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B Side
- Nearest Transit:
-
1 Av (L)
3 Av (L)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 3 pm - 4 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
62 reviews for B Side
Review Highlights
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"Well their jukebox is pretty darn good with a wide variety." In 17 reviews -
"Cheap drinks, awesome bartenders and excellent jukebox." In 9 reviews -
"3.00 pbrs, $5.00 pbr + shot special." In 4 reviews
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62 reviews in English
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Review from Zanna W.
Arlington, VA
5/13/2012
Love this place! The bartenders and the owner are super friendly. I had a birthday party here and they were very accommodating. The first thing the owner did when my twin and I walked in was get us birthday drinks. It was great. They make awesome margaritas, the juke box has a good selection and it has a nice cozy dive bar atmosphere. Album art decor adds to the allure of the place and of course foose ball is always a good amenity. I don't even live in nyc but will make the effort to come here whenever I come, which is pretty often actually. Highly recommended.
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Review from Julia L.
New York, NY
2/26/2012
This is a clean dive bar. Can that really exist? Well, this place is called a dive bar, and it is affordable and unpretentious. It's also clean. And the drinks are well made. I don't think there's a category for this kind of bar yet - magical?
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Review from Maya F.
11/9/2011 1 photo
This is my new favorite after work bar. Andrew and Steve are top-shelf, keeping the crowd of awesome East Village weirdos at bay. Big D's at the door when the crowds get thick; they've got PBR & a (dodgy) shot for $5 any day of the week, a great jukebox, and a back room with high-backed banquettes and a foosball table... and you get all that under one low tin ceiling. In addition to a solid beer selection, they serve Powers whiskey for the Eire-ophiles, and Level vodka which apparently still exists, and lots of great and goofy stuff in between (their only specialty cocktail is amaro and ginger ale -- a potent digestif, perhaps to ward off the aftermath of too much Stoli Blueberi).
(In the future, music is digital and analog is dead -- but the B-side lives on.) -
Review from Louis R.
5/24/2011 ROTD 7/8/2011
-Sometimes I don't like to shower.
-Sometimes I don't like to get superstar-ed up for annoying dates.
-Sometimes I like to drink alone.
-Sometimes I like to meet drunk ugly people at dive bars with eclectic tastes in music.
-Most times I like half-price beers...fuck that...I Always like half-price beers.
-Sometimes...sometimes needs to be all the time. I got your back, B. -
Review from Judi D.
Manhattan, NY
5/7/2011
Yay for cheap drinks, cool people and the divie-est of all the dive bars.
Any day of the week, it's the place to be. -
Review from Justin L.
New York, NY
11/26/2010
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was playing on the TV and Ryan Adams was playing on the jukebox. Can you marry a bar? Or at least have a solid 3 year relationship with one and keep the puppy after the breakup? If so, sign me up Captain Listkeeper!
$6 Brooklyn Lagers seem steep, but I guess they do have to ship them ALL the way in from Brooklyn....
Aw, B Side, I can't stay mad at you. Let's go look at Dachshunds. -
Review from Jason D.
Astoria, NY
10/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Strong drinks, interesting characters, great jukebox and D-bag free!!! What more could one ask for??? An all around perfect dive!
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Review from Briana M.
7/31/2009
After being tea bagged by Superdive this was our 3rd stop, and easily the best.
I've never been in here for a long time. Usually just to bide my time before meeting someone. After spending about 45 minutes here I wondered why it never occurred to me to bring the people here. The prices are RIGHT. $3.00 pbrs, $5.00 pbr + shot special. Add that to the wonderful bartender? Fuck yeah!
We happily sat in our sketchy little corner, proud that we had brought some out of town visitors to a place they could get behind. As the classic rock hits played (the perfect volume...we could hear eachother!), we became a little more inebriated and comfortable. This is the kind of bar that I wish was on my block.
Thank you B Side...for redeeming an otherwise dismal evening, and for showing Finding Nemo on your tv. That movie is just TOO cute..Listed in: I am a drunk.
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Review from Melissa W.
Brooklyn, NY
9/1/2009
I think I must be a bit biased because when anyone in my group of friends says that they want to go to "the bar" tonight, it's assumed that they mean B-Side.
As always, I'm always up for a good dive bar, but B-Side isn't quite the stereotype. It's a bit classy (yes I called B-Side classy) for a dive bar.
I'll get right to it.
Although there are no draft beers, you can't beat $3 bottles of Bud, Bud Light, and PBR. This cheap price turns into HALF PRICE (yes, that's $1.50) during Happy Hour until 8pm - EVEN WEEKENDS.
And of course, there's the constant special, $5 for a PBR and a shot of whiskey that tastes like horse piss but sure does get you drunk.
The real reason I keep returning to B-Side is probably the bartenders. They're not quiet servers who engage you in empathetic small talk. They're part of the experience. One plays dice and does Irish car bombs with me. Another is loud and has the best wit I've ever witnessed in another girl.
Pretty much, this place is like Cheers to me.
Also, they're always playing random movies. Anything from Big Trouble in Little China to Hamlet 2 (Rock me sexy Jesus, anyone?).
I feel like I'm hanging out in my living room with friends.
Just go, you'll love it. -
Review from Grace L.
New York, NY
6/20/2010
The locks on the bathroom don't really work (knock before entering - oops!), it smells a little rank, and apart from two different couples making out on each end of the bar, the place was pretty empty on a Wednesday night.
$3 PBR, or $5 PBR + astringent shot of cheap whiskey. To fully appreciate this place, do not enter unless you have already consumed more than four drinks (or eight, depending on your tolerance).Comment from Sivan H. of B Side 6/21/2010
Bathroom locks have been fixed :) Thanks for the review, we… More » -
Review from Chris H.
Brooklyn, NY
10/17/2007
I'm not 100% sure if it was the patrons or the bar itself, though I'm almost certain that it was the bar itself, but this is probably the worst smelling dive in East Village.
Yes, all dives smell, usually like a locker room, and I quite like the musty, aged smell sometimes, but the particular scent hovering in the air of B-Side was unbearable.
Have you ever been on a crowded bus in the height of summer, with a malfunctioning air conditioner, and ended up getting your face squished against someone's sweaty armpits? That's the smell.
Still, a couple of drinks later, you lose your sense of smell somewhat and the place becomes a bit more pleasant. You begin to notice other things. You notice the metal playing on the juke box, loud enough to drown out conversation. You notice the crowd all wearing black leather. They don't really acknowledge you though, unless you're also wearing black leather.
But that's okay. You drink your beer (hopefully during happy hour), and you listen to more metal (though they do have Pretty Hate Machine), and you eventually mosey on to the back room to check out the....FOOSBALL TABLE! Yes, this place has a FOOSBALL TABLE (coin operated)! And at the sight of this wooden table with plastic figures connected to metal rods, your spirits soar, and suddenly the place is no longer so dark. The people no longer gruff. You take a deep breath and realize that the place no longer smells of armpit, but of the sweet sweet nectar of high Olympus!
Yes, the FOOSBALL TABLE is that great (if you like foosball), especially if there's no wait to play it (which there usually is). And it's this redeeming item, this item alone, that will draw me back to the bar next time. -
Review from Craig R.
Brooklyn, NY
9/29/2009
Hands down my favorite bar in the city.
Cheap drinks, awesome bartenders and excellent jukebox. What more can you say? The clientele is usually tattooed and rowdy, but respectful and a lot of fun. This is the only 'regular' bar I go to.
The bar area is long and slender, with a second room with a pool table in the back. Two bathrooms and some bench seating along the walls. It's decorated like it should be and all around pretty dimly lit.
Really great if you want to leave the lame bar your friends dragged you to. -
Review from Alex i.
NY
3/30/2007
B Side is the type of place you'd wanna go if you just got dumped by your band, girl and pet all in the same afternoon. That might sound like a depressing place to be but trust me it's not. B Side manages to turn that Rock n' Roll sneer against life's suckiness into an optimistic grin and a slackjawed joy rivaled only by that Corky kid on Facts of Life (or Family Ties, I can never remember).
See, as cuisine is to chefs, bars are to bartenders. If your bartender is a douche bag even high end clubs can seem like your creepy unmarried aunt's kitchen. B Side is a moody Rock n' Roll joint that plays music ranging from bar favorites like GNR to obscure up and comers like The Good The Bad and The Queen. Steve W plays movies that make you go "hmmm" on Fridays and Sara R throws end of the month parties that come with grilled cheese and a lifetime of memories warranty, so act now.
The clientele is reflective of the local east village scene. There are hipsters, hip hop kids, sharks, jets, shirts and skins all drinking together in harmony. The back room is a nice make out spot that I'm henceforth dubbing "All The Way Bay".
So if you and your sweetie are into hanging with some rock n roll kids, making new friends and drinking your faces off ($5 beer and shot happy hours) come through and let B Side turn that punk into funk.
Fat A. -
Review from Leaf W.
Seattle, WA
4/16/2011
I would like to give this place 4 stars, I really would.
The bartender was really nice, and it had a nice decor, except for the pee on the floor in the bathroom (was Ben F. there before me?).
They had a good happy hour going where almost everything was half off on a Friday, and they got a jukebox and a foose ball table in the back. I sat at the bar and ordered a $3 Heineken, and then moved because the people next to me where saying some of the only words that ever piss me off.... "Salma" followed by the word "Hayek".
SO I go to the back, and i start drinking so I won't be so nervous, and this guy is staring from the front room into the back room (and I'm the only interesting thing in there, and he wasn't staring in there before, so i'm pretty sure he is starin' at me, and I immediately don't like him, but whatever, I drink and write in my little book, and keep tabs on how much beer i'm gonna need to e in a room with ...some people.
So this guy, with man purse and man boobs and a dumb expression, he finally musters his beervery, and instead of putting more money in the juke box, comes and pretends he wants a gum drop (there is a couple of those 25 cent gumball/toy dispensers in the back) then he sits kinda across from me. an he just STARES.
Well. I've had almost all my 2nd beer by now, but i start drinking faster, and I also take the bull by the horns and start the conversation. I honestly don't remember what i said. something banal and dismissive, most likely. I just needed to be in control of it. Turns out the guy is from jersey, and it only takes about 6 minutes for him to start asking all kinda personal questions like its an interview or date. I start lying, and then leave. I would go back, just hope no jersey guys are there. -
Review from T W.
New York, NY
2/3/2011
This is a great dive bar. I love the crowd that visits here. They just seem more laid back and chill without any of the fake pretentious shit that alot of people project in this city.
The jukebox is what a jukebox should be- non of that electronic crap or top 40 stuff. There's a $5 PBR + Shot special, the bartenders are chill, and the TV plays Home Movies!
It's a great place to meet up with your friends or meet new people! -
Review from Jean H.
11/12/2008
I like it here.
however, dont come here expecting some sort of drinking magical menagerie. think more along the lines of.... friendly neighborhood dive bar.
theres a foose ball table in the back room and the bathroom is relatively clean and doesnt smell.
hey, thats IMPORTANT when youre at a dive! AND the bathroom is oddly large. so if you and your girlfriends stop in for a few drinks before dinner or after dinner and want to do the whole girly make up check up together, go ahead! theres room!
the bartenders are nice and this place is full of regulars and generally nice people.
it gets four stars because of the clean bathroom, not outrageous prices, the not blaring in your ear drums music and for the foose ball table.
oh, and because its open pretty late too
go if youre in the neighborhood. dont go out of your way. dude... its just a dive bar -
Review from Marcus D.
11/2/2008
Spent an entire afternoon in here drinking beers and watching episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Richard Pryor's THE TOY. There was a weirdo sitting near us reading Nietzsche and drinking PBR, complaining about the selection we were watching, but fortunately he didn't stay long - we were probably far too bourgeoise for him, anyway.
Five bucks for a beer and a gin and tonic. I got elegantly wasted and wished that Boston had bars this good. -
Review from curtis w.
New York, NY
5/2/2008
I finally found a reason to go to B Side. For some reason I never cared to go in there. Well my reason was some good friends were there hanging out the other night. One of them is dating the bartender so he's always there now. I mean wouldn't you be if you could get hooked up like that... free sex and beer.
It's what the locs refer to as a "dive bar". Everything from it's stenciled, spray painted sign, to it's dark and eerie interior would leave you to believe it's a hole in the wall. I guess in a way it is. I personally think it's pretty cool there. I really enjoyed myself and could see myself hanging there on the regular. It doesn't hurt that it's only a block from my apartment too.Listed in: Avenue B.
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Review from Holly T.
Brooklyn, NY
9/17/2008
Yes, $5 drink combos are great.
Being challenged to a soul-off, not great. Mostly because i feel bad for Steven. The poor sucker bartender who thinks that I have less soul than he. HELLO. I have huge hair. I dress soul-y (haha) in 60's garb. I will own you.
It's a great place to sit and drink. And drink some more. Watch the restroom lines, ladies, because fellas here have no qualms about cutting you.
I didn't notice a smell. Then again, who cares? It's a dive bar. Get over yourselves. -
Review from Lisa K.
New York, NY
4/25/2009
11 p.m. on a Friday, a bottle of wine down, now the big question--where to go? We directed the cabbie to 11th and B, knowing it'd get us in the vicinity of several worthy bars.
I'd never been to B Side but as soon as my friends saw it they said, "we HAVE to go here!" So, we did.
$5 cocktails (whiskey, vodka, whatevs--they were all strong), super friendly bartenders and decidedly not crowded for a Friday, allowing our little group to commandeer a table next to the jukebox.
The crowd was a wonderfully unpretentious LES mix, including a 60-something man rockin' his swim trunks. It doesn't get much better than that. -
Review from Draako U.
Manhattan/Upper East Side, New York, NY
8/7/2008
Your classic hipster/East village bar: Some dude has read the Wikipedia article on Immanuel Kant and some girl has two tattooed sleeves.
Cheap drinks, $5 shot plus PBR.
I always meet the best characters here.
The bartender has the best mustache! -
Review from Dorothy W.
Portland, OR
8/12/2011
First of all I wouldn't call this a dive bar. Maybe for NYC it's a dive but there's a much divey-ier bar just a block away that's so much better. There's no air circulation in the place and a $20 minimum to use a card. I don't care if your PBR is $3. The crowd was not the dive bar sort when I was there on a Thursday (supposedly one of the best nights to go). It was a bunch of people trying desperately to be non-hipster hipsters. If you want a real dive bar with a good crowd of locals and one of NYC's best bartenders go to Mona's only a block down the street.
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Review from Namrata A.
New York, NY
6/28/2010
It is great for a dive bar, but if you're looking for more, go elsewhere.
It is a good place to hang out, grab a beer, play fuse ball and enjoy yourself. Don't expect wines here, tis a dive bar. It's a great place to start pre-gaming too. -
Review from Scott B.
Brooklyn, NY
3/3/2010
One of the few great punk rock bars left in Manhattan. Despite the fact that the neighborhood around it has turned into Murray Hill south (hell, it had completely changed when I left for Brooklyn 4 years ago), B Side has remained a constant supply of cheap beer, nice, normal folks, and maybe the best juke box in New York.
Nice staff, cheap beer, good tunes, a fair amount of seating...and like any good bar, the bathrooms are awful. Enjoy. -
Review from Josef S.
7/16/2011
Two dollar happy hour Buds. Fugazi on the jukebox. In other words, almost perfect. But one star deducted for lack of volume (for my musical selection) and and a certain... em... how to describe it? Cliquishness, perhaps?
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Review from cait l.
2/12/2011
I'm enjoying reading these reviews, I must say. I'm also surprised that I had such a good time at a bar whose drink special is $5 PBR + a shot. The cast of characters at B Side makes this dive bar interesting. On the night I went, there was a cast of guys resembling the British dickheads out of that youtube video and a girl so drunk she was giving lapdances in the back room... still the music and foosball were entertaining and the people pleasant. I agree with the other yelpers - this is a good spot. People are wasties but having fun. Even if the bathrooms are an absolute horrorshow (the sink was "out of order"), the dive has charm. Bring hand sanitizer.
Comment from Sivan H. of B Side 2/13/2011
Sink has been fixed! Hooray! Hand sanitizer is never a bad… More » -
Review from Kent W.
New York, NY
6/4/2011
There's no food here. Heck, there's no beer on tap either. But hey - there's awesome friendly people, cheap drinks, and a service with a smile. That's all you need.
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Review from Danyell K.
Tahoe City, CA
11/6/2008
Pretty rad dive bar near the hub-bub of Manhattan. I had a friend in town who claims "regular" status here, or I might not have found it.
My only complaint is the price of a PBR. A can of PBR should never, EVER, EVER breach $2. If it does, I immediately knock down a star or two, depending on the inflation.
The juke-box is rad. The bartenders are all super-hot. They know who keeps them in business and they act accordingly. This place is a good time, and laid-back, low-key.
Ample seating all-around, and I think there was foosball somewhere. I didn't seek it.
Also, to note for the females, I never waited in a line for the restroom. -
Review from Mary-Majella O.
Brooklyn, NY
5/21/2011 16 Check-ins Here
This is my go to of Dive Bars. Love the staff and count them as friends. I even met my boyfriend of 2 years there. Good memories abound !!!
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Review from Paul R.
Chicago, IL
8/10/2010
This is probably the friendliest bar in Manhattan. I got drunk here 3 times in 24 hours. Also, there is a great little bodega on the corner where you can buy a toothbrush. Then you can brush your teeth in the bathroom at B-Side. I never thought I'd have to brush my teeth in such a place. I love life's little surprises.
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Review from alan l.
Updated - 8/31/2010 7 Check-ins Here
i recently moved and continuously thought if the apt's i was seeing would put me closer, or further away from bside.
i have a problem.Listed in: East Village, BEST NYC, TOP NYC Bars, Places I like to drink (a…
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/19/2009
its been almost a year since my original review and bside is still one of our top bars. we never… Read more »
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Review from Rich M.
Brooklyn, NY
4/17/2011
To sum up my night at B Side -- this creep threw his arms around my friend (who was just trying to celebrate her birthday) as soon as he walked in, tried to pick a fight with me when I asked him to lay off, and a few of us decided to take off 15 minutes later. Oh yeah, and I had a $6 Stella. Not expensive for NYC, I know, but I can have a good $6 beer at a lot of other places and NOT feel like I'm about to get stabbed. Might as well be called Bro Side. Stay away.
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Review from Alon B.
Austin, TX
8/7/2008
There are nights where I am in NY and I want to go to Marquee or Cain or whatever happens to be the new "it" bar in NY where one purchases bottles and looks around to make sure everyone sees them. I'll be honest with you, I usually end up at those places when I go to NY. HOWEVER - there are times where I want to go to a bar with NO guest list, NO attitude, NO $40 drinks and NO dress code. I just want to go to a bar, have a drink, relax with my friends, and have a good time and for those nights, there is B-Side. The bartenders are always VERY nice and down to earth, the patrons are always friendly and I always have a great time. I hadn't thought about B-Side for a little while as I missed it on my last two trips to NY but next time I am stopping in for sure.
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Review from Irene F.
10/21/2008
Came here for a friend's birthday and had a decent time. The bartender was nice, the drinks were pretty weak though. Overall, not much special except it's pretty small. Jukebox is good. I sneaked a peek at a foose ball table in the back though, major starrage for that one!
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Review from corrine l.
Berkeley, CA
8/3/2010
This is my favorite bar. Ever. I spent many drunken nights here about two years ago during frequent visits to my then long distance boyfriend. I have been to many bars in my life and B Side is hands down the best. I hadn't been in New York in two years but as soon as we walked in the door we were recognized by Andrew the bartender: the absolute best bartender I've ever known. The vibe here is so relaxed and friendly, the drinks are cheap, and the service is fantastic. Bars just don't get better than this.
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Review from Alyssa G.
Astoria, Queens, NY
12/16/2010
B-Side's always there for you when you need a good dive to chill out in. Nice spacious back room. You can get rowdy in there, and sometimes have it all to yourself. Foosball. Cheap cheap cheap drinks. Pretty classic dive - for a cheap night, B-Side's where it's at. Nothing really exciting going on in there, but your time is what you make of it.
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Review from Yari J.
New York, NY
10/17/2011
Awesome bar! Super nice and friendly bartenders, cool place to have a beer, hang out with friends while great music is playing, and even maybe play foosball at the back! What more can u ask for!?!
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Review from Ann B.
Clifton, NJ
2/5/2011
I was introduced to this bar by a friend of mine a couple of years ago. This is a dive bar, but it is more of an indie/punkrock/metal mixture of rock scene. It's not a hardcore metal bar or an old musty bar. Lots of younger folks in their 20 somethings, but there are a handful of older dudes. Some older dudes are creepy. I suggest talking with people your own age.
The bathrooms are gross, but it's a dive bar. The music is great if you like rock music from the 90's to present. Again a good mix of all types of rock. Even some classic rock.
Drinks here are very well priced for NYC.
But the best part is the people that work there. They are all funny, charismatic, nice, and quirky. I like go there cause of them and chat it up it other folks. Overall, environment is friendly and relaxed. -
Review from melissa c.
New York, NY
9/2/2007
This is that neighborhood bar that I meet up with my friends at and lament over the state of our:
boys, jobs, shoes, roommates, classes, fuckbuddies, expenses, pets, the crazy homeless person that just happens to be the ONE...
during happy hour while the bartender plays family guy or old SNL on the telly.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Jenevieve K.
Las Vegas, NV
8/12/2010
Basically, if you don't like B-side, goooo fuck yourself! I've never been to a better, more comfortable, loving bar in my life. I've met some great friends, an awesome boyfriend, and had some of the messiest nights my liver has ever seen! I don't understand how people can complain about price...this is Manhattan, if you want it any cheaper go to Jersey. Everytime I come in it's like a scene out of cheers, hugs, highfives ,and asking if I want my usual. Sometimes weekends can get too crowded, but it's when the best bartenders are working. Andrew and Sara on Friday , and then Andrew and Amy Saturday. Also, Steve watchin movies and bein chill during happy hours. Being a regular here never disappoints and if you started hangin out there all the time I'm sure you'll agree, unless you're just stupid.
