Scruffy Duffy's, the longtime Hell's Kitchen watering hole at 639 10th Avenue, has announced that November 29 will be its last call. The bar broke the news on Instagram, thanking the neighborhood for making it feel like home over the years.
The closure was reported by W42ST, which noted the bar sits between W45th and W46th Street in the heart of Hell's Kitchen. In its Instagram announcement, Scruffy Duffy's said it's been a blast to be a small part of the Hell's Kitchen community, a sentiment that echoed through the replies from longtime regulars.
The Scruffy Duffy's name traces back decades in the neighborhood. Pat Hughes presided over the original Scruffy Duffy's bar on 8th Avenue before the operation found its way to 10th Avenue, according to the site's own history posted at scruffyduffys.com. That history recounts how Pat and Eileen Hughes took over a blue-collar, shot-and-a-beer bar on 8th Avenue back in 1991 and renamed it Scruffy Duffy's.
A Decades-Long Run With a Few Detours
The current 10th Avenue incarnation was brought back in 2019, per the bar's own site, after the 639 space had housed Kiabacca. Pony Bar and Hellcat Annie's were at the neighboring 637 address, while Scruffy Duffy's Tap Room operated next door, as a separate W42ST newsletter reported.
That same newsletter reported that the corner Tap Room closed after just one final day of service, pouring what it called its last pints, while describing the main Scruffy's next door as staying open at the time. It's not entirely clear from available reporting whether the November 29 closure now refers to that main bar, the Tap Room, or both — a wrinkle that underscores how tangled the site's recent history has become.
Pat Hughes has long been a colorful figure in the neighborhood's bar scene. In early 2021, he famously offered his Hell's Kitchen bars up for sale — for Bitcoin, according to the W42ST newsletter, a stunt that made headlines well beyond the block.
Part of a Rough Stretch for NYC Bars and Restaurants
Scruffy Duffy's exit adds to what's been a difficult year for New York City's food and drink scene. Eater NY has been keeping a running guide to the city's restaurant, bar and cafe closures for October 2026, updating it weekly as more spots call it quits. Separately, a report from Insurance Journal characterized the broader climate bluntly, stating that New York City restaurants are running out of ways to outrun inflation — though that characterization reflects one outlet's framing of the industry's cost pressures rather than a cause tied specifically to Scruffy Duffy's.
No official statement has detailed why the bar is closing, and there's no confirmation yet of what might take its place at 639 10th Avenue. For now, the bar's Instagram remains active with its usual rundown of happy hour and trivia nights, a small sign of normal business continuing until the last call arrives.
