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Categories: Bars, Dance Clubs [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Williamsburg - South Side, Williamsburg - North SideDjs Tikka Masala, Bill Coleman, Dario Speedwagon and…
Bedford Ave (L)
Mon-Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 4:00 a.m.
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Ever since my buddy Lauren Flax stopped booking for Hugs...its been a struggle of trying to define itself as a new BK bar.
Starting November I'll be in charge of Saturdays, starting a new party, and hopefully building it into something creative, new and VIGORous :)
The new "VIGOR" Saturdays will hopefully be Brooklyn's new spot for dance parties featuring todays up and coming DJs + Performers. Bringing you creative mixed of yesturday's classic jams, the bangers of today, as well as the fresh tunes of tomorrow.
Come Check it out! and check out my guest DJ line up:
Nov. 7th DJ ARQ
Nov. 14th DJ Dirty FIngers
Nov. 21st DJ Morsy
Nov. 28th Maestro Picante
cheers,
djfulltimefun@gmail.com
P.S. I might just be one of the DJs but...to clear things up...the management & owners did NOT put the infamous dress code poster up, they actually are the ones that took it down.
The hard working bouncers were actually the ones that put the poster up to make their jobs easier...and felt terrible if it offended anyone.
So please don't think that the establishment is racist. They're good people and they welcome people of all races. However, they WILL kick anyone out that start fights or steal other people's purses/ stuff...and thats a no brainer.
People thought this was:
Free Saturday night comedy show "Going Steady" with Hannibal Buress & a whole line up of comedians was a really good treat. I found it on http://freenyc.net and it was definitely good.
They have good drink prices too. Good mixed crowd. My first time there tonight, will go back
It's the crowd that makes this place so so. Oh yeah the "Dj" too, wait what dj, the music was on autopilot.
If you're pissed drunk and want to have a dance with not to hot looking people, go here...
WILLIAMSBERG IN GENERAL IS OVER RATED.
I used to like this place, maybe about a year ago or so? Since then it seems to have taken a real turn for the worse (admittedly, I really liked Hugs because they were once playing "Creep" by TLC and I almost peed my pants I was so excited). I agree with the meat market comments but I definitely don't think that's a plus. It's obnoxious as all hell.
Perhaps this is one of those it-depends-on-what-night-you-go type of situations but I think that getting skeezed out the past couple of times has proven to be enough of a deterrent for future visits.
Bonus point for having Guitar Hero and Skee-ball.
People thought this was:
Cause I heart fitteds.
Also, my beer was mad warm. Yo.
I'm not into clubs, so my rating may not be fair. The girl I was with wanted to do a little dancing, so we stopped in here because I decidedly had consumed enough alcohol to shake my thang a little.
I'll give it points for being a good meat market to bump and grind without the pesky conversation. It was packed and the crowd was generally attractive in a sweaty metrosexual kind of way.
We didn't stay long because of the creep vibe, though. I was touched a little too inappropriately a couple of times by a guy and his friends who were most likely rolling on the E (the one guy kept telling me how smooth my skin was).
Also, the music was a little dated, like stuff that played when I bartended at a "club" 5 years ago. Altogether, the place was a little cheesy.
People thought this was:
Who wants to go anywhere where you can't even wear a hoodie. This place should be somewhere outside of NYC.
Would never support this corny place. Eek! Methinks not.
A dress code? Fucking seriously?
rolling in here on a friday night around eleven. and i was confused.
granted i get confused a lot, but my friend told me that this was going to be a dance party! no dancing. there were barely any people there.
6 drunk girls do not a dance party make.
maybe next time...heavy drink pours though.
People thought this was:
hugs is my favorite girls-night-out spot in williamsburg.
drinks are cheap-ish, music is solid, and you're guaranteed a dance party after 10pm.
and hellloooo they have ski ball and a sticker-making photo booth. YES.
also, once they let me bring in a 1-gallon jug of water because "i was thirsty".
People thought this was:
At first I loved it, then I hated it, and now I think I love it again.
If you love dancing, this is definitely the place to go. Whenever it becomes the part of the night where the bar I'm at is kind of slow and I need to get moving again or go home and fall asleep, I go to Hugs first and dance my ass off for about an hour and a half, and then I go home and fall asleep. (Sometimes there's pizza wedged between there).
The music on Saturday nights is usually radio pop, 80's, and hip hop all mixed together, which is my personal favorite combo. The dancefloor is big enough to not get the curly red hair from the girl standing behind you in your face, but it's not so big that it doesn't seem full. I would say that 50% of the people inside the bar actually dance (and when I say dance, I mean really get into it!) which is great cause there's nothing worse than an empty dancefloor.
The crowd here is pretty mixed... during the earlier parts of the night, it'll be a bunch of skinny hipsters, during the middle of the night, a bunch of frat-like guys will roll in, and at the late part of the evening, its big thuggish black guys. Let's just say I don't come here to admire the crowd or pick up on people. I come here to have fun with my friends and exercise at the same time.
Decor is fine, low ceilings are kind of nice, and the drinks come in at the same price as the rest of the neighborhood.
Be weary of the annoying crowd hanging out at Sea (the trendy Thai restuarant) which is right next door.
People thought this was:
I keep wanting to really like Hugs but just don't feel it. It's generally pretty dead when I glance in and I just keep walking by. It feels like an underuse of a nice space & prime location.
The Big Buck Hunter game has graffiti on the screen, which makes it much harder for the pixels to register an accurate hit--no fair!
People thought this was:
3.5*
CHEAP (compared to Manhattan!), good, strong drinks.
Great vibe.
Completely Quiet on a Tuesday night, but we managed to entertain ourselves
This bar is amazing. I think that it is one of my new favorite places in Brooklyn. You can get some really good drink specials early in the night. Try a two dollar pint of hard cider, or a three dollar red stripe.
Definitely, check out the comedy show, and the dance party.
There is a really good vibe in this place. When you walk in the bar you enter into a dark long cavernous room. There a long bar on the left and plenty of comfortable seating at the bar and along the walls.
me: "Without looking, can you guess how many pairs of purple jeans are being worn on this train car, currently?"
her:"uhm.. 3?"
me:"Close, 2 pairs!"
Only on the L can this question be asked, and only on the L will someone guess a number above zero. Riding the L is an experience in itself. If only for that, I recommend making a trip to Hugs.
I went on a Thursday for a book reading, and had a few pints while hanging out. It wasn't crowded, there were plenty of seats, and the prices were fair. I don't venture here too often because it's out of the way for those of us living in south Brooklyn, but this place is worth visiting again.
I'm not sure what 'people watching' means in a bar(im guessing it's when you have nothing to talk about, and talk about those around you?), but there was a person wearing a white shirt, white pants, and white sneakers, dancing like a doofus.(I believe they might've been conveying a message) That was fun stuff to see.
I'd go back here.
People thought this was:
This can be crowded and great fun, or dead and dead...but when there are alot of people its "da bomb"! They have a wide range of music, all great to dance to. Last time I was there they were playing, 80's, daft punk, cut copy, and threw in some hip hop.
Its free! Yes!! Thats right! Good music fo' free!!! And the interior is awesome. Really low ceilings and dark lighting sets a cool atmosphere.
The drinks are a little pricey for me and there is no coat check. They have a small table in the corner to throw your coat on or under...and some dude is usually there with a flashlight but they don't know know what is who's.
But overall it really is a great time, bringing a big crowd of friends is definitely suggested!
"Did a magician give birth to you?"
-- yes, this is an actual pickup line a guy used on me when I told him my age. He could not believe I was as old as I said I was.
Hugs is a fun bar filled with all sorts of amusing characters, as illustrated above. You really can't go wrong with 90's throwbacks and skeeball in a dark, dancey cave. Anticipate loud music, crowds of dancing and a good, sweaty time in the heart of hipsterville.
NOTE: there is more than one bathroom, if you look hard enough! ;)
People thought this was:
I had so much fun just people watching. You'll find everyone here and I mean EVERYONE, maybe except for models. I guess at the end of a night out, people seek out Hugs because they just want to dance dance dance.
Seating on the side is cozy except that the speakers are blaring into your ears.
People thought this was:
Honestly.. in sober state and not feeling like a champion.. hearing La Bouche upon entry I wanted to dash right on out of there... but it just got better and better... especially when the ladies' anthem of Real Love came on.. it went a little bonkers. Open area is pretty chills but to keep it pumping ..move on in through the crowds to the back. 90's extravaganza on a Saturday night. This is the type of place you would stumble into in your home gear with a couple of friends from the neighborhood because it's convenient.
All sorts of freaks and norms here. Including lady who looked like Flava Flav grinding and jumping on guys who looked like Tony Parker being cheered on by New Young Pony Club twins.
Dresscode: WHATEVER THE FRICK YOU WANT (just the way I like it)
Oh not into dancing? No problem! Buck Hunter, Sticker Picture Machine and two Skeeball lanes available.
People thought this was:
Maybe it's because i went there to early, Maybe because i was expecting a huge dance party, but this place didn't grab me.
Friday at 10pm this place is dead?? Me no likey. Yes it was early, but every other place on the block was packed! It might have been the music,it sucked, it was asfi they didn't want ppl to come it.
The Cosmo were amazing tho, worth the trip. The Bartender was a sweetheart and made really good shots! I will be back at a later, hopefully more dancer hour.
People thought this was:
Disclaimer: Hugs will forever have my heart because on its opening night, they had an open bar. I had no idea what this place was, nor even its name (which took me approximately 2 months to figure out because they didn't have a sign for awhile), but my friends and I saw the "open bar" sign and thought, well we could stand out here in the rain, or we could go inside and get drunk for free. The choice was clear...
With that said, I've been to Hugs even when they aren't giving away free drinks, and I still really like it. It always feels vaguely like a really fun house party, with its low ceilings and cozy couches and crazy ass electronica dance music. The thing I like most about Hugs is that, unlike a lot of other williamsburg places, people here like to DANCE. like SERIOUSLY DANCE. no pretension, no hang-ups, just good, old fashioned crazy dancing. and who doesn't like that?
People thought this was:
Hugs is one of my favorite bars in Williamsburg if I am in a "going out" mood. The space is great, as is the music. I like the mix of booths, bar stools, and standing room towards the front, and the great dance floor in the back. The drinks are reasonably priced, and the bartenders are pretty friendly. It's definitely a "hipster" bar, but I've never found the crowd to be obnoxious (unlike Savalas), and there is usually a nice mix of ages. Sometimes this place is super crowded, and sometimes oddly empty, which I guess I might call one of its "downsides". But overall, Hugs makes for a great time!
People thought this was:
It closed! Without even a hug goodbye!
UPDATE: just kidding? it's back open! yay hugs!
People thought this was:
This place can either be absolutely dead or insanely busy, and I haven't quite figured out the perfect time to arrive yet. I love this place though! Good music, good beers on tap, SKI BALL (.50 cents a game), and live music or a DJ depending on the night.
People thought this was:
Went on a Saturday nigt for a friend's bday. I was the first to arrive and after 1 drink called the friend's boyfriend and told him to head the group somewhere (anywhere) else in the neighborhood. The joint made me feel OOOOOLD.
This place is like an NYU prom.
If you're 22 and want to dance to top 40 hits from the 90's with a bunch of other 22 year olds you will have a GREAT time.
If you are anything other than the above, move on and let the packed crowd of kiddies have their fun.
People thought this was:
This bar/club made me nostalgic for the 8th grade as they played Nirvana, Counting Crows, Montell Jordan (this is how we DO it), and other such definitively 90s music all night. And the crowd loved it. A mixture of somewhat smelly hipsters and .... other 20-somethings who bathe, everyone was enthusiastic (read: were probably on coke).
Crowded and a bit cave-like, but that's what made it fun.
Good beer selection + dance-worthy music = a damn good time. The place was still bumping when I headed out at 4am.
People thought this was:
mmm...eh.
this is quintessential hipster. like..if you've never been to williamsburg and have an idea in your head about what hipsters look like, and then you go here...it's exactly how you pictured it in your head..except smellier.
Got there around 930 and it was pretty empty, by 10 the place was getting packed, and by 11 it was hard to move. Music was techno/house-esque, mixed with some 80s classics for good measure.
it's a big bar which is good when you want to dance, which i did.
that being said...i was very happy to come back home to the East Village..and take a shower..something that i think 75% of the Hugs patrons have not done in the past 1-2 weeks.
Like most people said, on Saturday night, this place turns into your middle school dance. But it's better.. because at Hugs, girls aren't on one side of the room, and boys on the other. And that would never even work, because this place gets so crowded as the night goes on.
This place was somewhere I feel like I might venture in once every few months, but the 90's get a bit old to do any more frequently than that. And there are really obnoxious flashing lights that are quite blinding. Also, maybe it's because it was so crowded and I couldn't walk the perimeter, but is there really only ONE bathroom?!
People thought this was:
Went here back in May for a graduation get together. I had a good time but I also have great times when I'm with my friends. We had a nice place to sit towards the front but unfortunately their speaker system sucks and we couldn't hear any of the music that was playing. We complained and was told they were trying to fix it but not one person came to look at the speakers since we were sitting right next to them. We went towards the back to dance which was a lot better but since the place is shaped like an underground train tunnel and it felt like a packed underground train tunnel, hot and sweaty. The music that we could hear wasn't bad, a good mix of old 90's and 80's music which usually always gets a crowd dancing, and everyone definitely was. I probably would go back and try this place again eventually but would definitely try to get that front seat where it was a lot cooler.
People thought this was:
This is prob one of the best bar/lounges in Brooklyn. Its very spacious lots of seating room and great music, unlike all the other hole in the wall bars in the burg. It still thas an intimate feel to the place, that most of us are looking for, but its only down fall is; its not always happeng out there guess not to many people know about the place. Definately worth 5stars
People thought this was:
Hugs is like a warm, cozy cave in Williamsburg. It reminds me of an awesome dive bar in West Hollywood, CA. It's great to find a place with a friendly bar tender who plays some good music to ease a stressed-out mind and serves with a smile. I plopped my lap-top on a table to catch up on some emails that I never read. Free WiFi (ask for the pass-code and you get it on a fancy beer coaster :)
I enjoyed a couple of Guinness' and decided I'd be coming here on Mondays. Hugs definitely makes one feel welcome with open arms. Be certain you will have a great time here.
People thought this was:
Pros: Cute and cozy, 90's dance music on weekends, occasional live jazz bands on weekdays, cheap drinks. During happy hour, you can get two cranberry vodkas for $5. God damn!
Cons: Occasional musty smell of boy sweat, low water pressure in the bathroom. I'm sure that encourages more guys to not wash their hands. Ugh, gross.
Hugs is by far one of my favorite places in the burg. It has a little of everything for everyone.. dancing, gaming, lounging.
The UNITY dance parties are really fun, but get super crowded. I recommend to either get their at 10 or 2.
I had my birthday party on a Friday night and even my Manhattanite friends were impressed with the place.
I heard it could be hit or miss but I have lucked out every time I went.
Perks: Cheap drinks, dance floor, usually good music
Downfalls: Bad sound system, sometimes overly crowded, can be hit-or-miss.
Everything depends upon who is spinning or performing live on what night and what time you go and if you like your dance venues dank and crowded and who is manning the bar. Dan from Buffalo is aces.
People thought this was:
Surprise, surprise! I live in the area, and walked by Hugs a million times while they were under construction. My guy and I actually called it "Thugs" for a while (that's what the sign looks like it's called).
We decided to pop in for a drink around 8 on a Friday before it got too crowded, and ended up staying there until around 11. This place is like a warm, cozy cave with banquette tables on one side, couches in the corner, and a nice long bar. The music is okay, but definitely went downhill as the night went on. I agree with the other reviewer that it's a little NYU-ey, but I think most people there are from around the neighborhood.
People thought this was:
This is the new bar that opened up two doors over from the American Apparel. Perfect setup-- and I mean perfect. Long and skinny, sofa booths along the wall, long bar along the other wall, so there is still room for dancing and hanging out in the middle!
Other attractions include: stage for performances [they also sometimes show movies!], 50 cent skee-ball, brand new sticker picture machine [you get about 25 stickers for each print]- GUITAR HERO battle machine, a REAL GRAND PIANO.... as you can see from the above, definitely check it out.
Would give five stars if their specials ran through the weekends. Happy hour is a good deal- 2 for 1 well drinks, and dollar off all beer, but that ends at 8pm, and then prices are back up to 4 or 5 dollars a beer. Best bet is to get a Yuengling for $3 if you can't make the happy hour.
Really friendly staff-- they are all happy to be open and meeting their customers. Maybe soon they will have a piano player who takes requests?
People thought this was:
This place gets bananas on the weekends. I went with a couple of buddies and had a great time, good drink prices and the 90's throwback tunes conspired to create a unique envrionment.
Will definitely return, but be advised, everyone is dancing their faces off so don't think of coming if you want low-key.
Cute little place. They have games and a little outdoor seating area. I didn't get to have any drinks besides 2 rounds of shots and the bartender was new so she didn't know how to make one of the shots we wanted. Whatever. All in all, a cute decent place that has music you know the lyrics to but wouldn't normally listen to. I'll probably be back one night and stick around to see if anyone actually dances since the place was still pretty dead when I got there.
People thought this was:
We love Hugs! For some reason the name just makes me like it more. But the drinks are cheap ($5 mediocre cosmos, under $5 drafts), the bartenders are cute if you like boys in skinny jeans, and the music is good. My only complaint is that the speakers BLAST next to your ears if you sit in their booths, which is not so great if you want to actually talk to your friends.
Not a bad place I loved the deco and sofa type chairs and seats all over the joint it can be cozy or wild your choice. Bartenders are friendly and if u drink or tip enough u will get some pretty nice bybacks. Major plus.. They have a huge screen where I've seen old black and white movies being played diffrent and unique. Late night the place gets hoppin. Friendly patrons great environment should be a stop on the list for a late night drink with friends.
People thought this was:
Ladys Play Free
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Monday Nights at Montenapo
Neighborhood: Fashion District
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Category: Local Flavor
Neighborhood: Bedford Stuyvesant
Category: Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - South Side
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - South Side
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - South Side
Category: Bars
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