tables with another group, since we were only two and they were seven, and they bought us a round!

Also, great music selection - like something I would have running on my mp3 player. Score!

*not sure what this means, but I am going with it!

3/15/2011

Cheap, very low-key, and relaxing place for a group of friends to talk and get a beer. Jukebox was good too.

This place easily got crowded at weekend nights so make sure to be early if you want to get good seats.

5/23/2012

Just perfect. Laidback and easy all-around - from the setting to the bartenders, this place screams east-village cool. I feel like I could roll in here anytime and still get the same service. Good beers at good prices.Go here when no one can decide where to go. I'll definitely be back.

3/30/2011

"Mike, that kid is such a Scratcher."

Maybe, calling someone a scatcher as in insult is just a Wisconsin thing, I haven't heard that around here but when I found out there was a bar actually called *Scatcher* I was instantly all ears.

Really not a fan of NYU-area bars (Voted no on Proposition crusty-staff McSorelly's) but was in the neighborhood so thought I'd give it a go.  The place wasn't fantastic but it was a step up from those nearby.    

First off, it's amazingly spacious! And for a weekend night it wasn't overly crowded.  I think having Bowery on the one-side actually cuts down on traffic.  The drink selection isn't anything crazy, I don't recall seeing a specials or cheap beer option but alright alright when there's actually a table that counts for a lot.

So besides the fact that I love the name, the bar is big, seemingly not often crowded its a good place for a few friends to meet up.  It truly is just a very straightforward B-A-R.

4/1/2008

Julia Stiles turned&left when I yelled "Weren't you in Saved by the Bell's Last Dance?" Then some weird drunken dude started poppin' and lockin'...this was back when Stiley when to SUNY Harlem aka the prestigious Columbia University. Julia had literally had taken to steps in, heard my drunken sniper fire, and jetted. The dude poppin' and lockin' was just corn on the verbal diarrhea that hit her straight in the grill. Haha.

btw, Stiles is attractive, but she seems to travel with a posse of doodz...who hope that some of shiny magically pixie dust talent falls on their sycophantic existence or it's because they hoped she'd save the last lapdance for them! Whatev...

anyway back to the bar, i love this walk-down situation. three or four steps and you're in a fabulous shadowy pub with shinny timber.it has the sheen of a dive, but is not one by birth. there's nice wooden tables and benches that goe around the perimeter of the place and a nice-sized bar. i believe all the mixologists are Irish which gives the Scratcher tried and true Irish pub feel than schlocky shamrocks, leprechauns and cheap decorations that oft drape other bars like toilet paper outside someone's house on Halloween.  people tell me Scratcher means bed, unemployment, the guy the king hires to scratch his @ss, etc. one day I will get the correct story!...i don't know what "Scratcher" means yet, but what it means to me is a wonderful spot to drink and laugh it up with friend, etc. the bartenders are agile, clever, polite, friendly, and pour a mean draft beer or any other liquid vice that you might need in a glass...the prices ain't that expen$ive.

again, the place has this refreshing after-daylight feel. a big enough place to meet friends, small enough to find seats to catch up with a bf or a loved one...it's a good date place, i would say. it's low-key. the crowd is typically friendly and locals from the area. prime-time nights do pull the NYU-ish crowd in or the occasional B&Tz, but overall the ambience, vibe, feel, etc. are too good to be true. i would say this place could be a pick-up spot, but most people travel in packs or couples here...so gunslingers mind your manners!!! warning: that tiny vestibule with the sink that you enter before getting to the actual bathrooms is dangerous. much flirtation is afoot as people pass each other through the tight pass....

off-nights are quiet which is refreshing.

plus you can buy salty chips and snackies at the bar, i think! I believe there's a Sunday brunch, though I have never partaken.

p.s.--my gf's bff call this place the scrapper. i think it's cause she's shorter than most folks and sounds doesn't travel well downwards.

12/28/2011

This place is fantastic. It was the perfect bar to throw a birthday gathering for my boyfriend. So relaxed. Cozy. We had the back right corner to ourselves. I'd highly recommend this bar for a smaller party, especially around the holiday season. :-)

11/7/2010

roomy, dim lil pub. not quite dive-ish, not too crowded. Lots of tables. You get your elbow room, but no one's listening to your convo.

it's in kind of a weird spot, but worth a peek on a chill outing.