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- Nearest Transit:
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1 Av (L)
2 Av (F)
3 Av (L)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 4 pm - 4 am
Sat-Sun 1 pm - 4 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
254 reviews for Bua
Review Highlights
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"Charming little bar with exposed brick walls." In 10 reviews -
"Their happy hour boasts amazing cocktails for around $5." In 36 reviews -
"The Corned Beef and Gruyere sandwich." In 3 reviews
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254 reviews in English
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Review from Lauren K.
3/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love it here! Might love it even more than its sister, Sweet Afton, in Astoria.
The cocktails are really delicious-- I've had the sangria, capirinha, and the sangria. During happy hour (til 8!), they're a reasonable $5.
They place great music-- its a happy and happening place to be, whether for happy hour or on a Saturday night. Definitely gets crowded, so it's nice to have a booth to chat with friends.
Right across the street from Five Tacos too... so you can slip out for a bite if you're hungry! -
Review from Allison S.
ASTORIA, NY
5/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
We crossed the street from PDT because they had an hour wait! I wish this place had more food choices but the Gruyere Grilled Cheese was delicious and prefectly browned and crispy! The side mustard was a unexpected delicious surprise with the Grilled Cheese!
We got a caraffe of red wine sangria and it was delicios. I would definitely stop by again to try more of their cocktails and another grilled cheese!
Beautifully exposed brick interior, dark and itimate environment. -
Review from Aviva G.
5/2/2012
Ginger Highball. I love you. At at only $5 during happy hour, I love five of you.
Only qualm about this place is that it gets super crowded and the service is slow because its so busy. Aside from that, love it.
Deliciously strong cocktails and a good beer menu. -
Review from Taylor P.
New York, NY
4/26/2012
I have walked by Bua hundreds of times during the past four years, and I just now decided to check it out. Why did I wait so long?! This bar is perfect - perfect location, reasonable prices, sweet waitstaff, and long, rustic wooden tables over which I can gaze into my date's (or friends') eyes. The only downside is that this place is packed. Why are all the good bars so mainstream?
The beer list is reasonable. The fried pickles would be a little less battered. And the candlelight is very romantic. -
Review from Kelley H.
Atlanta, GA
5/20/2012
great happy hour spot - pretty quiet then with good specials. great food (especially for a bar) always jumping. great outdoor area as well.
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Review from Robert C. B.
Brooklyn, NY
5/11/2012
Hung out here with a few friends last night for happy hour. We stayed longer than we planned and enjoyed the delicious sandwiches. Although it was busy, the customer service was great, no long waits, and very clean and cool ambiance.
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Review from Claire M.
Brooklyn, NY
5/10/2012
Went here for the first time and will DEFINITELY be going back! I was on a friend-date, meeting a friend of a friend who lives nearby, and she suggested Bua. We were there for happy hour, from about 6:15 to 7:30, and the drink specials were amazing. There were five or six specialty cocktails for $5. I had a ginger beer-dark rum-lime cocktail, and one with gin, champagne, and cucumber. Clearly, they were awesome, but I can't remember their names. Delicious! We didn't order food, but the people at the table next to us had fries that smelled amazing. When we left at 7:30, the place was already getting full. Definitely check Bua out.
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Review from Perry T.
Manhattan, NY
5/8/2012
Love this place, especially when the weather is warm and they open up to the street. Very rustic with exposed bright and large communal tables. The drinks are fantastic - refreshing and strong and at $5 a pop during happy hour, they're tough to beat! I've had so many good nights here catching up with friends, enjoying the relaxed and fun vibe, and sipping cool drinks during the warm nights.
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Review from Evelyn S.
New York, NY
4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went for a brief drink and the space was great and so was the drink. Looking forward to going back again.
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Review from Steph C.
4/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Really great happy hour. $5 Eastside Cocktails with a really cool bathroom door and wooden seats. Not a swanky place and just the way I like it =) Also a great place for outdoor seating
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Review from Vincent A.
Manhattan, NY
5/14/2012 2 Check-ins Here
You live nearby this bar, I highly reccommend checking it out. Awesome food/apps, great drinks and a really cool vibe. Doesn't get much better. Just try and stake a claim for you and your friends if you want to sit down. It's rarely empty!
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Review from Corie C.
Manhattan, NY
4/6/2012
Went in on a Thursday night, great crowd, wasn't too too crowded. Mixed group, 25-30 age range.
Super friendly bartenders
Drinks were delicious--try the red lemonade!
Happy hour prices are great! Not expensive at all!
The ambiance was nice, exposed brick inside and the bar was concrete, made for a unique space.
I'll for sure be back soon! -
Review from Kristen D.
Manhattan, NY
5/1/2012
As I've said before, I am partial to this neighborhood of NYC, and having visited Bua last Tuesday, it's really as good as it gets! I had a Pimms Cup (forgive my spelling error on that one) and it was absolutely incredible! All of the cocktails are original and a great atmosphere. Also, a big plus is that a) It's on St. Mark's and b) they have adequate outdoor seating. Definitely a plus for the spring / summer months! Also, I must compliment them on the IMMACULATE restroom situation. By far the cleanest, most spacious bathrooms I have seen in NYC. Bravo!
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Review from John L.
New York, NY
5/2/2012
Good bar, pretty stylish, attractive crowd... assuming you can get in.
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Review from Rex F.
New York, NY
4/23/2012
Big airy bar with great atmosphere, sick grilled cheese sammiches and enough brews on tap to punch your ever-loving sobriety into next week. Spicy pickleback shots are short and pickly like Snooki, and they kill fewer brain cells than she does.
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Review from Lissa V.
2/13/2012
Bua is a great little spot to grab drinks with a friend or a date and catch up but also set the mood. The bar itself has a great feel to it with exposed brick and cozy corners.
The bartenders are cool too and nothing about the place feels pretentious. It's the sister to Wilfie and Nell in the WV and reminds me of exactly what I'd expect its younger EV sister to resemble: more auspicious, a little less sophisticated, but it'll show you just as good a time.
The Bees Knees cocktail, is well just that - the bees knees! For $5 a pop until 8pm you will leave falling head over heals for Bua. A perfect spot for any weekday happy hour or to cap off your night.Listed in: Al Fresco, Cocktails Anyone?, It's 5:00 somewhere...
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Review from ReviewHaiku F.
Manhattan, NY
3/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Store front window show!*
Best martini of the night
Super crowded though!
*cheech danced/ate those crif dogs like a champ! -
Review from Jenny T.
2/20/2012
Strolled in at 1 am with a friend who lives nearby and found myself in love with this joint. Everything about it is PERFECT. I'm a Californian and Bua gave me the most delicious taste of what a local NYC bar feels like. As I always say, I WANT MORE!
And I will certainly be back. -
Review from Alice I.
New York, NY
2/19/2012
I really love the bathroom doors...and waiting on line for the bathroom with attractive young men. The prices are reasonable and I can't say how all the food is, but I will tell you that every time I come here I invariable end up consuming a delish grilled cheese with equally delish pickles, and if you want to know more about how much I value a good pickle, please read my review for Bistro Nora (pickles are very important!).
Anyway, it gets a bit crowded but if you've come with friends or snag a table it's certainly not overwhelming. -
Review from Tricia R.
New York, NY
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great neighborhood spot with a good happy hour. The drinks are strong, the vibe is laidback but still fun. They didn't have a couple of drinks that's on the website's menu (i.e. the Bees Knees among others), which was too bad because those are the ones I wanted, but it's all good. I was hungry, so I ordered the fried chicken sandwich, and I don't know if I was just drunk and craving or what, but it was one of the best fried chicken sandwiches I've ever had. Definitely a good reliable place to chill out on any night.
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Review from Kenny C.
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Reasonable drink prices, spotty table service, and it was PACKED around dinner time on a Saturday. Like, elbow to elbow, "excuse me, excuse me, excuse me" to get to the bathroom type of packed. Getting the check also took awhile and there wasn't too much room for a group bigger than 4 people.
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Review from Li C.
New York, NY
Updated - 3/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm sorry Bua.. it has been about a year since I last stumbled into your bar - your bouncer is still a fucking asshole. How dare you not let my 3 handsome friends into the bar because its "overcrowded". Did you see those underage porkers you let in before them? Oh, but they had vaginas, so that was OK.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/21/2011
I had a 45 minute wait for a nearby bar and ended up stumbling into Bua. The bartender was this cool… Read more »
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Review from Lisa H.
1/24/2012
I've been to Bua in all different seasons of the year and I always get the same vibe - super cozy and comfy. It's always a good time when you can kick back and relax with a beer either on their outside bench on a crisp summer night or snug and warm inside on a frigid winter's evening. There's a charm about this place I can't put my finger on.. But it keeps me coming back every time.
Great beers and amiable wait staff.. I simply can't ask for more. -
Review from Kimberly C.
Brooklyn, NY
4/4/2012
3 ladies looking for a nice seat to have a drink and catch up. We decided on Bua because the other bars in the area were packed. Well so was Bua. one or two long banquet style tables in the back room. The was was crowded and this made it difficult to catch the bartender's eye. But after some patience, we found a seat, had some good convos, and then we ordered food... Which I was surprised how good it was! I had the pulled pork sandwich (awesome) , my friend had the massive fried chicken sand and other had the grilled cheese with pickles on the side. All 3 were super tasty and delish!
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Review from Lorrie M.
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Any place that serves hot, delicious food past 3 AM on a Sunday in my book gets an A+ and five extra stars, so this place started off pretty well already.
We came here because although Yelp claimed PDT to be open until 5 AM, at the mere passing of 1:00 AM in the morning they already stopped taking names. We were very disappointed, having just came from Milk and Honey and Death + Company, and felt like our night was far from over.
Then, as if to answer our quest for more, Bua almost appeared to us from across the street and we promptly seated ourselves in the dining area to grab some drinks.
The bartender was awesome, friendly, the food was delicious (pulled pork, grilled cheese) and the drinks were on with the quickness. They even had this strange Wood something bourbon that I actually enjoyed, which is new to me since me + dark liquor = yuck.
Their dining area setup is a little awkward and kind of zig zag like, but I didn't mind since obviously Sunday is not the most popular night after 1 AM and we had no issues maneuvering around. The place was still pretty buzzing with almost all the tables full and the bar in full swing. This was definitely my kind of place and I will probably be back to wait it out for PDT or... just to eat some delicious pulled pork sliders. -
Review from Mark M.
Updated - 11/19/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Time that I update my review given that I've been coming here on a regular basis. Methinks I like this place better than it's sister, Sweet Afton, in Astoria.
The happy hour is SO legit and the menu always has new food items that are always oh-so-good!
Amazing atmosphere, too!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/8/2011
Sister to one of Astoria's best locales -- Sweet Afton. Perfectly situation on St. Mark's just a… Read more »
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Review from Andrea S.
10/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ode to a Drunk Girl.
I can see you. Your thinly masked drunken swagger.
Lady, you've got a run in those stockings. Your shoes are from Target.
Go ahead, light that stogie. Can you? Let me give you a hand.
Careful, you've dropped your lighter. Don't bend over so deeply or everyone will know you're wearing blue underwear.
Fin.
So this place is ok. The bartender wasn't too gregarious. And no ice in my drinking buddy's old fashioned, how queer.
I wouldn't venture to the bathrooms, they're pretty nast-tastic. -
Review from Pargeet B.
Manhattan, NY
1/9/2012
Loved the atmosphere here - went on a Sunday evening and it was pretty quiet and chilled.
Had the red lemonade cocktail and for a girl that doesn't like lemons, this drink was delicious!! Very strong for $5, saw the amount of vodka the bartender put in and I had a huge smile on my face!
I'd definitely go back here, it's warm & cosy and I loves me some happy hour! -
Review from Asa K.
11/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
A friend and I visited Bua to meet up with some friend who were visiting from London. It seemed like a pretty cool place from the outside so we figured why not? We were just grabbing drinks, but their food menu looked good as well.
The inside is pretty dive-chic, as in a lot of exposed brick and wood.. altogether a nice vibe. They had some decent beer on tap and seem to be dabble in amateur mixology.. I tried a couple of their cocktails, both were pretty solid but cloyingly sweet.
It was a nice place to relax and chat with friends... Dont bring a book to read, as its very dark to read.
What was the deal with everyone else drinking High Life? is that a thing?
A friend mentioned its a great first date sort of place, nice enough without hitting pretentious and low key. If I lived in the city I would probably take a date or two there.
Drink on -
Review from Alexander L.
Colorado Springs, CO
10/11/2011
This is an awesome bar. We went here to get a snack and a few drinks before hitting dinner. They have the best fried pickles I've ever had. They also have interesting and delicious grilled cheese sandwiches.
-Pretty good beer list
-Happy hour is great
-Atmosphere rocks for a date/relaxing evening
-Service is good (you may have to go up to the bar to get service depending on when you go in.)
-Prices aren't bad at all
-Location is perfect as your first stop for a night out -
Review from Colleen C.
Chicago, IL
8/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
A spicy pickle martini!? I'll have two.
It may be a long, long time before I taste a pickle in the same way again, but for this brief moment in time (I lie, it was like 5 hours), it was pickle bliss. Spicy. Get it with vodka (not gin) for the smoothest taste (group consensus). It's basically a dirty martini, but ain't no olives, just pickles. You likea da pickle? You likea the booze? You likea this.
Their cocktail menu also should get some attention. The shandy was next on my list, but after 2 pickle martinis my date for later that evening cut me off. Good thinking, but I'll be kicking back a shandy at some point. St. Marks my words.
I met a long lost pal of mine for drinks late Saturday afternoon. She had perched herself perfectly at an outside table (the people watching is supreme) and we drank and laughed and watched people go about their days with dogs, babies, mohawks and the like. Our group of 2 grew to 7 over the course of our 5 hours, but it all just seemed to work out the way it should. Stools pulled over, the rain didn't stop us...covered by the awning, we continued. Rounds and rounds of beers and cocktails...
Our waitress was quick, and efficient...sweet even. The bathrooms were clean. The crowd was laid back. The vibe was relaxed. It was not overly crowded. These were all the makings of a great Saturday afternoon of drinking. This is not something I typically do, but with a place like Bua to do it, I think I could absolutely get on board. Great place to take folks that aren't into the scene. Also, reasonable prices (relatively speaking). Martinis were huge and $10. Beers about $6. Most of cocktail list under $9.
4-stars. Will be back for food and shandy, will update!Listed in: New York Minutes., East Village!, East Village, Let's Hang Out.
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Review from Zvezdana O.
11/8/2011
Came here tonight & had the red lemonade and a habanero maragarita... OMFG... with the latter, I am in luurrrrve. One of the best drinks ever. Light, sweet, spicy and STRONG. Red lemonade was good too.
We were waiting for a call from PDT across the street, but if it never came, i could have happily spent my evening at Bua. Loved the vibe there... trendy, casual, cool but unpretentious A+!!!! -
Review from Jay G.
New York, NY
A quaint little bar tucked away down past first avenue, almost to the park. I generally start my day here for the happy hour (1-5pm), drinks are $4 or $5 bucks. The Ginger Highball is a favorite and for only 5 bucks its a heck of a deal.
The bar itself is a interesting spot sporting exposed brick and tea lights sprinkled around the area. A casual examination of the bar will let you know they have the top brands, even Pimm's #1, a very rare sight.
My first time here I was sitting next to two unbelievably annoying germans. They were in their late 40's but dressed like they were in their middle 30's and the ensemble just wasn't working, think Buster Bluth in a muscle shirt. They both were drinking champagne and I think they were coked out, also fidgety. And the really annoying fidgety guy was sitting next to.... me. Of course! (Yes, Virginia, there is a god and he doesn't like me) So, If you come here and its packed with chubby frats (DUDE!) or annoying eurotrash move on to another bar, east village is full of em'.
This is a great place to get a real drink and not be overpowered by the surroundings. It seems they adjust the drink menu for the summer/winter seasons. Its a good bet you'll try a few and settle on a favorite. That's what i did. -
Review from Amanda W.
10/23/2011
Pros: the service was attentive and outside seating was nice - it's rather communal, so we ended up meeting some cool people
Cons: they give you the bum's rush from the outside area at 12am; inside was jam packed, so we didn't stay -
Review from Brittany A.
New York, NY
10/18/2011
What a great little lounge/bar on St. Mark's Place in the East Village. The bar is large and features brick walls, candles, and dark wooden tables. The bar is rather sexy and seductive and is a great place to go for a night out when you do not want dancing involved. There are plenty of places to sit and talk with friends. Beers are around $6 each while mixed drinks are $8 and up. I would definitely like to try this bar for happy hour on a pleasant New York afternoon or evening.
They have a credit card minimum of $20 per card which I think is ridiculous. But other than that, this bar is pretty great. -
Review from Amber D.
Manhattan, NY
6/26/2011
Bar is awesome: great drinks, great atmosphere, great music
However, WEEKENDERS BEWARE
Our friends were total suckers and fell for, apparently, a weekly scam that involves a young girl and her dog....
6 of us, who I guess appear to be upstanding citizens, were sitting out on the benches in front of the bar drinking the BEST bloody mary I've ever had when we see this 17yr old (homeless?) girl dragging her poor dog down the street. The dog was looking feeble and sick with it's sad puppy dog eyes. Like any other NYer we turned our heads and ignored the situation. after 30 min of seeing this go down in front of us, we started feeling so sorry for the poor puppy that we told the girl to "go meet her friend" and come right back for the dog.
Yes, I know we sound retarded but the whole bar was in on it too. Some poor guy ran around the street and bought a can of dog food, while others in Bua we bringing it glasses of water and food from their own trays. It was quite the scene....
So I go up to the bar to order more drinks when a very nice gentleman informs me that this girl pulls the same story every week and her dogs plays into the whole thing because she trained it. It knows exactly when to throw it's body down in front of the bar and just lay there. The girl uses this to coax people into giving her money or at least feed the dog. The guy lived across the street and said he sees it every weekend.
At that point I'm LIVID and run outside to quickly tell my friends the news only to find that the dog is gone and, as expected, the girl had come back with this sob story begging for money.
Other than the ridiculous scam that ensued, the bar is AWESOME and I plan on going back....for drinks AND to kick that girl's ass :) -
Review from Peter D.
5/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
(Thoughts going through my head at Bua.)
Bartender, may I please have a Bloody Mary so that my head will stop pounding? Oh, hi friend. I didn't see you sitting there, right next to me, waving and saying my name. No, I didn't drink too much wine last night. I drank a very reasonable amount of wine. I think it was the sake, gin, rum and beer that pushed me over the edge. I'm glad you feel fantastic though. Boobs. I might die.
Wait, Bartender, why are you stocking straws, as though I am not here about to die from a lack of hairy dogs, or whatever you call it. My brain is not working. Yes, thank you for starting to make the drink I ordered several minutes ago. You are proof that there is such a thing as too laid back. I might die.
Thank you...wait, $8? What the crap? This is happy hour? You better believe that after this I'll be drinking $4 Kelso until it's time to take a nap. You're lucky you have those amazing tables outside. I might die.
Ah, sunshine. Ahhhh, Bloody Mary. Very decent, although it could use a little horseradish. And a spicy bean. Boobs. I feel better already. Wait, you're going to spring for cheesy tater tots from Crif Dogs? I knew there was a reason I loved you. I might live after all. -
Review from Ki G.
5/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I move away from bourbon and towards gin when the weather gets warmer. Something about the floral beginnings of this liquor makes it perfect for a warm evening or afternoon.
Mix it with honey and lemon - you have yourself a Bees Knees and it's one of the happy hour specials here. $5 for one of my favorite cocktails? Yes, please.
My friend and me ambled our way through conversation, their happy hour specials and their absolutely awesome spicy pickles. When energy flagged - I ordered a wonderful cheddar cheese sandwich while my companion ordered a corned beef. We were very happy with our choices.
And I'm happy that I finally made it here. Can't wait to come back. -
Review from Lindsay L.
New Brunswick, NJ
9/21/2011
I'll keep this one short and sweet: I like Bua!
The bartender on Thursday was adorable, the waitresses are typical city girls who can be snappy if you get in their way, the drinks are standard with standard city prices, the outdoor seating area is really nice when the weather is good and for people watching, it's close to the subway, the bathrooms for some reason terrify me and remind me of a horror movie (hahaha wtf I know), and there is a convenience store around the corner with all the crappy snacks you can think of!
My last night there was a bit hazy but basically next time I'm in the area I'll definitely stop by again. -
Review from C M.
New York, NY
1/25/2012
Bua!! I love it so much. Fantastic location, fantastic atmosphere, fantastic drinks, and away from the mess that is 2nd ave. I am writing on behalf of their happy hour - $5 for a bunch of good cocktails that aren't run of the mill well drinks - they make a good capirihna as well as something delicious with cranberry and muddled lemons. The only drink that wasn't good was whatever they were trying to pass off as a Dark 'n Stormy, which did not work out so well, but everything else is so good that I'll let it slide.
