Glacken’s Bar & Grill

I’m almost loath to write a review of Glacken’s, now that I see that only one previous reviewer has posted on it. At the moment, this is about as old-​school a dive bar as I’ve wandered into in NYC anytime in the past decade. It reminds me of places like Gough’s and the International Bar and Grill that used to be typical of the seedier parts of Manhattan before the Great Gentrification befell us. The tiny place is loud and crowded and raucous, and VERY down-​market. A noisy game of dominoes was taking place at one table last week, while everyone was getting drunk on potent seabreezes and stuff of that sort. But the vibe is friendly.
I am a jerk for posting this, because I honestly hope not to run into any fellow Unilocaler-​types the next time I stop by the joint (unless they’re friends whom I drag along with me). Hopefully the unglamorous, non-​hipster-​friendly SoBro setting will keep most of you away, as it clearly has up till now. No offense intended. If this gets discovered to any significant degree, it will be promptly ruined and I’ll have to go further afield, to someplace like Newark, to find its like.

This spot is a throwback to about 197sum… Glacken’s looks like the watering hole that Archie Bunker opened after Edith died. It’s small, really small with faded mirrors and old, mismatched tables and chairs flung randomly around. Come to Glacken’s on a weeknight to mingle with real, gritty, hardworking neighborhood locals who are drunk, cussing and laughing and pulling baloney and cheese sandwiches out of their workbags to go with their beers. Grab some suds and be mesmerized by the thousands of construction union stickers and FDNY and NYPD memorabilia that adorn the walls behind the bar. Glacken’s ain’t winning any prizes in the looks department. Glacken’s is raw. If you’re looking for a place to hear loud talking and get caught up in the middle of a drunken card game, Glacken’s is your place.

This is one of the greatest bars in the Bronx, hands down. Service, ambiance and convenience are all excellent. Great family establishment catering to dominoes players and baseball fans alike.