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1st Ave-14th St (L)
Mon-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 4:00 a.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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I went here with a friend for some happy hour drinks. I didn't think we were staying long/drinking a lot but she gave the bartender her credit card and there was a $20 minimum so you know what that means. Trouble. We each ordered a beer ($3) but then decided to get margaritas ($5) when we found out about the bar minimum. Also on Mondays they do this thing where you roll a dice (a die? I can never remember that) and if you roll the number you say, your next drink is free. We didn't win but we saw other people win. Oh well. It's a nice idea!
Also this extremely drunk guy (A.J.) sat down next to us and started talking to us. At first it was amusing (especially when he kept asking how we knew each other bc he couldn't remember it) but then it got a little uncomfortable. At one point he asked us if we were hooking up (with each other) and my friend is a girl who I have known since we were 4 so my response was "You mean when we met in pre-k?" and he just looked at me like uhm, what? At one point I went to the bathroom and he got a little too raunchy with my friend so we decided to leave.
The bartender (Josh) came to our defense a few times and he was really a nice guy. I would definitely go back here for more happy hour specials.
When I was here with friends, an ugly couple bogarted the only restroom on our side of the building for a quickie. The restroom is tiny, so I thought it would be logistically impossible, but they managed to get both of their bodies in there somehow.
Thankfully the music was loud enough to drown out the sounds coming from there, or perhaps they're both so god awful at it that there were no sounds to drown out.
Other than this incident, the drinks and atmosphere seemed typical. There was a fairly large crowd standing near the bar, which made it difficult to order a simple drink. When I go out, I prefer unhindered access to my liquor. After all, you wouldn't block access to an emergency exit would you? Then don't block access to my alcohol.
To the Extremely Unattractive Couple that disappeared into the Bar on A bathroom for an inappropriate amount of time:
COME ON! It's not like this place is huge and bustling and it's easy to slip away for some bathroom sex unnoticed! My friends and I were sitting on the couch RIGHT OUTSIDE the bathroom! Do you think we didn't see you both go in there? What's more, the only other bathroom in the place is located on the other side of the bar and it's impossible to get through the masses of popped-collar dbags to reach it so it was really rude of you to hog the bathroom for all of 15 minutes (way to go, champ). Furthermore, I can't imagine that it was a comfortable scenario for either one of you since the bathroom was tiny and neither of you is 'slight' by any stretch of the imagination.
So thanks, Extremely Unattractive Couple, for providing whatever the opposite of eye candy is and tainting what would have otherwise been a mediocre experience overall.
Best,
Cesca B.
PS. Music is god-awful and the decor looks like a college dorm room complete with Christmas lights and retro disco ball.
Go here if you want uber cheap happy hour drinks. $2 Yeunglings until 9pm...sometimes till 10pm (depends if the owner is there). There is nothing particularly special about this bar. It's really dark and red inside and can feel slightly depressing if it's super nice and sunny outside. They have burlesque and live music on the weekends which can be fun and entertaining. They also have live comedy during the week.
Bar on A got the job done--cheap-ish drinks and couches to chill on. I liked that you could actually talk and hear yourself think because the music wasn't too loud, and the place not too crowded. But there just isnt really anything special about it. And with all the other awesome, unique dive bars in the area, I dont know that I would return here unless with others...
I feel as though Bar on A needs to come with a warning label just like alcohol itself...
Yes Bar on A is fun! I especially love the manager and his snakeskin coat. And when Hokum Factory plays on a Saturday night I am always there...
WARNING LABEL: Watch Your Tab!! the bartenders will put drinks on your tab. My friend and I drink vodka clubs and each had 2/3 and bought our friend in the band a shot... the tab came back at $100 bucks with makers marks... guiness... rum and diets... etc... neither one of us got any of those drinks... when we talked to management about it they said our friends were ordering on the tab... all our friends had their own tabs and wouldn't do that and they drink Bud lights and Wagners... so I suggest paying cash or closing out... they couldn't tell us what "friends" were doing it. BS... they weren't paying attention or something and put the drinks on our tab...
WARNING LABEL 2: Watch your shite like a HAWK... my friend got pick pocketed... pick pursed?.. not sure... but her wallet was stolen out of her bag... and thousands of dollars were racked on her cards in Brooklyn.
So have fun... listen to the bands... maybe leave your wallet at home and put some cash you wouldn't mind losing in your pocket...
I am going to break this down... This bar is great for chilling, just great. It is sub divided into two different areas. On one side there is the bar and tables and the bathroom then the other there are table and stage and DJ booth. Tuesday through saturday they have DJs who all play old school, soul, indie, awesome music (my fav is the cute one who plays friday and saturday nights). Good mix of people- completely unpretentious crowd. The lighting is superb, dim yet not too dim, varied, unique, and chill- which really creates a comfortable atmosphere. It gets a little more bridge and tunnel on fridays and saturdays but never too the point where it is overwhelming.
I like to chill and talk to my friends, and enjoy good music so that's why I like this place because it's perfect for that. Also a good date spot.
I like this bar. This bar couldn't give a shit what I like. It doesn't seek my approval, and that is why I approve of it.
Also, they have a colorful condom dispenser.
On NYE at about 2 am, I stumbled off the L Train at 1st Ave with three of my friends. Friend 1 had his heart set on Niagara, but the bitter cold forced us to cut our walk short, and we ducked into Bar on A instead.
For the next three hours, Bar on A was exactly what I was looking for. The place was lively, but not uncomfortably crowded. They served booze, and everyone I spoke with was friendly and fun.
The bartenders were awesome; they were quick with the drinks and when Friend 2 ordered a Magic Hat #9, he received it on the house. We speculated that it was probably because he was wearing a ridiculous New Year's hat, but I suspect the girl was just in a giving mood.
The guy working the door was fairly annoyed by Friend 3, who kept passing out on the couch next to him. I appeased him by slapping Friend 3 awake repeatedly, and a good time was had by all. Except maybe Friend 3.
If I had a complaint, it would be that the bathroom situation was unacceptable; there were just too many people on line. However, I can't place the blame squarely on Bar on A. The bar only has two single bathrooms, and one of the two was taken up for quite some time by Friend 1 and a girl who made a TERRIBLE decision. I guess she was in a giving mood as well.
Before I left, a woman named Anne (?) told me that I was the best-looking man wearing a tiara in the entire place. Backhanded or no, that compliment was the best thing that's happened to me all year.
I have to give this place 5 stars, because we spend so much time there. For my taste it's perfect mix between neighborhood hangout, swanky lounge and a little bit of dive. There are also concerts there and sometimes a DJ.
They also serve food, which makes Bar on A certainly not a destination restaurant, but it's very useful if an evening gets longer than expected and you are to lazy to get something else. I love the fajitas (which look more like a burrito) and the guacamole.
What makes this place unique, though, are the people, behind and in front of the bar. Since we walked in there the first time, two and a half year ago, we had many evenings with inspiring conversations and made true friends there.
And no, never got anything stolen from us and the bartenders, if at all, undercharge rather than overcharge.
Good times. Great neighborhood bar (...granted I don't live in the neighborhood, but you know what I mean). Nothing uppity about it, good crowd of people (entertaining without being obnoxious). Not too crowded (yay no sweat!), not too empty (yay I don't feel like a lonely alcoholic!). The bartenders are friendly and cute. One time I got a Makers and coke and the lady bartender "accidentally" made it whiskey with a dash of coke. It actually was an accident, but I like to think it's because she wanted me to have the best time ever.
Good place to chill out, and I mean, you can actually find a seat. Also, great tunes were playing when I was there. Hooray music.
Last time I was here there was a guy slumped back in his seat nodding off right by the bathrooms. I know it's a fire hazard, but you can't get these kind of party animals without a price.
Also got some entertainment from the two couples unabashedly making out. The snakeskin lamps must've put them in the mood. At least they were attractive? Oh goodness that made me sound shallow.
So there you go, come to see attractive people make out, one guy fall asleep, listen to good music, and marvel at reptile-themed mood lighting.
PS. Somebody needs to fix the bench lining the wall by the bathroom. It's literally falling off the wall.
I recommend Bar on A.
You can always find a seat, it's kind of dark but in a mellow way more than a scary dark. The door man (Jean Sean?) is awesome, always joking around with me and my friends. He's a big soccer fan! Drinks are very inexpensive and taste decent and the crowd has always been friendly.
I made the mistake of wearing my Irish hat, just like 8 other dudes there. They were no longer dudes, they were guys who RUINED MY HAT! Bastardos, I just got it too.
Ooh my little pretty bar, pretty bar.
When you gonna give me some beer, Barona?
Ooh you host my birthday party, super fun.
Thanks a lot for hookin' me up, my Barona.
Never gonna stop, give it up, such a strong drink
Always dance around to the tune of the music mix
My my my i yi woo!
M M M Myyyy Barona...
Drinking here is like being a homeless tranny with a kegerator.
The place is Dirty Dank and Hot, with the open door-sized windows you might as well be drinking on the street. After several STRONG drinks and some derision from the bartenders you feel a little homeless - however with all of the snakeskin and velvet, you're definitely not just any homeless person. Drinking here takes you to that special place where the voices have dictated your every move and you have surrounded yourself with pretty bobbles and scraps discarded by wasteful thespians and the wealthy.
If only you can save up enough bottle-caps and pigeon feathers to have the operation, you'll get back on your feet again and become a STAR!!
Always good for a happy hour, one of my favorite spots in Alphabet city. Great on a weeknight if you want to avoid the crowds. Its a great place if you grab seating early (11ish) I guess i'm just a sucker for comfy seating. While the drinks are not cheap $6, they make a stiff and nice sized gin and tonic, the regular pour is a healthy double, so youll get your money's worth.
Cheers
Found a seat at the bar around 1030pm on a Friday night. Good beer selection, not overpriced. Laid back, casual crowd. Music wasn't obnoxiously loud.
Overall I really liked this place, it had a very comforting/friendly feel and the people seemed more local than those I usually find in midtown east on friday nights!
Good atmosphere, mostly good service, cool crowd and usually an excellent DJ. I like this place and have been back many times.
Six bucks for 12 oz of Guinness on draft. Welcome to the new East Village. The Kitty Nights burlesque show is worth a trip, and the teeniness of the the bar adds to the show, as the performers are pretty much Bam! Right! There! It is a highly intimate venue.
But, a warning- unlike every other burlesque show I've ever attended, this show appears to start on time- so don't dwaddle getting down there, or you'll miss the first set.
Bar on A is a lively yet low-key spot -- it's good if you want to go somewhere that's not too pretentious or crazy. There's usually seating, which is a major plus, and a good mix of drinks.
Bar on A is a solid bar. It's just dark enough, it's not loud. It's comfortable. The location is great. A great place to spend the evening with friends.
Not too expensive, good drinks. Solid service. It's nothing fancy, but it does the job.
It's a solid bar overall.
One of my favorite neighborhood spots. The crowd is great and the bartenders are awesome. There are random DJ's that come in throughout the week playing quite a selection. Lots of cool intimate events such as readings and bands.
If you like a diverse crowd and like to hang out with people who don't give a ---- then this is your place.
Trying to meet up with friends here is like some kind of strange drinking oriented version of "Who's on First:"
- We're at Bar on A
- Which bar on A?
- No, Bar on A! At 11th Street.
- Ok, 11th and A, but what's the Bar called?
- Bar on A!
- Which bar on A?
Etc.
To be honest, I think I've pretty much given up on going out in the East Village. This packages a standard East Village bar experience in a perfectly acceptable way, but it's just not all that great. Came here as part of a Halloween Bar Crawl down Avenue A that a friend of mine was throwing and it was sublimely "eh." Music was hit or miss. Crowd was a random mix of Yuppie East Village Invaders and actual East Village types. Really nothing special to write home about, but nothing too offensive either. Had a beer which I think was of normal price. Probably wouldn't come back unless I were meeting up with people, but, as we know, that's never as easy as it seems with this place.
this might be the template of a 3 star review.
this was stop 2 on the thursday night drink fest.
beers were not too bad, but wtf $5 for a bud lite? come on now.
wouldn't say no to going back, but wouldn't suggest it either. totally meh.
My friend played a small show here recently (he does a night called "Sync Tank"...check it out ) along with some other electronic artists. I came to NYC to visit and see him perform.
Bar on A is nothing spectacular, but I guess it was a bit more fun for me being out of town. It was really crowded and cramped making it difficult (for me at least) to order drinks. The bartender was in an awful mood and gave me an attitude. Oh well. I never get to drink Yuengling, so I was psyched they had it on tap. I think they were $4.00. I was lucky to snag a decent seat to enjoy the music and digital projector. It was kind of dark so I couldn't get a good sense of the decor.
Overall, the crowd wasn't bad and there was an okay atmosphere. I got to meet a lot of really nice fellow musicians. It was a fun night. I probably wouldn't come back here though with so many other bars to check out in the area.
If I wanted to drink crappy drinks with a bunch of kids born two decades too late in a dirty bar with a bunch of angry, aggressive homeless people yelling outside the front door, I'd go back home and booze it up at Scooter's.
For the longest time I was calling this place "Barona" because I thought they were just trying to be cool by spacing out the letters of their name till I realized other people calling it "Bar On (Avenue) A." I now understand, but am still left unimpressed. This bar is unique, just like every other bar on (Avenue) A. With exception to the name, I find nothing all that special or different about it. Oh yes, they have fairly cheap drinks. Yes, just like other bars along A.
One thing that is interesting is beyond their basic burgers / fries / nachos food menu, they also feature kabobs for a $7 each which are roughly the length of a 12 inch ruler. Its filled with pineapple chunks and various meats based on what you want. They also are trying to be cool by offering Japanese specialties such as microwaved Gyoza and "Sluirnai" AKA Shumai (Hey, don't look at me. Thats how its spelled on their menu).
The website is a disaster as well. Their gallery is pitiful and offers nothing in terms of decor to suggest that the place is worth visiting. Instead its a gallery of funny face candids, just enough to keep me looking in another direction. In addition, the online menu is full of misspellings that range from "fahitas" to "pita pokets." I guess "Barona" is worth stopping by for the $4 Kamikazes and low key atmosphere.
Generally any bar that has Christmas lights up is a good sign for chill vibes.
If you're looking for some groovy jam tunes on Saturday night, then the Hokum Factory is just what you're looking for. There's some floor space to get down with the band, and comfy couches on the other side of the room to sink in and converse.
Ha, much like Sam's situation:
"Where are you?"
"Bar on A"
"Thanks ass, which bar on A?"
Regardless, everyone made it, all was well. The crowd was lame for the most part (except for the blonde girl who groped me as I walked in while she said Hellloooooo...it was only 10 PM and then you disappeared, and all I can say is thank you for starting my night off right!)
Delirium Tremens no longer available on draft. Weak.
We wanted to start the night off with a "nicer" drink. But probably should have just headed straight to Doc's, my home away from home, and gotten to work there. Bar on A, you get a C from me.
Great happy hour, good mix of beers and some great free entertainment (my friends did a reading and they were followed by a solid singer). Good during the evening, no clue how it is later though.
I had a nice evening here the other night seeing an acoustic show (Jason Liebman, good stuff, check it out). I thought this bar had a nice feeling, might be a nice place to come and check out live music.
I was with fellow yelper Gabby D. who wanted to call it "Barona" and we met a nice Israeli boy and his loud ass friend (baklava) who talked through the musician's set, boooo. The bartender was sweet, a little inexperienced but she played good music from her iPod.
The space is a little odd (as someone said, open on one side, cramped on the other) and beware of the dripping air conditioner as you enter from the left side door....
Overall, I had a enjoyable visit to Barona!
This place holds a spot in my heart as I had my burlesque debut there!! :)
"Kitty Nights" on Sunday Nights...you must check it out!! You'll see some of NYC's great up and coming burlesque stars, like me ;)
$5 Margaritas, but they didn't taste so good. Weiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrd crowd, albeit it was a Tuesday. However, love it because this amazing Australian pianist and Jazz musician a la Sara Bareilles and Kate Nash and the various other indie belle voiced girls out there was playing. Check her out, Meg Washington!
bar on A is really fun. i like the burlesque show they used to have. i dont really love the back area by the bathrooms, its kind of awkward in that i feel like im in a makeshift sitting area, reminds me of how people turn their garages into rooms, i dont know? am i wrong?
i love this bar. the space, the bartenders, the crowd, the activities, the location.. everything is up to my par. highly recomended.
If you can get past the grumpy bartenders and the creepy owner, Bar on A has a dark, mysterious, and quiet vibe...Happy hour beers are a good price (I can't remember if it's $2 or $3) but don't eat the food - the word is the place was shut down for a while by the Health Department!
This bar is your standard bar. They have variety of different live shows throughout the week...ranging from electronic DJs to local rock bands. Based on the reviews below I think I've been lucky with the bartenders. The drinks are def a good price and it's a good place to come grab a drink with a friend in the earlier part of the night if you want a mellow atmosphere.
sometimes it was hard to get the bartender's attention due to the shape of the bar. it reminds me of circle bar in los angeles: big bar in the middle, almost no room to get around it when there's more than 20 people inside. plus, negative, i don't know.
it doesn't stand out in my mind, but it's a good enough option in the east village.
This is my new spot. No, I'm serious, it is! A friend of mine introduced me to the wonderful offerings of Bar on A. I don't care whether you call it Barona or Bar on A, few places (especially in that part of town) offer 3$ draft beer Mon-Thur until 9pm and Fri-Sun until 8. Plus, it's good beer! Not bad Bud light or Coors, but good beer. Think, Radeberger, Coney Island and stuff. I've had their food too (for once, I ate there. I never eat in bars, but I did here...) and yes, it's bar-ish food, but it's decent. They don't salt the edamame, so you can make it as salty or not as you want, and they have shoestring fries. Almost like McDonalds (not like I'd ever eat...err...I mean, review any of those establishments). I love the bartenders, and the owner is in there a lot too. She even made the bartender check my ID (although she knew my face). It was OK, the owner apologized for making me feel awkward, but said that "you kids these days" look way younger than our age, which makes me feel good. But yeah, I give decent tips, get enough comp drinks to make up for it. All in all, a great place to stop in after work to grab a few brews with friends or strangers, or get the weekend started.
This place is just sort of odd. Its spacious on one side, and then kind of cramped on the other. And they are totally separate, I almost didn't realize there was the whole tables section until halfway into my first stint there. The crowd was made up of some hipster girls, and a lot of older men. A lot. And it got really boring really quickly, I didn't think the crowd mixed well at all or was even that lively to begin with. There are better bars in the area.
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Dive Bars
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Nightlife
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