Iggy's Keltic Lounge

This is the kind of place that ought to pop into people's minds when they think of a proper New York dive bar. The music is ace, the beers and shots are cheap, the conviviality and conversation flows. Amy and Chris in particular are great bartenders. For a place to talk to all and sundry or just to sit and have a quiet drink, you could do far worse than head here.

This is a great Dive Bar in the Lower East Side. The bartender, Chris, was very cool. The decorations were fun. The prices for the drinks were reasonable. The vibe is laid back and friendly.

Wow. Walked in to order a beer for myself and my wife, and the service was absolutely awful. Despite us clearly being over 21, they still asked for ID, which was fine, but things took a turn when we didn’t leave a tip. The server actually shouted at us—completely unprofessional. What made it worse was the obvious homophobia from the server, and yet there's a queer flag behind the bar. It’s shocking. I've worked in New York and never experienced anything like this. We don’t let people like this affect us, but if you're in the area, there are plenty of other fantastic bars that deserve your business. There are multiple stories here from others who’ve been scammed. Save yourself the trouble and avoid this place.

The blonde bartender was SUPER RUDE when they had to close. She turn up the light and in less than five minutes told everyone out loud to go home in a horrible way. I was eating some fries from next door, she took them away from me and was gonna throw them in the trash while yelling me to go home. I get that they were gonna close but they are always nice ways to tell people to leave.

NOW THATS A DIVE 🍺🍻 If you love drinking, you’re gonna love Iggy’s. My buddy and I went here the other day and holy moly did we indulge ourselves. The beer flowed freely and the conversations were good!!…until they weren’t. Later in the evening my buddy express some political beliefs that were really telling and, unfortunately, are grounds to cut him off. So in a lot of ways, Iggys is a sad place for me. But at least it’s one of the most fun sad places I have. Thanks. Keep it up.

Very quaint setting and atmosphere. Location is good and the service is fine. A great place for a small intimate crowd of friends to hang out, drink and share a good time with loved ones.

☘️ Barman was dead sound. Great price on a bud light. Super tunes. Nice bit of character to the place. A great find! ☘️

terrible, terrible service with an attitude for some overpriced, watered down drinks. I’m praying I don’t get charged twice.

I have been going to Iggy's just about since it opened in the early 00s (can't remember exactly what year but I think 2000 or 2001?) when it was still owned by Iggy himself. I was living in Deerfield Beach, FL back then but coming up to NYC 3 or 4 times a year and always, ALWAYS went to Iggy's. I even worked there for a while after I moved to Brooklyn in '04. Anyways, it has always been a great bar...it's been a while since I've stopped by (mostly cause I live in Dirty Jerz now) but over the years they have consistently had awesome bartenders, cheap drinks and a cool REAL (non-internet) juke with stuff like The Beastie Boys (Paul's Boutique, btw, is so-named because there was a store right there on Ludlow and Rivington called "Paul's Boutique" back in like 1990 - it's in the cover pic, but I digress), Maiden, Nirvana, old Green Day....you get the idea. One thing I noticed in a lot of the comments was people saying it's not very Irish, etc. The reason it's called "Iggy's Keltic Lounge" is, that it was originally owned by an Irish guy named Iggy (he loved to tell people that his full name was Ignatius Patrick David Hughes...not TOO Irish, right?!) with a thick Irish accent. Iggy used to hang out there all the time back in those early years, drinking with the regulars and singing along with Bruce Springsteen (even though his OTHER bar, up at 76th and 2nd, was the karaoke bar)....good times.... Back then we called them uptown Iggy's and downtown Iggy's. In maybe '07 Iggy sold it to the guys that own it now but the name stayed the same. I know a lot of people will be familiar with this stuff but I had a fun trip down memory lane writing it anyway. [RIP Iggy Hughes.]

Came in yesterday with a group of friends who were visiting from out of town, and was immediately told if I'm not drinking to get the f*ck out. My friends were drinking but I wasn't. I was being yelled at from behind the bar in front of everyone all because I didn't want a drink. The bartender was the nastiest person I've ever come across in the service industry ! How she still has a job is beyond me.

I went in with a group of friends, the vibe was really weird. We are all overage and my ID was expired and she (the bartender) told me I couldn't be at the bar. So I left and couple of my friends stayed, no problem. Later on I just went inside to say goodbye to everyone else, she had an attitude, kept looking at me weird and demanded my friend to leave since he wasn't consuming. He was literally saying bye to my friends. She is rude and seems like she was discriminating us. Rude bitch

Even though my favorite bartender is no longer working here it's still a great dive to enjoy some cheap drinking. A few of my running club mates and I dropped in last weekend after a boozy brunch for some post gaming fun. The bathroom is still a graffiti grungy sight!

Awesome find for a dive bar where you will not find many or no tourist. Staff all friendly based on a one night visit with other runners (we are here for the 2023 NY Marathon). Great selection of beers and ales and I'd definitely a chill atmosphere

Overcharged my card by $30 at least. Ordered 5 drinks, 2 Espresso martinis, a Jameson, and a margarita and a shot of espresso. Came to $92 on my bank statement. Called and wouldn't do anything. not a fan.

First time popping in for a quick drink and dash . Bartender had a face that could kill, and it matched her energy towards us. I don't think she appreciated 2 black sistas popping in , and her having to serve us . She only seemed happier when she took shots with her employees or her regulars "white" only patrons . She also closed on a card, without permission . Will never step foot here for anything .

Made the grave & foolish mistake of leaving a couple vintage guitars here a couple nights ago, thanks to my being distracted by a pretty lady and a bit of whiskey. I returned tonight and luckily my guitars were still there .The gentleman behind the bar kindly returned them to me & I did my best to tip appropriately with all the cash I had in my wallet. Thanks to the lovely staff for keeping my beauties safe... Glad we all had a laugh. Iggy's Keltic Lounge greatest bar in the world

Charming, intimate and good booze. Thumbs up for a straightforward drink on a cold day

I'm at this place now and I've been coming here for over 15 years. The amount of random people that just walk in , disregard the bartender and walk into the bathroom saying " I'll buy a drink " , but never do. It clearly says on the door "bathrooms for customers only ". FYI fry place etc

Another local place that's pretty good. They have good specials and the bartenders have always been very kind. It's roomier than some of the other places in this area- so if you have a larger party, this might be your type of scene. It can be pretty quiet during the weekdays, which is nice but get ready for the crowd on Friday/Saturday.

If you are looking for a cool, chill dive bar, this is a good spot. The ambiance is really chill and "divey" so to speak; gives the authenticity of a dive bar. I throughly enjoyed the music selection, mostly really good 80s music and the bartenders are friendly. The drinks are okay, could be better in my opinion but nonetheless I appreciate the vibe.

The bartender rhea is very rude and if you see her working do not go in. I came very kindly and and she was completely hammered, this is the second time that this has happened where she verbally attacked me and I gave her a second a chance Pauly and Marty are some of the best people I know and I'm a local from the neighborhood born and raised this experience was very distasteful and unappealing.

Average bar, GREAT bartenders. Seriously. Iggy's was a stop during a 90's-themed bar crawl and it was filled with drunken daydrinkers. The bartenders were awesome, cool, calm, collected, and very friendly. They had a special Pirate Hooker shot for $2 and it was excellent. The decor is pretty sweet too.

Came here for a drink with a friend. Was trying to go to a different bar, but it was closed, and was enticed by the $3 drafts / $4 well drinks happy hour that was until 8PM on a SATURDAY. Came in and the bartender was extremely friendly and helped us pick a beer. Everyone was really nice in the bar and everything was going well. Music was so so, but we grabbed a cool seat by the window and got to people watch while catching up. Never had to wait more than 2 minutes to get served, even though the bar was packed. Lost a star, cause we saw a giant roach which really freaked us out - but it was coming in through the door - not behind the bar. It's NY so what are you gonna do. Still, really freaked us out and we left. Would come back here as long as we weren't carrying bags or had jackets.

A few friends and I came here about two weeks ago, there was a misunderstanding and we ended up leaving. I apologized to the bartender and closed our tab out. I check my bill a few days later and I realize that they over charged me, I'm assuming they added tip when my friends and I left cash tip. It's a good thing that I kept my copy of the receipt, my bank was able to help me correct the issue. This was very unprofessional. Keep your copy of the receipts if you pay card! But pay cash if you can. These bartenders are rude and cheats.

lmao this is the least Irish 'Irish' pub I have ever seen. Like, there's all the Guinness signs and whatnot, but when you step in they're just blaring Young Thug and some other trap. I like that though! It's just so grungy. There's graffiti in the back, but it's so poorly done I feel it adds character. A good portion of the crowd seemed to be in their full, try-hard clubbin' attire. Overall, Iggy's is much more bangin than it looks, so it's not a bad place to wind up.

Confiscated my real id. Had to call the police to get my id back. In general, were super rude about the whole thing when they were in the wrong.

First off, let me just say this is 100% a dive bar so don't come here expecting much else, but it is an exceptional dive bar! I stumbled upon this place one night when a few other places we tried were full, and I'm so glad I did. It was pretty full but they're was a 2 seater available so we were seated right away. Great vibes, decor that makes no sense but works perfectly, Modelo on tap!! Beware of the bathroom - singular, but other than that it is a great place to enjoy a few drinks with friends and just hangout. Will definitely be coming back time and time again!

I fun spot. Very laid back and friendly

Came here as part of our bar crawl on New Years Eve. Huge fan of them not having a cover - seriously place across the street (something Moose wanted $15 to sit in their empty bar). This place is a dive don't expect too many frills but that is ok because when you go to a place like this I appreciate the honesty. The friendly door guys, bartenders who at least acted like they cared about you even on a busy holiday night, and unpretentious drinks. Great atmosphere for a group to kick back and have some fun.

SUPER -Divey -Cheap -Bartenders -Strong drinks -Loud All the makings of a rad hold in the wall, don't miss it!

Pretty low key place to grab a beer. Music wasn't too loud and able to talk to other people. I found the price a bit expensive but maybe that's because I'm from out of state. The bartender was friendly and very quick.

They are SUPER racist. Sorry not sorry. Because I ordered one time and did not tip they refused me service for a 2nd round. I wanted to stay the whole night.I decided to leave after the one round since they wouldn't service us after the one round. It was 3 of us POC but the bartender after happy hour also refused us service because she wanted to stick by her coworker we left. It was a shock and disgusting behavior. I've never experienced that before but here we are. NYC y'all. This experience was between 3 people of color. Everyone else in the bar was white. They did not give this experience to anyone but us. Consider that before concluding anything.

Cool looking, cool vibe, great music, and feels like an old New York bar, but beware! Our drinks had no liquor in them.  Don't trust me, do a search of the 1 and 2 star reviews of this place and it's a reoccurring theme. Many complaints of bad drinks, rude staff and adding extra tips to your bill after you go. When we politely asked if it was possible they forgot the liquor in our drinks we got rudeness, which told me we were spot on. My friend is a super lightweight. Half a drink and she's flying. An entire drink here, nothing. I tasted her drink. No alcohol. Same with mine. I like booze. I asked the bartender her name (just so I could be courteous and call her by her name) and I could tell she made up a fake one. A check of the reviews here makes no mention of that name.  Also, the doorman took a photo of our ID with his cell phone.  I assume it was for an app, but who knows. Even if it was just an app, I have a right to be informed my ID is going to be scanned or copied.  I have heard some bars are using Chinese type "social credit" apps that track you without your knowledge (take note: it's up to the discretion of the employees to "rate" you, and possibly block you from using other bars that utilize the same app). I should have trusted my instincts and not allowed them to copy it. If you just want a non alcoholic drink and don't mind your ID being tracked in the mark of the beast system, you might enjoy this place, but carefully check your credit card history afterwards.   Update: I see an employee has commented on my review and is mocking me for what I wrote.  Mike, you have to admit that it is at least possible that the bartender that made our drinks left out the booze, whether accidentally or on purpose. This establishment's bizarre response to my complaint should leave no doubt now that my review is legit.  Expect the same if you complain about getting stiffed here. I'm an excellent customer and had no beef with any employee here, I just politely asked if there was liquor in my drink (there was not).  Calling me crazy and a bad customer only underscores how terrible you are at your job.  Also, the NYPD requiring ID scans is nonsense. They may advocate for scanners, but many bars do not use them, and all customers should avoid them.

I have been here many times, but one time in particular was just the best. It was late afternoon on Halloween, and kids were coming in and out, hopping up on the bar stool and the bartender would drop some candy in their buckets/bags. Or if she was busy pouring drinks, patrons sitting at the bar would be on candy duty, helping her out. It was so cute, kids dressed as bears or kittens or yodas, sitting at the bar. Then they got really low on candy, so the bartender gave me some cash to run to the drugstore and buy more, and after that, I didn't pay for another drink, and got a couple of shots, too! This place is consistently excellent, but that visit was really, really good!

Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I accepted an invitation to meet up with some friends here. I don't see anything 'dive' about this place. Clean and fairly big space I was impressed. It's a little dark so if you have a pimple and don't want a date to see it, come here...lol. The bartenders are super friendly- I asked one of them to make me a shot that just screams girly, glittery and pink...and he delivered on all 3 points! Enough room to sit or wander around - you'll never feel crowded here. I've been warned some bathroom locks don't work so just passing on the warning in case you get caught mid-pee Iggy's is like a long lost cousin that you actually like. Friendly, warm and inviting and you can't wait to meet up again

I love this place. I would come here every night after the recording studio. I love it because the beer and the whiskey kept flowing. I don't understand the negative reviews, I always had a positive experience here. Honestly if you're looking for a eclectic dive bar, with eclectic furnishings and down to earth people I'd come here. Hard to find a place like this in NYC in 2020. Customer for life.

Went to Iggy's for the first time last night. Ended up sitting at the bar with the nicest bartender, Mike for like 3 hours. Will be back!!! Good crowd and great drinks!

Lovely bar and cheap drinks, plenty of specials. I had a great night here. Got a few drinks and met some nice people. Bartenders are super friendly and happy to be friendly to new customers and regulars alike. Sadly i couldnt come on the weekend, but weekdays were super chill.

The bartender is rude and Jameson is literally not Jameson in the bottle. Next time you give a smirk to your regular blondie make sure the people you are serving shit to don't know what you're serving. Do not recommend

Had a hell of a time here! Gets pretty packed after 10PM on Saturday like most bars in the area. Music was rocking and the drinks were a pouring! Bar chick was more than awesome.

Iggy's Keltic Lounge NY: Manhattan: LES 10pm Saturday 20th February 2016 Four Stars Its definitely a dive bar. It's not very Irish. There was loud hip-hop music and a very diverse crowd. I enjoyed $10 Maker's Mark. I enjoyed the decor with Frank Sinatra Mug Shot, Evil Clowns, and plenty of Spray Paint Graffiti. However, Mike "the Pirate" was not there. I was severely disappointed. Next Time!

Love this place. Pirate Mike is so awesome, as is Chris and the red haired woman bartender whose name I can't seem to remember. I came on a Thursday afternoon and stayed till the morning, there was a good mix of people (twenty somethings, working class folks, down to earth tourists from London). It gets crowded on weekends with a slightly trendier crowd but it's still always a good spot. What I really love is that even on weekends you can still hear your friends talk. Also, $4 well drinks from 2-9? Sign my ass up. These drinks are strong too. The non-internet jukebox is awesome. Nick Cave, Guns N' Roses, The Who, Joplin, Johnny Cash, Bad Religion, Dropkick Murphys, Violent Femmes. The place doesn't even seem all that dirty to me, I never touched a sticky surface and the bathrooms were totally usable with working locks and dry floors. Friendly people, engaging bartenders, good music- what's not to love? ETA: I added a star. Every single bartender I've ever met here has just been freaking fantastic and especially nice to me and my friends (at least the ones who deserved their kindness). Something to keep in mind: they card everybody and I do mean everybody, no matter how old you are without your ID you're not getting served. Friendly, interesting patrons. I could go on and on about this place. At the moment this is my favorite bar in the city.

- not my scene, slightly too seedy for my taste - cheap drinks, booths always a plus - questionable crowd - too loud to hold a conversation

Was here last nite and had a good time. It's a chilled place that makes u feel as comfy as @ home. It wasn't too crowded (around 10:30p), which was perfect for me and my friend, as we could chat without having to raise our voice. I would go back! :-)

I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet! This is a true dive bar. Bright red walls, seedy as hell nasty bathrooms with graffiti, decent selection of beer on tap, and an awesome jukebox. My friend Rich pretty much on occasion lives here. The bartender Mike is mad cool. During happy hour which lasts until I believe 8pm pbr is only $2 or you can fancy that up with a shot combo. Well drinks are cheap and strong as hell also so don't count that one out. The atmosphere? Usually very laid back and casual with some kind of awesome music blaring at a reasonable level. There are pretzels usually on the bar or you can order in from anywhere or run out and grab food and bring it in. There is conveniently Mikey's Burger right next door which isn't too shabby. Don't take your babies here.

My favorite bar and bartender (Mike) in NYC. Not even close. Great prices, comfortable and cheap.

Went straggling in here after work for a happy hour. First thing out of the bartenders mouth before sitting down or taking off my coat was "ID?" Never felt so obligated to buy a drink. Did so anyways, my friend and I had a laugh and the bartender kept glaring at us. Couldn't drink fast enough to get out. Such a shame cuz a good happy hour deal and some cool people hanging around. This blonde female bartender with a miserable aura and personality brought my business right next door! Where I was treated right! Sorry your so miserable at your job hun. I would have tipped you well.

Awesome dive bar. Came here twice. The bartender are wonderful and very sweet. I had a good time here and felt very welcomed. Anytime I go to New York I'm gonna stop here. On weekends they have a dj and on weekdays they play punk music. I would highly recommend this place to anyone. Nina and Amy are wonderful ladies. Thank you for a great time!

I was trying very earnestly to figure out why I like this bar. The reviews here are mixed and I can totally see why. Okay so the deal with this place is that it can have about 5 different vibes and quality of service depending on the day of the week, time of day and bartender. (Hold up, ain't that like most places thooo?) Let me try to break it down: Weekend nights are going to be crowded, the service will be ehh and the music might be all rock. Weekend midday is chill. Thursday night is where it's at. Sometimes the card minimum is $20, which ain't right. Other times it's $10, which still ain't right.

Nothing fancy, but cheapest beer in the area. Great staff and cozy vibe. No complaints! Classic pub. Come for the happy hour until late!

Great music, cheap $4 downeast, not crowded.... that means I found a new place to chill on the LES!

I love this dirty hole in the wall. Well, if I'm being honest I tend to love most hole in the wall dives, but that's beside the point. Iggy's and I go way back; it may not have always been our first choice of LES dives to visit, but it was always warming up in the bullpen when the others were too full to meet our...how do I put this nicely.. "youthful enthusiasm" for cheap drinks served as quickly as possible. Fast forward a few years Some things have changed, some have not. I still appreciate a dive, and I still appreciate a cheap beer (OK so the only thing that's changed is that I'm getting older....fun). Another thing that remains unchanged is Iggy's. This dive bar nirvana is still a shi%hole, the music in the jukebox is still good, and the prices are still exceptionally cheap. It really is the dive of dive bars, which is absolutely a complement in my book. The bartenders remain pretty damn cool (shout out to Pirate Mike and his gift for getting people inebriated with those pirate hooker shots), which is obviously a good thing. Their working relationship with Mikey's burger cannot be overstated; if you spend enough time here, you will absolutely be in need of a burger and fries, give a shout over to Mikey's (or stop in, they are always playing good tunes, and the smell of the griddle doing its thing is heavenly), and they will bring you some food faster than you can order another round. This place is an institution on Ludlow, absolutely worth checking out if you've never been.

Iggy's has become my new favorite dive. Why? I'll tell you why. - Friendly bartenders, including Pirate Mike, who makes awesome shots and treats you like you're a friend, not just a customer. - Plenty of seating and standing room, both at the bar and tucked away tables. - An actual jukebox, not an internet-based one that is loaded with Taylor Swift. This one ranges from Metallica to GNR to any punk band you can think of. - HH runs till 8PM and beers are $3 each. I'm not lying. They also have a special that includes 2 PBRs and a shot of tequila. - Dirty pirate hooker shots. I don't know what's in it and I don't want to know but it's delicious and goes down smooth. - Shiner on tap. - Bathroom walls covered in graffiti and god only knows what else, but the toilets themselves are clean (surprisingly). - A great friendly crowd (a guy accidentally knocked me in the head on my way back from the restroom and apologized about 10 times). - Takeout menus at the bar, so you can get food brought in and wash it down with a cold beer. This place is awesome. I can't wait to come back for even more happy hours.

Cheap drinks! DIve bar. Its got all the personality of a dive bar! The wobbly furniture, Darkness (even in the day light), and kick ass drink specials! I was here on a random friday afternoon with a date when suddenly 30 construction workers piled in with pizzas and sandwiches... and suddenly, i was the only chick in a bar full of sweaty men. Some say heaven, i say [old] sausage fest. Every time I got up to use the ladies room, i had to crawl through a sea of gawkers. it was awesome. Cheap drinks! this bar's got personality! (esp with heavy metal play list)

There is nothing like a dive bar on a chilly, midwinter night to warm you up. Iggy's is the perfect mix of chill relaxation and fun loving atmosphere that everyone wants from a bar. Depending on the night, you can walk in to just a few regulars chatting up the bartender, eating Mikey's burgers and fries while enjoying a cheap well drink. Other random nights you will walk in to find it filled with groups of friends who are loving the great juke box music and free flowing drinks. Even then it usually doesn't feel over crowded, just like the space is being used for what it was intended. I've been lucky enough to be here plenty of times and I know I always enjoy myself. Whether I am with my boyfriend or a group of 20, I always receive the same great service that comes with a perfect dive bar. And by that I mean, be a pleasure to serve and they will serve you. Pirate Mike is always willing to chat up the clientele (if he has a moment) so take the opportunity to order a dirty pirate hooker shot and strike up a conversation with him. Happy Hour is always a fountain of cheap beer and well drinks from 6-8pm but even after that ends, we normally have been enjoying ourselves to much to leave. I strongly suggest hitting up Iggy's if you've yet to cross its threshold or if its just been a little while. Those cheap drinks aren't drinking themselves!!!

The girl bartender here knows how to pour a pint of Guinness right. Plus she was very friendly and cute (blond curly hair). Great vibe and good juke box selection (4 songs for a buck). Allegedly they said it's a Irish Pub, but I saw it most as a cool ass dive. It was probably too dark and I was too drunk to see the Irish in it but bad ass nevertheless. Can't go wrong here if you want a great dive bar night with good music and fine poeple to look at...

Best bar on Ludlow street. Everything is great. Pirate Mike who works Fridays is the best!