Ace Bar: An East Village Dive Built for Skee-Ball and Cheap Beer
Ace Bar runs a daily happy hour from the afternoon into the early evening on cheap drafts and wells. It’s a beloved 30-year East Village dive — a ‘souped-up rec room’ with skee-ball, pool and pinball.
Open since the early ’90s with the motto ‘No pretense. No fuss. Just fun,’ it spans two rooms: a bar up front and a games area in back. The honest read: it’s a beer-and-shot place, not a cocktail bar, and it’s genuinely packed on weekends.
The Happy Hour
Happy hour is daily; sources disagree on the exact window (some say 4–7pm, others 3–8pm) and the prices (roughly $3 drafts, $5 wells), so confirm at the bar. Either way it’s cheap. The draw is the games — two pool tables, darts, pinball, Big Buck Hunter and the signature skee-ball — plus ~12–14 beers on tap.
The Room
Two semi-connected rooms decorated with vintage 1970s metal lunch boxes and neon, with an HD projector for sports and a rollicking jukebox. Full liquor and a house Ace Pilsner; no kitchen. About three blocks from the 2 Av F. Crowd: casual locals and big groups.
Who Ace Bar Is For
| Occasion | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Skee-ball night | The signature game, plus pool, darts and pinball. |
| Cheap drinks | A daily happy hour on drafts and wells. |
| Big group hang | Two rooms with space to spread out. |
| Game day | An HD projector for the match. |
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Ace Bar FAQ
Does Ace Bar have a happy hour?
Yes — daily, from the afternoon into the early evening on cheap drafts and wells (confirm the exact window/prices at the bar).
What games does Ace Bar have?
Skee-ball, two pool tables, darts, pinball and Big Buck Hunter.
Where is Ace Bar?
531 E 5th St between Avenues A and B in the East Village, near the 2 Av F.
Is there food at Ace Bar?
No kitchen — it’s drinks only.
Happy hour times and deals last verified June 2026. Details can change — confirm with Ace Bar before visiting for a specific deal.