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B.East - CLOSED
- Nearest Transit:
-
East Broadway (F)
Essex St (J, M, Z)
Delancey St (F)
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Wed, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
31 reviews for B.East
Review Highlights
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"...spot to bring a date after dinner -- or hell, have dinner..." In 3 reviews -
"The crowd was a good mix -- mainly hipster types." In 5 reviews
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"I had a great time and would come again." In 3 reviews
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31 reviews in English
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Review from David H.
Chula Vista, CA
4/10/2011
Really like this space. Went when my buddy was spinning and had a great time (I'm sure that added to the atmosphere - but whatever).
Solid drinks. A bit out of the way - but I'll definitely be back. -
Review from Alan G.
New York, NY
12/8/2009
(Review postdated 6 months or so --)
Thursday night. I'm jonesin' for a party. Textin' with a friend. We're hittin' up B. East, she says!
I've been to B. East before, thanks to good ole Yelp. I know the space, which is quite striking in a moody, candlelit sorta way.
The crowd - trendy, hipster chic, metro, and flat out outrageous (wearin' spandex wrestling gear is a no-no in my book, even when sported by a fabulously fit gay... why this always happens to me when I go out is beyond me). Intermixed with the crowd were some older homies (50s) hanging around drinking - probably the dinner crowd who lingered afterwards to catch the scene.
Anyways, the drinks I sampled were watered down (or maybe I'm just impervious to booze nowadays) and the hopeless DJ played Lady Gaga back to back to back... He even looked down at my friends and I on the empty dance floor, and we'd look right back up, frown and make cut it/NEXT motions. People did dance around all helter-skelter in the upstairs restaurant area and how they managed to with that DJ spinnin', I'll never know.
Lastly, a minor note - security is omnipresent here. It's fine and all, but also a little odd. I mean, nothing against security (who were cool), but you're a bit of a buzzkill. It's like parents showing up to a house party - it's hard to party when their very presence makes you become ridiculously self-aware and rein it in a bit.
So why 3 stars? The 3 stars are really because it is a nice space and because the crowd was good, despite the party never quite getting to the point it ought to. Lots of potential and perhaps I was just in on an off night. Just my luck.
But I am hoping, sincerely, that B.East gets its act together because I shouldn't have to learn on a Thursday night in June in freakin' New York City that a pretty crowd and a pretty place does not a party make. -
Review from Chris H.
11/4/2008 1 photo
BEast prides itself on its organic infused liquors, steroid injected sound system and eclectic beer menu. However, the first thing that drew my attention is that it is seemingly devoid of B&T's and tourists. Instead, it has a cool, hipster vibe, exposed brick, and a cozy unpretentious atmosphere.
Back to the drinks. I asked the very friendly and helpful bartender for a drink that wouldn't put me into immediate sugar induced diabetic shock, so he recommended a cocktail (cant remember the name) of infused organic tomato vodka and infused organic cucumber vodka. That's right, it's like V8 in vodka form. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't order it again. However, this drink was nothing compared the atrocity that followed.
Imagine a spicy, overly dirty, gin martini. It makes my mouth pucker up just writing about it. But this is one of their signature drinks, a full serving of booze, salt and spice. It took multiple glasses of water (killing my buzz) to get the taste of evil out of my mouth.
This place has a lot of potential, has a great ambiance, good sound system and choice of music, accommodating front of house staff and cool crowd, so its definitely worth checking out. Just stay away from the signature cocktails.Listed in: This is why you have cirrhosis, LES is more
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Review from Nina C.
10/13/2008 1 photo
BEast opened to the public on Thursday, October 16th underneath Broadway East. It's the latest lounge by Ron Castellano and the sound system is designed by Jim Toth.
As with Broadway East, there are organic wines, cocktails and beers. The bar menu is still in development...
The entrance to BEast is right next to Broadway East. Going down the stairs and twisiting and turning through the corridors underneath Broadway East was probably the best part of BEast for me. You even walk past the kitchens (not that you see much...). When you finally get into the space, it's a bit disappointing.
BEast itself is a tiny space. If you've ever had dinner at Broadway East and walked to the back of the dining area and looked down, you'd have seen the entirety of BEast. The stairs back there will lead you straight down to BEast as well.
Although the space is tiny, it would definitely be a nice space to have a private party with your closest friends. There was a private party going on when we went, but they let us in anyways... It was packed and we retreated into the corner right by the DJ booth.
We decided to order a drink and then call it a night, as it was too crowded and we had already had a few drinks from East Side Company Bar beforehand... We got a beer, a tomato cucumber vodka and a mojito. I actually really hate mojitos because I have never had one that was really good. But, this was was soooo good! I made my friends try it, it was so good! And, they agreed.
Anyhoo, I've heard that it holds about 60 people here, but I think that would be much too crowded... I'd say there were about 50 people at the private party and it was already a tight squeeze to get by.
I'd come again early on in the night to enjoy some great drinks though... -
Review from Anna C.
9/27/2010
This place made me sad.
I live in the neighborhood and had been to Broadway East for dinner a couple times before (which I didn't love and don't plan to revisit) but hadn't checked out the B.East lounge downstairs yet. A friend celebrated her birthday here on a Friday night, and I was looking forward to having a great time. A bouncer outside checked our IDs, and we entered through the door to the side of the restaurant, which led down to the basement level. We walked into a small dark and trippy room. A band was setting up their stuff, while a DJ played electro music on the mezzanine level above. The place was also empty except for one or two people who seemed to be with the band.
We headed up the stairs past the DJ, to the restaurant level where there were some randoms sitting around or dancing, and found our friends at the front of the restaurant by the bar. We stayed there for a couple hours, just chatting and having drinks. There was nothing particularly memorable about the night. At one point, I went downstairs to use the bathroom since the upstairs one was occupied, and as I passed through the restaurant area, I totally slipped and fell on a puddle of liquid! NOT COOL. And I scuffed up my brand new suede heels! :( Even so, that happens, and I'm not even letting that factor into my review. I told one of the staff and they went to take care of it immediately.
To sum it up: beautiful space, horrible music, half empty on a Friday night, weird crowd. Really depressing. -
Review from Jamie C.
New York, NY
2/1/2010
This is why I hate the lower manhattan. It's far as hell and no one knows their way around it. Our cab driver had no idea where east broadway was and dropped us off on a random street corner in deserted chinatown at 12:30 in the morning. It was ultra sketch and I felt like some crazy Jackie Chan/Law& Order SVU sh*t was about to go down... But, we managed to find our way and walk the 10 blocks to B.east (yeah, that cab driver needs to be fired).
We arrive to a non-descript building on an almost entirely deserted block. I had no expectations. First we walk through narrow passage way and then arrive at this random space with people gettin' down. I can only describe it as an indoor garden party meets frat house. The floors were sticky and people smelled eck!
I was miserable for the first 20 minutes, until we decided to try upstairs. It was still crowded, but the crowd got infinitely more attractive, the floor was infinitely cleaner, it was brighter and felt more like a lounge. Yay! The music was poppin, reggae, hip hop etc. But, I came for a party so I am not sure if the DJ is the same every sat. I had a great time and would come again..... But, now I know that it is actually just a few feet from the F train. No cabs. -
Review from Miriam W.
12/28/2008
B.East, you are gorgeous.
Your awe-inspiring space captured my attention so deftly that I barely noticed your other patrons, your drinks, anything else at all. -
Review from Junnifer L.
New York, NY
11/11/2009
Some of the "fun" people in my life suggested B.East - so, I chose it as my birthday party spot.
And what a great choice I made!
I contacted them 2 weeks ahead. The beverage director contacted me swiftly and kept me informed with all details throughout the entire time. He was very friendly and helpful. I got bottle service, and the service was pretty good - definitely more affordable than other spots.
It wasn't crowded as I had expected. I could see why the DJ space downstairs could get crowded since it's SUCH small space (pictures are so deceitful *points to the one on yelp*). But, my friends and I had plenty of room upstairs (and table space) to catch up, enjoy the music and our drinks.
Everyone who came to my party loved the space. The music was cool and the vibe was nice. Hey, if most of my friends texted me saying "Thanks - I'm hung over now", you know that's a sign of a GOOD party.
Yay B.East! I'm already getting emails from friends who want to throw their next party there. -
Review from Leighann F.
Astoria, Queens, NY
2/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
B.East became a mid-evening meet up in our night-long journey of fun seeking around town. We convened, we had a beer and we bounced. The music was never quite flowing (Teach Me How To Dougie followed by some unidentifiable emo/rock hybrid tune), a giant screen broadcasted a constant image of a sea anemone, fluttering in the rolling ocean, high above the lower level dance floor toward the back. Then, there was, literally, a laser light show circa 1990 going on on the upper level dance floor. And believe me, I am using the word literally as it is intended to be used. For me, that's just too many bizarre things going down here for me return for any sort of nightlife experience.
Listed in: NYC Neighborhood: The LES
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Review from Athena C.
4/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
B. East is right next to Broadway East, the restaurant. It is located in LES, or I should say the outer skirt of Chinatown. I would never imagine a trendy lounge to be anywhere near here.
I walked in, went down the stairs and found this lounge to be extremely secretive and fun. Finally, I hit the main lounge area and discovered 80s music playing in the background. The decor is funky and the vibe is relaxing yet fun.
Drinks here are about $10.
There really isn't any seating area though. So I don't think you could really lounge around but I guess if you like 80s music and want to dance to it, this will be a good place. -
Review from seth h.
New York, NY
3/14/2009
went for brunch today. empty, which was retarded since the food was great. Awesome ingredients, market fresh. Used to be vegan, but it is no longer.
America Ferrara walked in on my way out.
Good bloody marys. Great spot in the hood. Worth getting in a cab for.
Peep it.
Definitely good for groups, don't know what people are talking about. -
Review from Sean S.
1/17/2010
I love having friends that drag me to places I've heard of but somehow never been to.
B.East has an underground sort of alley that leads you to this cool back room bar, complete with great cocktails, and a pretty good DJ. It's a two floor space in the back there, and everyone is dancing and shaking their booties by midnight. It reminds me of submercer somehow in class and style, although the speaker system was not quite as a-list, but still good.
Way better than Los Feliz on all counts, so check this place out kids, if you can get it! -
Review from Stephanie C.
New York, NY
2/1/2010
I'm only rating the bar aspect of this place, considering I've never come here for dinner- but based on these Yelp reviews, I really don't want to! Came here on a Sat. night, interested in this place as it was a little off the beaten path of the LES. Most people find it a little hard to find -which admittedly is nice because it weeds out the B&T. But the usual yuppie, 20 somethings are there.
It's pretty fun- it's actually spacier than how it seems on the outside, with there being the restaurant next door- and the bar down to the basement. The coat check guy is a little incompetent as he wasn't organizing anything in numerical order and charges $4 a piece (I think). There are several of bars, and the usual weird bar entertainment (what was playing on TV ranged from Scarface, to an art installation of the Swings ride from an amusement park, to a belly dancer-- very MOMA-esque) , and the bartender was pretty nice. Their cheap beer on tap file called "Golden Ale" - which ended up being not so crappy.
The music wasn't memorable downstairs but upstairs amongst all the crazy disco balls- they were playing .....some 80s oldies! Which I really found refreshing actually. The only bad thing is that this place is SO crowded on Saturday night; to the point where you seriously just can't move around and it gives you a headache. No bueno. But I guess it's always a catch 22- less people in the bar, longer lines (we waited 10-15 minutes).
If you're around, come, if not, don't go out of your way. -
Review from Natalia O.
Austin, TX
11/16/2009
Meh, I was not that impressed. Maybe it's because I went to a private party rather than a regular night open to the public. I am willing to entertain the idea that larger crowds change the vibe there.
There's nothing around the neighborhood, so in many ways it's fun to have such a hip place spring by all of the sudden, but it felt a little too self-consciously cool for my tastes. The decoration was impeccable, and I loved the way they created a double hight space in the back room. Mad props for that.
Ultimately, what did me in was the loud music. The place has the feel of a swanky bar/restaurant, but we couldn't hear each other over the loud music. So instead we'd yell into each other's ears, or tap out heads to music while staring into space. There just wasn't a dancing vibe at all. By the time we left at about 1:30, a few people had started sort of dancing, but it felt like too little too late.
It's a shame, because the place looks great. -
Review from Rebekah J.
New York, NY
4/2/2010
I LOVE this place! I had the nicest dinner here! The ambience is great, very cozy and relaxed during dinner. Our server Erica was exceptionally nice. The best service I've had in a while.
They have a new chef, and I am glad they do based on the former reviews of the food. The food is great! I had the octopus salad that was as tasty as it was beautiful. The cheese plate is amazinfg.. nice and fresh and a great thing to get to share. I had the roasted chicken for a main course and it was incredible. I got the roasted veggies instead of the fingerling potatoes and they were super yummy.
After the dinner service the dj started pumping the music. Not my all-time favorite mix, and it was a bit too loud too early... which is the only reason I'm giving beast 4 stars. -
Review from Sascha M.
7/28/2010
When you want a super casual night in a non-dive bar setting but you're not craving an expertly mixed cocktail and speakeasy vibe. You can either chill and have some drinks or dance. This is a solid spot for a group that's undecided on what they want to do.
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Review from Steve A.
12/11/2010
Entering here the bouncer wasn't on some rah rah shit so I appreciated that. Coat check is $3, but not mandatory like some spots. The drinks are $10 and are a bit watered down, but the bartenders were good people. I would stick with beer or just go with something on the rocks. This is the perfect spot to have a birthday party at which I was there for. Upstairs there was a room for dancing and the DJ was on point playing some Prince and Q-Tip. I would say this place is more like a lounge/bar hybrid as it has a lot of open space. If your way down in the LES and feel like dancing with no bullshit, B. East is your spot.
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Review from Talia R.
2/19/2011
This place is such a chameleon. Every experience I've had has been totally different: quiet-ish dinner, gay party, hipster dance club, NPR gathering. I tend to like the DJ upstairs though, again, music is all over the place depending on what party you've stumbled upon. The bartenders are nice & friendly, averaged price drinks. Too far out of the way to just end up here, but when there is a planned event, I don't hesitate to come by.
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Review from Debbie K.
New York, NY
6/9/2009
I wanted to like the BEast, I really did. It's totally in my hood but enough out of the way to scare off the tourists. I went for two separate bday parties and each time, we were squished together tighter than Paula Abdul's boobs. The space really is just not forgiving of the ebb and flow of traffic. Thank goodness you can retreat upstairs to the booths to get some air. Speaking of which, last time I went, I was near suffocated by the unbearable pumping of dry ice through that teeny tiny space. It was worse than an 80s music video. Why, why, why, does anyone need that much fog for ambience? I may alienate myself by saying this, but I think there's something to be said for being able to see and breathe. Just saying.
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Review from Heather F.
Brooklyn, NY
10/16/2010
Had no idea this place served dinner!! though it does make sense considering they had enough room for a good-size dance floor in the back. This place was clean, pretty good music that the DJ was playing (some stuff was a bit outdated, but I was still a fan nevertheless). The bathrooms were also clean (they didn't have soap in one of the rooms though - eww). We got there at 11pm on a friday night and it was dead - there were two parties going on (we were there for one) so a good place if you are looking for a bday spot, otherwise not the best place to fly solo.
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Review from Irene H.
5/10/2009
Most of the rating goes towards the decor. If you enter B.East from the street entrance you walk through this narrow corridor and pass the bathrooms and kitchen before you arrive at the bar area. The corridor reminds me of the House of Terror memorial museum basement in Budapest... The bar area ceiling is two stories high with tons of greenery scaling the wall and skylight ceiling, but SMALL. A projection screen is on another end. We hung out for a while after dinner upstairs, around midnight. The crowd was diverse and a bit pretentious. Music was slowly picking up speed and getting more danceable, but not quite there.
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Review from Danielle B.
New York, NY
1/23/2009
This place was a good time, though the crazy cat movie playing the entire time I was there weirded me out a little ha ha. Definitely a fun crowd and good music, don't remember what the door was like, was a little intoxicated already when I arrived, but it couldn't have been a hassle if I don't remember at all. Will definitely go back, want to try the restaurant.
Listed in: Where I booze
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Review from Chi N.
2/7/2009
seems like a very happening place in such a not so happening location... if u get off the F line make sure u know where u are going cuz its a lil shady if u exit off the wrong exit!
ok so get to the bouncer tell him who u are here for and get in no problems! place was way too packed for a friends bday party i swear i was humped on by strangers, friends, girls, guys at the bar... there was just lack of movement allowed to move, stand still, order...
there were only 2 people working the top level bar and they were so stressed out at handling the patrons that they even told us to calm down.. but um we were calm... and the place wasn't even THAT packed at that point... cant imagine how they reacted by the end of the nite... drinks were pretty decently priced too.... 60 bucks for 2 jack/cokes, 2 stoli vanilla cranberries, and a beer on tap! coat check was weak but well organized in a tiny ass closet that someone had to sit in all night! only a buck tho! and it didn't get lost!
and putting just ONE bartender to man the entire downstairs... omg he looked like he was ready to walk out and quit right then and there...
i mean if ure place is gonna be booming u gotta account for this... especially if ur venue can hold this many people!
music was lively it kept everyone chipper with old school tunes! and even tho there was open air space upstairs... people still chose to sardine themselves at the bar...
still nice chill atmosphere plenty of tables to sit at and not get hounded to get bottle service! although i'm not too crazy bout the sink that looks like a guys urinal! -
Review from Mike T.
New York, NY
1/15/2009
Great music, great drinks and a charming space make BEast one of my favorite new spots in the city. What's better, the crowd seemed pretty diverse, though was somewhat skewed toward the hipster set. Bartender was wonderful, though cocktail selection seemed limited (the place is still fairly new). Either way, this place is a great spot to head to any night of the week, though I'd suggest that you get there early because it seems they can only accommodate a crowd of 50 or so. Either way, I'll be back here soon.
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Review from Susan A.
3/10/2009
The space is gorgeous, love the furnishings, dim lighting to make your fellow drinkers look more attractive, especially after the boozing. =D Would most likely be a great place for an intimate date. The open space in the back of the first floor is also fantastic. Narrow hallway entry + small downstairs barspace = bad for crowds, but not so bad if no crowd.
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Review from Robyn F.
1/23/2010
Really fun as a bar. AWFUL food. I had the butternut squash ravioli as my entree, and it was way undercooked. I should have sent it back to be cooked a little more. I like my pasta al dente, but this was like chewing on plastic...
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Review from Laur T.
New York, NY
9/21/2009
Lovely setting in East Broadway. What a gem of a find and such a play on words... a superb name indeed. While I was curious and most intrigued about the restaurant, I was only able to check out the bar (drinks and grub). Loved them both and really really loved the interior as well as the underground bar. This is really a diamond in the rough here :)
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Review from Sara T.
San Francisco, CA
4/4/2009
I went last Friday for my sister's birthday and was extremely disappointed with the experience. We were pretty uncomfortable from the get go - it seemed like our waiter's first job - and it only go worse from there. The chicken ravioli app was extremely dry and the cauliflower soup was under seasoned. The main dishes were actually pretty good and the saving grace of the meal. But our finished plates were left on our table for 20 minutes and our waiter did not return even though we were trying to flag him. To top our night, they added too much to our bill and were patronizing when we asked for the rogue items to be removed. Bottom line, okay food with horrible service.
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Review from Victor S.
10/17/2008
Started off my Thursday night at BEast, which apparently from the first review here was their grand opening. hah. I had no idea, but I had been eagerly wanting to check out this latest LES/Chinatown spot. It's definitely in a ghost town-ish sort of area -- nothing there. We had no issues at all getting in. As we went down the stairs and into this long narrow corridor, we were wondering whether the place was gonna be empty -- like not a soul in sight. We were kinda worried actually since it was only like 1030 or so. But then we reached a door and a waitress kindly welcomed us to BEast. We walked in and WOW. The place was so packed. It was a gorgeous bar area with high ceilings. It was almost a bit too packed for my taste. You couldn't really move around. The crowd was a good mix -- mainly hipster types. Music was good and they were projecting some patterns and stuff on the wall. There was a large upstairs area with plenty of tables and seating, but it just didnt have the same vibe as the main downstairs area. The place is really cute though -- it kinda looks like someone's baller loft or something. We only stayed there for about 30 mins because it was so crowded. But I can see this place as an excellent spot to bring a date after dinner -- or hell, have dinner there too. But it didnt seem like the best place to come with a group of 4 people, unless you want to segregate yourself to the upstairs area. I didn't look at the bar menu but the hallway smelled very nice. I'll definitely return with a date or something so that I can enjoy the more intimate main bar area.
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Review from John D.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2009
Came here for a tour end party on Wed (Downtown Downturn) feat. Ratatat, DJs Nomi & Cliktrax Jen. This space is really, really hip and swank. It's realy too bad the drink prices are astronomical. Very hot and happening (Wed nites).
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Review from mc t.
New York, NY
8/5/2010
music here sucks.
some weird europop stuff
asked the dj to play something, anything normal, said he wouldnt play anything or take any requests.. wth?
