Whether you’ve been in  New York for your whole life, 10 years, 10 days or even 10 minutes, one thing never changes — the fact that the city is always changing. Your favorite restaurant, your local bodega and even your dry cleaner across the street seem to always be in danger of being there for you one minute and mysteriously replaced by something very fancy and very new the next. In the race against New York minutes, it may seem tempting to book a table (or seat at the bar) at every new spot in existence. If there’s anything we’ve learned, though, that plan will likely leave you very exhausted and not to mention very poor.

That’s why we must pay tribute to the only New York City classic that seems to evade the dreaded grand-opening-grand-closing curse, the dive bar. Yes, they are no place for a $15 experimental cocktail or your newest pair of Zanottis, but they are the perfect place for your favorite pair of Vans and 5 shots for $10. Because even though we love a fancy night out as much as the next girl, in our heart of hearts we’ll always call a less-than-classy dive bar home. Here are 10 of our favorites all over the city, for those moments when nothing less than a cold beer and a no pressure night out are the only thing that will do.

Words by Gee at Taste the Style

[Photo via Ear Inn]