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March 05, 2005

* Bembe

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81 South 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (at Berry Street)
PHONE: 718.387.5389
HOURS: Mon-Thu, 7:30pm-4am; Fri-Sun, 7pm-4am
CARDS: Cash Only
MUSIC/EVENTS: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: J, M, Z at Marcy Ave. ; L at Bedford Ave.
WEBSITE:: http://bembe.us/
NY Mag Review: Alongside the Williamsburg Bridge, Bembe is a world apart from its concrete, industrial environs. Inside, the bi-level lounge feels more like Miami or a steamy, fun-loving Latin American hotspot, with a tropical drinks menu—mojitos, rum punch, a tasty vodka concoction marinated in and served from an actual watermelon—and an airy, island-like décor of exposed brick and blonde wood. (The slightly exotic, accented bartenders, both male and female, lend another degree of authenticity.) But more than anything else, it's the sexy, ethnically-diverse crowd dancing (some expertly, some not) to vibrant Latin music, spun by a DJ but sometimes accompanied by live drummers, that really makes you feel like you're on vacation. Be warned: These booty shakers move with an enthusiasm and determination—sans attitude—that's contagious.

Continue reading "* Bembe" »

Bodega

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image c/o BrooklynVegan

ADDRESS: 1089 Broadway, Williamsburg Brooklyn
CALENDAR: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: JMZ to Myrtle
WEBSITE: www.chiefbodega.com/
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/bodegabk
WE SAY: New bars and venues open constantly in this neighborhood--it almost feels like the community board consists of a solitary robot with a giant rubber "Approved" stamp for liquor license applications. To which I say "Huzzah!" because papa needs his sweet, sweet booze. Anyway, today we take a look at a new music venue in Bushwick called Bodega (1089 Broadway), which is run by those hip souls over at Chiefmag. The space holds 300 people and used to be an actual bodega--one which used to sell crack I am told, which goes great with beef patties and Boar's Head turkey sandwiches. Most bands they host are of the Todd P variety, including Japanther, The Death Set, Ninjasonik, etc. Shows are usually in the $5-$6 range, perfect for the club's young, eight-people-to-a-loft crowd. [review by Keith Wagstaff]

* Brooklyn Bowl

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(Bowling Alley with food by Blue Ribbon)
LOCATION: 61 Wythe Ave Brooklyn, NY 11211
PHONE: 718-963-3369
CARDS: All Major
HOURS: Monday - Thursday 6pm-2am, Friday 6pm-4am, Saturday 12pm-4am, Sunday 12pm-2am
Family Day is SATURDAY! NOON -6pm is ALL AGES!
BOOZE: Full Bar
CUISINE: American/Southern
MENU: Click Here
DELIVERY: No
MAP: Click Here
WEBSITE: http://www.brooklynbowl.com
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford
WE SAY: A stunning sprawling space, albeit pricey.

The Charleston

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image c/o Flickr

174 Bedford Ave (Cross Street: Between N 7th Street and N 8th Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
PHONE: 718.782.8717
HOURS: Mon-Sat 3:30pm-2am
HAPPY HOUR: No, but $1.75 slices of pizza available
DIRECTIONS: From Bedford Ave take a right of Bedford Ave. The bar will be on your right between North 7 & 8th Streets.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford Ave
CITY SEARCH SAYS: The Charleston is a tackily appealing, dimly lit room. The ancient bar stretches down the side, and is usually manned by Benny, the proprietor for uncounted decades. A room in the back is cozy, with semicircular booths and soft red lighting. Music from Sinatra's day through the '70s is covered on a jukebox whose seriously old speakers make everything sound a little bit better for being a little bit worse. Benny owns the pizza kitchen next door as well, in case you need something with your beer. Even as Bedford Avenue has become the new Champs-Elysees, the Charleston still holds onto an interesting mix of hip kids and some of the neighborhood's old guard, by which we mean, like, 70-year-old Polish guys. A stage in the back room also plays home to local bands, who have made the Charleston something of a hip venue for up-and-coming art rockers.

Club Europa

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98-104 Meserole Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222
at Manhattan Ave.
PHONE: 718.383.5723
HOURS: Daily, 8pm-4am
CARDS: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
COVER CHARGE: Sun-Thu, $8-$12; Fri-Sat, $15-$20
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G at Nassau Ave.
WEBSITE: http://europaclub.com/
NY MAG SAYS: Club Europa's unassuming exterior--wood signage, semi-seedy sidestreet location--belies the nonstop, no-holds-barred, Euro-disco fantasy within. (Yes, there’s a smoke machine involved.) The crème de la crème of Greenpoint's young, thriving Polish population packs the enormous dance floor amidst elaborately choreographed lightshows, neon faux-stained glass windows, and gilt and red velvet everything. Hilton-twin-lookalike cocktail waitresses shimmy to the beat, toting translucent trays full of vodka drinks and bottles of Zywiec. Though the language barrier impedes conversation (not to mention drink orders) for English-only strays, Europa's unique ambiance allows you to skip the velvet rope of Manhattan clubland as you catch an Eastern European case of dance fever

Club Exit

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image c/o Village Voice

149 Greenpoint Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222
between Manhattan and McGuinness Aves.
PHONE: 718.349.6969
HOURS: Fri, 10pm-6am; Sat, 10pm-4am; Thu, depends on event
CARDS: Cash Only
EVENTS: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G at Greenpoint Ave.
WEBSITE: http://club-exit.com/
NY MAG SAYS: Over a zebra-striped dance floor, luminous red disks dangle like space mushrooms. Nearby, giant, curving pillars loom up like brontosaurus ribs from behind one of three Plexiglas bars. Clearly this is a place which can summarily prove that Manhattan Avenue--not just the namesake borough--has its decadent, futuristic pleasure domes. Granted, many of the stiletto-heeled girls quaffing mojitos, watching videos imbedded in their tables, and bouncing to the throb of house music are speaking Polish. Yet unlike its nearby rival Club Europa (permanently entrenched by Euro-cheese), Club Exit also caters to a new and different wave of immigrants: those forced north by Williamsburg's rising rents. On Friday nights, outside promoters such as Todd P are inviting noise rock acts and scroungy scamps to experience the slamming sound system and otherworldly decor.

* Death By Audio

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Japanther @ Death by Audio

MUSIC VENUE
ADDRESS: 49 South 2nd St (between Kent and Wythe Aves)
CALENDAR: www.myspace.com/deathbyaudioshows
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L to Bedford Ave
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/deathbyaudioshows
NY MAG SAYS: Out of the tradition of DIY basement shows and illegal loft parties comes Death By Audio, a utilitarian two-room hall neighboring the Diamond Sugar Refinery on a low-traffic, industrial block in Williamsburg. Community performance spaces pop up (and disappear) constantly, and Death By Audio, a recording studio and gear factory by day, feels barely more established since the setup is deliberately minimal, and transient: a low-level stage flanked by large-scale pieces from a rotating cast of local artists; and a secondary room, often utilized as a dance hall (equipped with a projector for ambient screenings of dystopian seventies flicks and other trippy fare). Lineups of obscure noise-rock dudes or experimental electro German drone-pop come together anywhere between three or four days a week or once a month. Ubiquitous Todd P. often pulls the strings.

Don Pedro's

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ADDRESS: 90 Manhattan Ave at McKibbin Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206
PHONE: 718.218.6914
HOURS: Mon-Sun 11am-7pm
CARDS: All major
MENU: Click here
CALENDAR: Myspace | Todd P
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L-Montrose, G-Broadway, JM-Lorimer
WEBSITE: www.donpedro.us
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/donpedrobarlounge
WE SAY: A Spanish restaurant with a backroom where hipster bands have been performing. Todd P's latest venue of choice. NY Times recently discovered Don Pedro's and several other "underground" L Train music venues.

East River Bar

east river bar williamsburg

97 South 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211, near Bedford Ave.
PHONE: 718.302.0511
HOURS: Daily, 5pm-4am
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
HAPPY HOUR: Daily, 5pm-8pm; $3 beers, $1 off all other drinks
EVENTS: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: For the L train, get off at the Bedford Ave stop, the 1st stop in Brooklyn on the L line. Walk down Bedford Avenue (south) towards the Williamsburg Bridge, take a right as soon as you pass underneath the bridge (on S 6th Street), half way down the block you will see the East River Bar on the right hand side.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: J, M, Z at Marcy Ave. ; L at Bedford Ave.
WEBSITE:: www.eastriverbar.com
NY MAG SAYS: Before becoming the East River Bar in early 2004, this venerable space was an illicit Latino speakeasy, and before that, an underground biker bar. Its first incarnation, though, was as a paint factory, and the giant room retains a great industrial feel, with beautiful pressed-tin ceilings and weathered floorboards. Instead of accentuating such things, though, the owners have opted to camp it up, marring the antique ceiling with a disco ball and shoving a cowboy-themed mirror behind the bar. The result is a comfortable but generic dive, complete with the standard handful of beers on tap, the standard dartboard and pool table, and the standard smell of Murphy's Oil Soap. Some of the barflies are about as stylish and appealing as the broken-down furniture, most of which looks like it was just dredged out of the bar�s namesake estuary. If the weather's nice, East River Bar justifies its existence by grilling BYOBBQ on the patio. These meaty treats compete with the beefy fumes emanating from nearby Peter Luger's.

Continue reading "East River Bar" »

* Glasslands

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GALLERY/MUSIC VENUE
ADDRESS: 289 Kent Ave (between south 1st and south 2nd)
CALENDAR: www.glasslands.com/
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L to Bedford Ave
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/theglasslands
THEY SAY: The GlassLands is a community arts space in Williamsburg Brooklyn. We host live music, dance parties, special events, lectures and ongoing interactive art projects. GlassLands was founded by musician Rolyn Hu and Artist Brooke Baxter in May 2006.

* Harefield Road

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image c/o noahkalina.com

769 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
(Between Graham Avenue and Humboldt Street)
PHONE: 718.388.6870
HOURS: Daily 12pm-4am
CARDS: Cash Only
GAMES: None
HAPPY HOUR: Brooklyn beers are $3 from 4pm to 8pm daily
DIRECTIONS: From Graham Ave. L Train - Walk away from the Williamsburg bridge on Metropolitan one block. The bar will be on your left, just before the White Castle.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Graham Ave
CITY SEARCH SAYS: Elusive Pencil Factory co-owner Sean O'Rourke and partners knocked down the Blue Lady Lounge and handbuilt a spacious bar that's rich with rough-hewn planks and polished dark barstools. The largely unpretentious artists of Williamsburg's Italian section are sweet on the place's regional microbrews, among them a well-rounded local selection from the Brooklyn, Six Points and Ommegang breweries. In addition to the 20-seat bar and a number of group tables inside, the back patio stays open all night. Brooklyn beers, which normally go for $4 (a buck less than other pints here), are $3 each from 4pm to 8pm daily. Though beer is the focus, single malts, Irish coffee and hot toddies are a winter signature. Eight wines are served by the glass.

Continue reading "* Harefield Road" »

* Matchless

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557 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222 (at Driggs)
PHONE: 718.383.5333
HOURS: Daily, 5pm-4am
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
HAPPY HOUR: Sun-Fri: 'til 8pm, $4 Pint Margaritas, $2 Well Drinks, Daily Beer Specials!
EVENTS/SHOWS: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: On the corner of Driggs ave. and Manhattan Ave. Take the L to Bedford Ave, walk east. Take the G to Nassau Ave, walk south.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G at Nassau Ave
WEBSITE: www.barmatchless.com
MYSPACE: Click Here
NY MAG SAYS: The preserved "Shocks & Struts" sign outside this classy Greenpoint joint has become a neighborhood beacon. Narrower and darker than Enid's (across the street), this former auto shop feels more like a refuge for Greenpointers who find an extensive beer list (including 16 on draft) more impressive than a full evening of listening to Badly Drawn Boy's oeuvre. The back den of booths contains a Foosball table, a side room features impressive canvasses from local artists, and the gorgeous, amoeba-shaped copper bar in the center hosts old men of dubious sanity staring at post-collegiate girls deep into meditations on spirituality. Matchless needs more time to cement its identity, but an increase in bookings of local bands could call into question locals' allegiance to the bar on the opposite corner. What's more, the owner has already gotten in a street fight with high-schoolers on PCP, which in this neighborhood counts as an initiation ritual.

Continue reading "* Matchless" »

* The Music Hall of Williamsburg

The Music Hall of Williamsburg

MUSIC VENUE (Formerly Northsix)
66 North Sixth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
PHONE: 212.260.4700
CARDS: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford Ave
WEBSITE: www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com
CALENDAR: www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com
NY MAG SAYS: Bowery Presents, the bookers behind Webster Hall and Bowery Ballroom, have expanded their indie empire again with the rebirth and renaming of the former Northsix. The fancy face-lift stretches the space from two to three levels (with bars to match), adds balcony seating, and reshapes the interior via a curved wall for optimized acoustics. With the removal of the steel columns, sightlines were also markedly improved. And as if the cosmetic modifications weren't enough, the inaugural lineup put the previous incarnation's schedule to shame; Top notch indie acts and veteran critical faves look sure to pack the house while a gamut of great, on-the-verge bands should solidify the rep on the street.

* Pete's Candy Store

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image c/o calamine.com

709 Lorimer St., Brooklyn, NY 11211
nr. Richardson St.
PHONE: 718.302.3770
HOURS: Sun-Wed, 5pm-2am; Thu-Sat, 5pm-4am
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
HAPPY HOUR: Daily, 5pm-7pm; $2 pints, $3 well drinks
CALENDAR/SHOWS: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St.
WEBSITE: www.petescandystore.com
PAPER SAYS: "Walking into Pete's Candy Store, on a still-lonely stretch in Williamsburg, is like checking into a Norman Bates boutique hotel on a particularly Psycho night. Housed in a former 40s soda parlor with a "dicey" back room, Pete’s bears all the scars of its pockmarked past. The owners took pains to maintain a nod-and-wink seediness that's all the more convincing with thrashing punk tunes blaring and a few drinks swilling in you. The wrong-side-of-the-tracks vibe ends behind the bar, which serves up all the best Brooklyn lagers as well as civilized, well-made cocktails like mojitos, Absolut Citron cosmopolitans and Pete's Manhattans, made with Maker's Mark ($6 and under)."

Continue reading "* Pete's Candy Store" »

* Public Assembly

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[formerly Galapagos]
70 North 6th Steet, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (between Berry & Wythe)
PHONE: 718.384.4586
HOURS: nightly from 7pm - 2am, Friday and Saturday until 4am
CARDS: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
EVENTS: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: Take the L train (catch it along 14th Street in the City) to Bedford Ave. (1st stop in Brooklyn). You'll be on Bedford Avenue and North 7 Street, walk one block to N. 6th, make a right and walk 2 1/2 blocks down to #70. Public Assembly is between Wythe Avenue and Kent Avenue.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford Ave
WEBSITE:: www.publicassemblynyc.com/
METROMIX SAYS: This decade-old industrial art and performace space, formerly known as Galapagos, has established itself as a nucleus of culture in the area, hosting everything from theater, cabaret and burlesque acts, to local bands, DJs and art installations.

Rock Star Bar

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(AKA Ship's Mast, AKA Local, AKA Mermaid Bar)
351 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
at S. 5th St.
PHONE: 718.384.8730
HOURS: Mon-Sat, 11:30am-4am; Sun, 11:30am-4pm
CARDS: Cash only
GAMES: Pool
HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Sat, 11pm-8pm; $1 off draft beers and well drinks
SHOWS/EVENTS: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: From the Bedford L Train - Walk south on Bedford all the way to South 5th (just before the bridge) and take a right. The bar is on the corner of Kent and South 5th.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L at Bedford Ave. ; J, M, Z at Marcy Ave.
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/rockysrockstarbar
WE SAY: Also called the mermaid bar (um, there's a mermaid sculpture on the bar), Local hosts a mixed bag of live music on the weekends. Line-ups are often very strong, (Lightning Bolt played recently) but the sound usually sucks. Don't miss Pies & Thighs in the front of the building when you get hungry.

Continue reading "Rock Star Bar" »

* Royal Oak

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image c/o Flickr

594 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
at N. 11th Street
PHONE: 718.388.3884
HOURS: Daily, 5pm-4am
CARDS: Cash Only
HAPPY HOUR: Daily, 5pm-7pm; Buy a round, get a round
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St. or L at Bedford Ave.
WE SAY: If atmosphere is important to you, be sure to stop by Royal Oak. From brass fixtures, to red wallpapper, to leather booths, the setting is classic and intimate. Royal Oak is spacious and a great place to unwind. It's owned by the same people who run Sweet-Ups. There are dozens of beers on tap, ranging from German to Belgium. Plus, Royal Oak is never touristy, a problem that is becoming more annoying in Brooklyn.

Continue reading "* Royal Oak" »

The Silent Barn

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915 Wyckoff Ave at Hancock (in far east Williamsburg, AKA Ridgewood)
(Silent Barn—aka Raven's Den aka Club Krib— is an avant music space, not a bar. Beer is usually available or BYOB)
PHONE: none
HOURS: open for special events
SHOWS/EVENTS: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: Exit L train at Halsey and take a left on Wyckoff walking towards the Manhattan skyline (past the gas station which should be at your back). Silent Barn will be on your right about two blocks down.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L to Halsey/M to Myrtle/Wyckoff
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/thesilentbarn

* Sound Fix

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image c/o brooklynvegan

LOCATION: 110 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn NY 11211
(between 10th St & 11th St)
PHONE: 718.388.8090
HOURS: Mon-Sat 12pm-9pm, Sun 12pm-8pm
CARDS: Visa, American Express, MasterCard
WEBSITE: www.soundfixrecords.com
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford Ave
ABOUT SOUNDFIX: Sound Fix has officially reopened its beloved lounge and music space, the site of many memorable shows over the years, including Beirut, Will Oldham, the Hold Steady, The National, the Mountain Goats, Jens Lekman, Art Brut and many other great bands and artists.... Monday night parties featuring midnight sales on Tuesday's big new releases will become a unique and regular affair, and a music trivia night will be a weekly happening, with prizes like gift certificates to the record store and exclusive music giveaways... The Sound Fix Lounge has been given a complete makeover, top to bottom, with a new fully stocked bar, elevated stage, high-quality sound system, ambiance lighting, polished furniture and lavish decor. Plans for this improved space include not only live music events but also readings, theater, film screenings, game nights, comedy, private parties and more. For years, the Sound Fix record shop has worked in collaboration with the neighboring Fix Café. Earlier this year, Sound Fix bought out the café and has been working on uniting the two spaces like never before. Now it is truly one venue, a record store attached to a comfortable, spacious lounge that serves coffee and waffles (our specialty) during the day and offers a full bar at night, offering $2 PBRs around the clock and competitive prices on well and top-shelf liquor.

Spike Hill

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184 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
nr. 7th St.
PHONE: 718.218.9737
HOURS: Mon-Thu, noon-2am; Fri, noon-4am; Sat, 11am-4am; Sun, 11am-2am
CARDS: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
GAMES: None
HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri, 4pm-7pm; $1 off all draft beers and well liquors
DIRECTIONS: Exit the L Train at Bedford and it's across the street.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford
WEBSITE: www.spikehill.com
WE SAY: If you’re lucky enough to be seated in one of the dark mahogany booths, scavenged by Spike Hill co-owner, Tom Schmitz, you’ll find the perfect refuge from the packs swelling outside on Bedford Avenue. The bar in the front offers twelve rotating draft beers and a healthy selection of scotch. Inexpensive dishes range from traditional pub fare like Fish & Chips to neo-American comfort dishes like Blue Point Oyster Po’ Boys with chipotle lime mayonnaise.

While the Thursday night open-mike musician set up his microphone, appetites were whet with a Kielbasa starter -- the one hat-tip to the neighborhoods’ previous settlers. The Buffalo Wings were average and the Oyster Po' Boy was more fry than oyster. You're best served if you think of the joint as a watering hole where carnivores and pescetarians can nurse a hangover or take a preventative approach to drinking by laying down a greasy base. while imbibing.

When the check arrived there was a whistle of shock and delight. Though not officially on the menu, the majority of the table had ordered the Spike Hill Burger. The dangerously low price of $2.75 per burger was responsible for the impossibly cheap bill.

Fridays throughout the summer, Spike Hill is offering $1 Blue Point oysters and Little Neck Clams between 5-8 PM.
- Amy Brown

Continue reading "Spike Hill" »

* Stain

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766 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY 11211
near Humboldt St.
PHONE: 718.387.7840
HOURS: Daily 5PM-2AM
CARDS: Cash Only
HAPPY HOUR: Daily, 5pm-8pm; $1 off house drinks, wine, and mixed drinks
CALENDAR/EVENTS: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Grand or Graham
WEBSITE: www.stainbar.com
CITY GUIDE SAYS:"A few subway stops east of the big Bedford Ave. scene in Williamsburg, you'll find this boxy hangout, happily flying below the radar. Named after that pesky rouge ring many a wine glass has left behind, Stain is drenched in the wine color palette, with maroon walls and dark pink and red plush couches strewn about. Wine selections chosen from a surprisingly short list of regional vintages are served in stemless glassware. A small stage graces the back of the room, the old lamp and chair make it look like a set piece waiting for some action. And it does get action, in the form of weekly open mic nights, live music including jazz, and the occasional costume contest. The garden space out back looks like the rare New York backyard: no landscaping, just a few chairs and the occasional random piece of art in the unruly yard."

Continue reading "* Stain" »

Studio B

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Soulwax at Studio B. Other recent artists include Lightning Bolt & LCD Soundsystem

259 Banker St., Brooklyn, NY 11222
between Meserole and Calyer Sts.
PHONE: 718.389.1880
HOURS: Open weekends and some weekdays; cover varies.
SHOWS/EVENTS: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G at Greenpoint Ave.; G at Nassau Ave.
WEBSITE: www.clubstudiob.com/
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/clubstudiob
NY TIMES SAYS: Formerly a Polish dance hall, Studio B is now home to people who want to look Shrimptonesque -- or at the very least, retro... Studio B has a lot of features that are local rarities, among them a brightly illuminated sign, large bathrooms, and a V.I.P. room with leather couches. Nice, clean leather couches. And unlike its neighbors, Studio B comes with a night life pedigree: the D.J. Justine D. is the creative director, and Todd P., a well-regarded indie music promoter, will book some acts. The proprietors also own the Delancey on the Lower East Side and Studio A, a hipster rock nightclub in downtown Miami...."It's like the worst imitation of the 80's," said Bert Kietzerow, 39, a hairstylist who lives in Williamsburg. Mostly, though, the retro vibe fits. "It's not slick or fancy, it's cheesy," said Leslie Hermelin, 27, a music publicist. It's also enormous (9,500 square feet). At 1 a.m., when the Belgian D.J.'s Soulwax took the stage, the club was jammed, the dance floor a sea of pumping fists and flashing camera phones. Even Mr. Kietzerow succumbed to the beat and the fog. "That smoke machine is so lame," Ms. Hermelin said, "it's cool."

Continue reading "Studio B" »

Tommy's Tavern

1041 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222
at Freeman St.
PHONE: 718.383.9699
HOURS: Daily, 4pm-4am
CARDS: Cash Only
GAMES: Pool
SHOWS/EVENTS: Click here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G at Greenpoint Ave.
WEBSITE: www.tommystavern.com
MYSPACE: Click Here
NY MAG SAYS: "A visit to this out-of-the-way Greenpoint dive can go two ways. Scenario one: you step through clusters of bands smoking in front of their beat-up tour vans just to get to the door and squeeze through a crowd of messy-haired college radio DJs and girls in slouchy boots to get to the fluorescent-lit bar. After stopping by the grim bathroom to stuff a handful of toilet paper in your ears you push through the saloon-style swinging doors into a stageless back room where, under a pulsating lightshow apparently stolen from a middle school dance, you’ll come face-to-glistening-face with some thundering rock outfit. Scenario two: A man with a deeply creased face will slowly pull his gaze away from the television set and, out of politeness to the only other person in the bar, invite you to a game of pool. Scenemaking rock promoter Todd P.--who started booking some of Brooklyn's best underground shows a few times a week at this three-decade-old bar--is the difference. Either way, the cheap booze is the fuel."

Continue reading "Tommy's Tavern" »

The Trash Bar

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256 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY 11211
nr. Roebling St.
PHONE: 718.599.1000
HOURS: Daily, 5pm-4am
CARDS: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
GAMES: Pool, Ms. Pacman, Megatouch, Big Buckhunter II
HAPPY HOUR: Daily, 5pm-8pm; two-for-one PBR, well drinks and draft beer
Daily, 1am-4am; $3 PBR, $6 "Jack & Back" drinks (PBR infused with shot of Jack Daniel's)
Daily, 8pm-9pm; open bar with cover on PBR and well drinks
CALENDAR/SHOWS: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: Take the L train to the Bedford stop. (the first stop in Brooklyn coming from Manhattan) Walk south (street numbers will get lower) on Bedford Ave. 10 short blocks to Grand St. Take a left at Grand St. and walk a block and a half. The Trash Bar will be on your right side just before hitting Roebling. Look for the large black awning.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L to Bedford Ave. or Lorimer
WEBSITE: www.thetrashbar.com
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/thetrashbar
WE SAY:Formerly known as the home of electroclash, Club Luxx, the club is now known as Trash, a dumpy dive bar with a pool table, PBR, car seats, and Free tator tots!

Continue reading "The Trash Bar" »

* Union Pool

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484 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
at Meeker St.
PHONE: 718.609.0484
HOURS: Mon-Fri, 5pm-4am; Sat-Sun, 3:30pm-4am
CARDS: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
GAMES: None
HAPPY HOUR: Daily, 5pm-8pm; $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon, $3 draft beers, $4 well drinks, and $6 for a Bud and a shot of Jim Beam
SHOWS/CALENDAR: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: Union Pool is located at 484 Union Avenue on the corner of Union & Meeker, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The bar is two short blocks north of the Lorimer L stop and one block off the Metropolitan exit of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St.
WEBSITE: www.unionpool.net
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/unionpool
POTTY GIRL BATHROOM REPORT: Click Here
WE SAY: There's a 1950s, Vegas-Middle American Motel feel to Union Pool, and old pool supply and pest control shop. Plop your hiney into one of the big, cushy half-moon booths or hunker up to the boomerang-shaped bar. Only three taps (Guinness, Stella...) but there are some good brews in bottle (Duvel, Chimay). A modest liquor selection but it too holds some gems- Blanton's, Woodford Reserve. Young, laid-back, hipster clientele come for the ambiance, DJ and bands, and the generous happy hour (5-8). Sport for the bored- sit at the bar and try to land lemon peels from your martini atop the bust of JFK on the ancient beer fridge. They also have a great backyard which is open during the warmer months. It tends to get a bit crowded when the garden is closed in the winter.

Continue reading "* Union Pool" »

* Warsaw (at Polish National Home)

warsaw.jpg
image c/o Flickr

261 Driggs Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222
at Eckford St.
PHONE: 718.387.0505
HOURS: Tue-Sun, 5pm-midnight; Mon, closed
CARDS: Cash Only
SHOWS/CALENDAR: Click here
DIRECTIONS: L train to Bedford Ave. (one subway stop from Manhattan);
By train from Queens: G train to Nassau Ave. Bus: B24, B61, B62: All to Manhattan and Driggs Ave.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G at Nassau Ave.
WEBSITE: http://warsawconcerts.com
NY MAG SAYS: "An integral part of the city's music scene, Warsaw (located inside the Polish National Home, in Williamsburg) has played host to outré newcomers (Le Tigre, the New Pornographers), as well as still-relevant favorites (Patti Smith). It's a discerning balance that most clubs--with their unsubstantial underground acts or museum-worthy oldies bands--fail to achieve. Warsaw's high ceilings, good sight lines, and clear sound make the venue one of the city's premier nightlife destinations--in any borough."

* Zebulon Cafe Concert

zeb.jpg

PHONE: 718.218.6934
HOURS: Mon-Fri, 6pm-4am; Sat-Sun, 4pm-4am
CARDS: American Express
CALENDAR/EVENTS: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L at Bedford Ave. ; J, M, Z at Marcy Ave.
WEBSITE: www.zebuloncafeconcert.com
NY MAG SAYS: Only a few blocks from the art-school monoculture of Bedford Avenue, Zebulon Cafe Concert is a dark, glittering, entirely different world—an authentically bohemian boite better suited to the Boulevard St. Germaine. Under dim streetlamp-style globes, a casual, congenial, international crowd snacks on crisp panini and avocat vinaigrette while toasting at tables with a glass of Lillet or one of the reasonable reds from the Tarif des Consommations. The small, L-shaped room's décor includes an antique tin ceiling and dark mirror behind the bar, set off by old LP covers and posters of Miles, Monk, and Mingus—complementing the main event, nightly jazz or world music on the undersized stage. Owned by two Gallic music lovers who spin vinyl rarities from their own collection between sets, Zebulon never charges a cover or a minimum for a serious roster of artists that has included saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and cornetist Graham Haynes, plus salsa, zydeco and Afro-Brazilian musicians. Instead, a tip basket winds its way across the tiny, packed dance floor as revelers finish their rounds and decide to stay for the late set.

Continue reading "* Zebulon Cafe Concert" »


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