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68 Jay St Bar
Categories: Restaurants Nightlife Bars Restaurants, Bars [Edit]
68 Jay St(between Water St & Front St)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Neighborhood: DUMBO
(718) 260-8207
- Nearest Transit:
-
York St (F)
High St (A, C)
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
28 reviews for 68 Jay St Bar
Review Highlights
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"3 each during their very long happy hour." In 6 reviews -
"My new favorite NY beer is Brooklyn Lager." In 9 reviews -
"68 Jay is a great neighborhood bar, one of the best in..." In 4 reviews
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Kiai K.
2/4/2012 14 Check-ins Here
What can I say about my local watering hole?...
If you've never been and end up there, don't forget to smile and say hello, and you will receive a smile and kindness in return. Easy. There are a lot of regulars. It's like a small town in Dumbo. I know that some people feel unwelcome when they see the regulars at the bar, but understand that the regulars have seen a lot of obnoxiousness and other trouble and they are protective of the bartender, who is often the only staff member present. The bar has been there long before there were condos down the block. Seriously, just say "hello" and any unwelcome sentiments, such as those mentioned in other reviews, will go away.
The wine selection is very good for a small place, and there's always something cold on tap. -
Review from S K.
Brooklyn, NY
12/30/2011
On the plus side they serve alcohol. And sometimes the small groups that play there quite fun / entertaining.
However (and echoing the sentiments of other reviewers) the regulars who hang out here treat it like it's their living room and you've just stumbled in - and I'm a local! The interior is drab and unwelcoming and the seating not at all comfortable. Good for a quick drink. Maybe. -
Review from Gretchen P.
Brooklyn, NY
5/22/2012
This place was a great stumble-upon find. I will definitely go again and again, despite my first time being bittersweet due to a particular musical act.
This past Saturday (5/19/12), 15-ish friends & I celebrated my friend Lauren's birthday here. We were very happy at Jay St Bar for a couple of hours: the drinks were reasonably priced; the bartender & barback (I can't remember their names - sorry, ladies!) were friendly; and we had plenty of room in their side room. To boot, a very talented Jarrod Dickenson was playing when we got there. Check out his calendar! http://www.jarroddicke...
What drove us out was the next act: Pete and Paul. http://peteandpaul.com...
During their gig, Pete - or Paul? - (they look and dress exactly alike, so I have no idea which was which) actually stopped playing, came over to us in the side room and told us to move further back because we were being too loud. Then, Pete/Paul went back to the mic and sighed, "Ok, they said they'll be quieter, so we'll see what happens."
Note: Jay St Bar is NOT a venue. It is a bar that has music. And there is a big difference between those two things.
Unfortunately for Pete and Paul, most of my fellow party-goers and myself are also live performers. We're actors, comedians, and singer/songwriters (who play gigs at Rockwood, The Living Room, Pete's Candy Store, etc.), and we have no sympathy or tolerance for such unprofessionalism.
Reluctantly, we closed out our tabs and left, but not before a very sweet apology from the bartender. She was not pleased, to say the least, that one of her bookings was actually losing the bar money.
Like I said, it's a great bar and I will definitely go back. But absolutely not on a night when Pete and Paul are playing. -
Review from Michael N.
New York, NY
5/19/2012
This bar is a lovely post-art exhibit. mecca or good for any kind of gathering with friends or dates. I recall taking a date here and the tab for both of us was not bad at all. I enjoyed the service, the ambiance and the selection.
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Review from Maximillian M.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2011
My new favorite NY beer is Brooklyn Lager. $3 for an ice cold glass here for happy hour, and a bowl of goldfish to nibble on. BTW, they stock none of the shitty American beers here (Bud, Coors, Miller, PBR, etc)--I call it smart, not snobby. Love the cozy vibe here.
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Review from K E.
Brooklyn, NY
1/11/2012
If you're the kind of person who wants to go in to a bar and sit sullenly staring at your drink than by all means, go elsewhere. But if you actually enjoy a bartender who is friendly enough to ask about your work, a cheerful conversation with the stranger sitting next to you, and if you like a place that supports the arts enough to put their money where their mouth is by bringing in well-thought-out acts, then this is your bar. I cannot fathom what the name-calling dude is doing living in this neighborhood. Perhaps Mom and Dad thought it would be good for his character to slum with the "unattractive" people in DUMBO so they didn't get him that penthouse in Soho? Don't let what sounds like a personal vendetta scare you folks, this place rocks!
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Review from Ian M.
Manhattan, NY
10/14/2011
This is a great place for either a group of friends or an intimate one on one. There is comfortable, flexible lounge seating throughout. The happy hour is great ($3 beer!) and they've got great, local beers on tap.
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Review from Craig S.
Brooklyn, NY
8/8/2010
Always great ...Except the bartender today!
68 Jay is a great neighborhood bar, one of the best in Dumbo... I have been there a few times in the past few months and alway found it to be a very relaxing place to hangout and that staff to also be very friendly...
I went there today (Sunday) around 7pm, the bar was fairly empty this time of the day, but the bartender was very rude. When I went up to the bar to order a second round of drinks for myself and my friends, she asked me to bring up the empty glasses to her before she would take my order.
To make it worse, when we were leaving and I went to close my tab she over changed my credit card ... $8 for drinks that said $6 on the bar menu. When I questioned it, she just argued back and didn't correct the charge. Its only a couple dollars in the end but it the principle of it.
Great place... just 'avoid' Sunday afternoon.
It sucks that one bad employee could ruin a great bar... -
Review from Becca C.
Brooklyn, NY
2/20/2010
68 Jay st. Bar, is an all around great bar.
I was meeting friends for a happy hour and arrived early. I felt completely comfortable sitting at the bar doing school work while waiting for my friends (required academic reading is always more fun when beer is involved). The happy hour prices are amazing and the beers on tap happen to be my favorites...brooklyn, yeungling and stella! $3 each during their very long happy hour. The bartender was friendly and made me feel at home.
Once my friends arrived we moved to the back and found a cute little spot to get comfortable in.
Also, this bar is super close to the F train - very convenient when it's cold and you are feeling tipsy. -
Review from Mike B.
7/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
awesome music, decent alcohol prices, and a fantastic crowd. I'm in.
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Review from Arthur O.
Greenwich Village, New York, NY
11/2/2007
Crazy unbelievably cheap beer drinking during Hora Feliza.
One of the best ways to start a night when you are coming home from Manhattan and moving on to Carroll Gardens and/or Fort Greene/Clinton Hill.
Extra-friendly owner. If he likes you, he'll probably want to sit and have a long chat with you. Make sure you've a friend in tow in case you want to excuse yourself.
Lovely original exposed brick and arched ceilings. -
Review from Nash G.
Austin, TX
11/22/2009
Having worked in the area a couple of times in the last few years, I was familiar with 68 Jay from going-away get-togethers and launch parties. During the week, it's pretty reasonable - nerds and artsy folks catching a couple drinks after work. But I shudder to think of the weekenders.
Generally speaking, Dumbo is a pretty depressing place to be on the weekend. Coming from East Austin, Wicker Park (not Bucktown, mind you), and Williamsburg, I can't think of a single reason anyone would hang out in Dumbo on the weekends unless they were lo-jacked. Or, perhaps, if they lived here and were too lazy to pedal their trendy fixed gear up to WB or down to Red Hook. (I stand accused.)
Did you ever go to a party at someone's house who you didn't really like but you hung out with anyway just to get out of your house and because they had free beer? Well, 68 Jay is kind of like that, only you pay for the beer. But the douchebag factor was so incredibly high there the last time I stopped by that it may have been the last time.
The staff is friendly and attentive. I don't know what my fellow reviewer "TRON" was talking about below; there is no food and certainly no burger. Most of the chairs are kind of uncomfortable, but they open the front windows when it's nice outside. Lots of dogs come by. No, I mean actual dogs. That's a nice thing.
I don't know. I hate to slag the place, but I find it hard to say much nice about it. Ultimately it's a product of its environment.Listed in: The Rise and Fall of 2009
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Review from Geoffrey B.
Brooklyn, NY
12/26/2008
I've been to few places like 68 Jay Street.
Like the other reviewers have said, if you stop by regularly, pretty much everyone will know your name. And, 68 tends to attract some interesting locals. The people here at what make the place work.
Oh, and make sure you stop by for Whiskey Wednesdays with Will Scott. It's worth your while.
We'd stop by after work, generally after 8, so I was never there for happy hour, but still, the drinks are relatively fair market value. The comfort of a familiar place, however, is what makes this bar a special one for people that live/work in the area. -
Review from Jason L.
Brooklyn, NY
11/28/2011
Five stars for location (close to my apartment), excellent service, atmosphere, music, drink prices. Minus 4 stars for the incredibly irritating and unattractive regulars who hang out here at all hours, block the entrance, crowd at the end of the bar and talk about nothing at all interesting. Abraham Lincoln Dude, Short Dreads, Skinny Twerp, Newsies....you know who you are. Also, people who bring take out into a bar: very, very gross. This place seems to defined by that type. A blight on my consciousness.
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Review from Jena B.
Los Angeles, CA
6/29/2010
An old friend -- a very old friend -- introduced me to this place. Despite growing up all of four inches away, I had no idea it existed. But the beer is cheap, and it's way less douchey than anything else in the neighborhood, and it's neither too crowded nor too empty.
Thanks, Neighborhood Bar, we might get to be better and better friends each time I visit my parents.Listed in: excellent places in New York…
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Review from Maryanne N.
New York, NY
5/17/2006
$2 yeungling draft happy hour. Nuff said.
But just in case thats not enough for you (and I don't see why it shouldn't be....drunk by 7pm on $10? hells yeah!...ok...maybe $15 if you tip on every drink....but where else can you do that!) ok ok...its a really cool looking bar with awesome arched ceilings. The art on the walls changes often and is almost always really interesting. The staff is always friendly and the crowd is a mix of people who live and work in DUMBO. You can't get a more eclectic mix then that. And its only one stop into Brooklyn on the F train so the Manhattan snobs don't have to be too afraid of traveling to the (gasp) outer boroughs..... -
Review from Daniel L.
Boston, MA
11/6/2009
I love small, intimate bars that aren't flashy, but get the job done. 68 Jay is no exception. They have my Guiness, my bar stool and friendly staff.
The location is pretty cool, as it's hidden away in DUMBO. But once you're there, you can totally see why it fits into this post-industrial, artsy neighborhood. The building has brick walls, and once you step inside, the exposed wood ceiling and decor work out pretty nicely. There's a small stage near the doorway for live music, but unfortunately no one was playing when I dropped by.
All in all, 68 Jay is a solid bar if you're just looking for a beer and decent company.Listed in: New York City
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Review from Jake D.
Brooklyn, NY
5/18/2011
Eh, 68 Jay St Bar is a solid bar: three-dollar pints of Brooklyn Lager during happy hour, and free goldfish crackers. The tender is not chatty, not rude, and gets your drinks; the clientele is not your typical DUMBO fashionista crowd, but a saltier sort of day drinker (at least the hours that I am usually there); the decor and music is average, neither remarkably good or bad. All that said, it's never too busy, even after the first thursday thing that DUMBO does. If you don't want to spring for moderately priced microbrews at reBar, or don't want to deal with a lot of people, come round the block and get cheap, but decent, lagers.
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Review from Brandon Z.
Ridgewood, Queens, NY
2/15/2011
If you are in DUMBO and need a drink, this is probably the best place to go. Sort of cool postindustrial space with concrete ceiling and pilings. All-in-all pretty spartan, though, and the sort of yuppityartish crowd you'd expect down there. It's fine.
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Review from Chowound x.
New York, NY
12/4/2010
the "cheers" of Dumbo... where everyone knows everyone if you've been there a couple times... :)
hooray for whiskey wednesdays with will scott!
doenst get a 5th star because Karen the bartender occasionally has quite the unfriendly /rude/ slightly crazy streak... -
Review from David P.
5/4/2010
This is an okay little bar with a spartan interior and friendly bartender. But, it's DUMBO, so you'll be sharing the space with douches. Wondering where all the white guys with dreadlocks hang out? Come to DUMBO.
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Review from TRON T.
Washington, DC
9/12/2009
I went here once but it was tight as hell. My girl still be talkin' bout tha burger. Da waiter was nice to us. I liked tha way it looked up in there, real dark & chill. They be havin' some good, cheap beer too. Now this might not seem like too much to ask fo but bein' from D.C. you'd be surprised. We is definitely goin' back next trip to da 718!
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Review from K.F. M.
Brooklyn, NY
8/16/2011
Great little spot. Great owner. Dogs.
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Review from Vivian H.
6/15/2009
Stopped in for a beer on a Sunday afternoon, and it was pretty dead, but just the way we like it. There was a light breeze blowing and a table very close to a wide open window that was free and had our names written all over it ;-) We both had a draft beer, I believe it was called Circus boy, and boy do I like my wheat beers! Good to the last drop! This place had a warm and inviting vibe, and very very spacious and open. Would definitely go back for another drink on a hot steamy summer night ;-)
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Review from Gabe W.
Brooklyn, NY
4/1/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I really like this place, it has that DUMBO charm with friendly neighborhood folk mixed with nice staff, good music and great drink. Only been here a handful of times and all have been positive experiences, must be something to do with the management as it seems they know what people like and have run this place successfully for years now.
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Review from Jeff M.
Brooklyn, NY
8/13/2008
3 bones for a Guinness! Greatness on order here.
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Review from Elizabeth O.
Woodside, NY
10/18/2009
Not sure the live music should plug in. It's a bit loud for such a small place. But the side room is great for parties or just getting together with a larger group of friends. Nice mellow place for a drink after work.
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Review from Veronica O.
Brooklyn, NY
12/3/2008
'Cheers'
Cool little dumbo hang-out with cheap drinks and plenty of local characters. If you become a regular... everyone will know your name.
** PROS **
friendly bar featuring a rotation of brooklyn based artist
** CONS **
can't think of any
