Lucky 13 Saloon

Holy hot shit, this place is amazing.
I hear Motörhead playing from a block away, and my spidey senses told me to investigate. I looked into the bar, and it was a like unicorn instantly started making love to me.
Metal swag? Check.
Back room for metal bands? Check.
Cheapest drinks I’d seen yet? Hot damn.
Hot half naked go-​go dancers on the bar that literally greet you as you walk in? *calls investor* BUY STOCK
I’m only in town for the weekend, but I found the bar of my dreams.

As this is the only bar within a short walk of my apartment that books good bands, it’s too bad they have the cheapest absinthe/​cocktail/​spirits pours of any bar I’ve been to in my life. Last night I spent $ 15 on a glass of St. George absinthe (a mediocre brand, but one of the better selections they had on hand) that might have contained a teaspoon or so of absinthe. The rest was water and sugar. As any absinthe drinker knows and any bartender serving it ought to know, the proper ratio of water to absinthe in a traditional preparation is 3:1. This was nowhere near that. There was barely any flavor at all, and my alcohol-​sensitive constitution felt no effects whatsoever. (As a point of reference, I’m such a lightweight that I get tipsy after a tasting of a minuscule amount of spirits at Astor Wines.) When my significant other politely explained to the bartender how weak my drink was, he simply said he poured what they’re supposed to pour. A couple of months ago, when I ordered absinthe at Lucky 13, I was served a proper amount by a lady bartender, so I’d wager there’s some flexibility in the management’s policies. Anyway, I visit this place at least a couple of times a month and I have a lot of friends who admire it from afar, but there’s no way I’d bring them here now when I can get a truly strong, well-​crafted cocktail at, say, Le Boudoir for $ 12.

First time to the new location. A LOT BIGGER! place was packed and had a great time!

Weird vibe all the time. Seems like i was stuck in twilight both times I was there. I’m sure it’s a cool spot it just gives me a weird/​bad/​off putting vibe. Idk what it is. but something isn’t right with me there.
Drinks are ok. Chicks on the bar dancing are nice to look at. The place is cool looking lots of stuff to keep your eyes distracted if the girls aren’t your thing. But just the vibe. Idfk. lol

very fond of his place. there’s a camaraderie among metalheads here. I like to get there 9ish when things start to pick up, have a couple Lemmys or ciders, and before you know if there’s someone to chat with. The bartenders are generally friendly and quick, the go-​go dancers are honest-​to-​god nice (not fake nice), and in the dozen times I’ve gone over the last year, I have yet to not make a new friend. I love this place.

Great dive bar. Awesome space/​décor. Excellent music selection. Friendly bartenders. Overall great vibe. I came on a Wednesday night so it wasn’t crowded. They have dancers here every night. It’s cool because since it’s not a strip club, there’s no obligation to tip when sitting at the bar (CLARIFICATION: YOU SHOULD STILL TIP THE DANCERS!!! It’s just a nice feeling not to feel pressured into doing so and to do it because they are awesome/​really nice).
Highly recommend this spot especially if you are into dive bars.

Words can not describe the awesomeness of this place reading just doesn’t prepare the patron for this other worldly experience. Lucky 13 is the embodiment of a dive bar and takes it to the next level. Not for everyone definitely not for the laid back hipster crowd but if your in the mood for mayhem and fun check this place out!!!

Great metal bar, I loved the old bar on 13^th Street but it was too small to have bands now this new location has a back room where they have live music. The room isn’t too big so it does get a little packed depending on the band that’s playing but you can still hear the music by the bar in the front which is cool. One of the owners/​bartenders Melody is cool as shit & there is always an interesting crowd, love it!

An old school Brooklyn metalhead/​alternative ‘Cheers,’ and great shows at the newer larger location they moved into… When you’re sick of hipster bs, out of state transplants, and just miss being my weird metalhead self

The HH specials were great. Everyone had long hair. Saw 0 bros which was a plus. And a midget ODed, did not ruin the experience. Would go again ¹⁰⁄₁₀.

badass metal bar in laid back neighborhood at night… what else could you ask for?

The WORSTTT.. Owner and bartender Rascist and not friendly.. Was dissatisfied with drink I only took a sip from. Was told I would have to purchase another instead of getting it replaced. owner called me Stupid because I didn’t know the different types of liquor they added to the drink and she threw it away without giving my money back.. DEFINITELY NOT GOING BACK!

Good, new space. Saw a few bands the other night.
Sound system is pretty good.
The drawback is that there were differing times of the show start than what it was. Bartenders didn’t even know what time. I still got to see it all though so all turned out ok.
The bar is narrow although there is plenty 9of seating, at least when the bar isn’t crowded.
It can take a bit to get a beer even if the bar isn’t crowded.
All in all, not a bad place. But I wouldn’t go here unless I was seeing a show.

Came here for the first time this past Saturday to see a friend’s band play. Really cool posters on the walls from Coney Island High and other venues, and really weird stuff playing on the TVs– really weird lol…
Anyway, the crowd is definitely mixed and super chill– so I don’t think anyone would feel out of place here. The bartenders are attentive and some of them actually get up on the bar and dance on the poles.
The front part of the bar has a few tables and rock and metal music playing. The back end is where the stage is and bands perform.
I really liked this place because I felt like it was different than all the other mainstream bars around, and the music is just awesome! The train is also right across the street– so that makes it even better! I will definitely be back :)

Will forever be an all time fave. Dive grimes hot women and great drinks nice when you need a drink quick and to unwind. Love it!

I LOVE THIS PLACE. It’s the king of Dive bars. And I know dive bars. 5 ffing stars you legends!!!

I freaking love this place.
Head-​over-​heels.
Or heels-​over-​head in case of dancers?
Either way, it has everything — all your wishes for a good bar, in one location.
Ever since Goodbye Blue Mondays closed, I been heartbroken. But hold, my heart! Very first time we stepped through the open garage door and into Lucky 13 Saloon, I knew this is real deal.
Crowd is good — bikers, heavy metal fans, and just Brooklyn locals — I am yet to run into d-​bags or such.
Melody runs the bar with a help of awesome crew — and takes care of everything, from lost puppies to making mean drinks.
There are few TV screens that play vids, awesome dark décor elements and posters everywhere. Fans made from tires. Lights out of Jack bottles. Freaking amazing.
Metal groups and stand up shows run live few times a week at the back room.
Background music is gold. Metal, rock, of course. But there is a real jukebox, too — seriously, how can you top that?
Wait for it…
…There are 3 – 4 hot-​dayum dancers *on* the bar every night. Yuuuuuup.
They all pretty cool and really entertaining.
Just take your drink away as they make their way moving from one end of the bar to another — and keep tipping bar staff and dancers, people! Seriously, they are THAT good.
:looks with puppy eyes: …I think we need more singles…
We love coming here late — just to get few drinks and catch some entertainment. They open till 4am!

I am proud to say, Phil H. broke my stripper cherry.
You might look at me and think there’s no way this woman would be caught dead in a heavy metal biker bar. Well, you would be very, very wrong. This is like the perfect fucking bar in every way.
–Live music. Multiple, talented bands with nice length sets. Then there’s the jukebox. Yes, I will sing the only KISS song I know at the top of my lungs. Deal with it.
–A mix of kitschy and covetous artifacts line the walls. Yes, I want that Warriors poster. I want it bad.
–Free condoms at the door. I had to replace all my expired ones. How fortuitous!
–Bikers. At this point in my life, I doubt I’m going to become someone’s Old Lady, but I’m technically old enough and tough enough for it.
–There are ac plugs all along the lip of the bar. Holy shit. I can live here.
–Drinks at outerborough prices. How are these people tipping a dollar a drink??? Do you not know how good you’ve got it? I’m not sure if they do buybacks, but it seems like the odds are high that they would. Tip generously.
–Strippers. I almost want to stop the review there.
There is hot stripper ass in your face and you’re showing your friend some crap on your phone??? There’s nonchalant and then there’s… oh I dunno, stupid, clueless, rude… I’m at a loss to explain it. Even if you’re gay you have zero excuse. I’m so straight I offered to put a dollar in the barman’s band tee, yet I still was compelled to hit the dancers up. Respect her ass. Revere it. Honor it. Tip it every time it comes your way, because face it dudes, you have a limited lifespan for anyone paying any attention to you on your salary. These ladies are friendly and personable. They don’t have to be yet they are. And did I mention hot? That’s what makes this place even cooler.
It’s in an area industrial enough that the back outdoor band space and the loud bike engines out front won’t attract any NIMBY action. Yet it’s close to the subway, and a late night diner. I’m going to say it again… this is the most perfect fucking bar to ever grace Brooklyn, nay all of NYC. I dare anyone to say otherwise.

13 new reasons to love the new Lucky 13 Saloon:
1. The space itself – bigger bar, more tables, back room with a full stage for live shows. Read about all the work that went into it and the successful Kickstarter campaign here:

2. Demigod Training every Wed. night at 9 in the back room, challenging in the best possible ways (bootcamp style, incorporating HIIT, Crossfit-​style WODs, core work), available for the bargain price of $ 13, all proceeds from which go towards a good cause – paying the vet bills for owner Melody Henry’s senior dog who is a Hurricane Katrina rescue. In her words, «this isn’t just for your health and your ass but for a nice doggie too.» As a former attendee of Melody’s Pilates classes at Crunch, I can assure you that $ 13 is a steal.
3. New and improved bathrooms. (Often, the more frightening horror show at the old Lucky 13 was not the one playing on screen but the one behind the BR door).
4. 4^th Avenue: the industrial Gowanus location means that there won’t be neighbor complaints about noise compared to the former residential location that proved problematic.
5. Proximity to Pickle Shack, Oaxaca, Zuzu Ramen, and other purveyors of affordable, fresh, tasty grub should you need some sustenance pre or post-​boozing /​headbanging/​working out.
6(66). Repurposed antique church doors now serve as the gates to Hell/Satan’s Den.
7. Proximity to Adult Ice Cream Wonderland, Ample Hills, Gowanus, because what goes better with headbanging and Absinthe than brainfreeze?
8. No Magic 8 Ball necessary.
9. No pool balls/​tables/​players in sight; no sports playing on the 42 inch flat screen TVs suspended from the ceiling on chains – more like silent horror movies playing on screen while Alice in Chains blasts from the juke box.
10. An excuse for word nerds to invoke the fun signifier, «Triskaidekaphobia,» and argue about the superstitions behind its signified. (I like big words, and I cannot lie.)
11. Rocking New Jukebox, featuring patrons’ selections and original music of up-​and-​coming bands (which will stay in place for a minimum of 1 year or up to 5 if it gets played and the owners/​staff like it) by way of Kickstarter rewards for all of the $ 500 contributors.
12. Closer walk to the R train /​easier spots from which to hail cabs due to the new location’s proximity to Atlantic Ave and the 4^th Ave thoroughfare, aka Marty Markowitz’s Boulevard of Broken Brooklyn Dreams
13. Serendipitous/*Lucky* encounters with cool new people with whom one may bond over anything from a mutual distaste for Hot Topic Wiccans or a mutual fondness for black metal, death metal, grindcore, Absinthe, obscure horror movies, or Trent (s) Reznor and Lane (the latter is a true story, and the Lucky 13 patron/​musician in question also happened to attend a Unilocal Elite Event at which he recruited me as lyricist for an up and coming metal band – stay tuned).
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(My old 13 reasons to love the original Lucky 13 still hold true for the most part):
1. Melody H., the green-​haired, highly knowledgeable, multi-​talented proprietress, who daylights as personal trainer and Crunch Pilates instructor extraordinaire;
2. Welcoming bartenders and bar-​backs;
3. Award-​winning jukebox and talented guest DJs;
4. Potent potables with fun names like the «Vegan White Russian» (on some nights this may signify both a soy-​milk based version of the drink favored by «the Dude» as well as the evening’s entertainment);
5. «White Trash Special,» (PBR and a shot of whiskey for ~$ 6);
6. Enough types of Absinthe to make the heart grow fonder, including Marilyn Manson’s Mansinthe for the black hearts out there;
7. Proper preparation of Absinthe-​based drinks with all the necessary ingredients and accoutrements (in stark contrast to, e.g., the overpriced, improper (
) abomination, «Absinthe brouille à balancier» served @Apothéke);
8. Late-​running happy hour;
9. Wallet-​friendly drinks during (un/non)happy hours;
10. Creepy B horror movies played silently on screens in lieu of sports;
11. Vintage album cover art décor;
12. The motley crew of patrons which redefines «local color» in this neighborhood;
13. The provision of a vital public health and hygiene service insofar as the bar gives away heaps of free NYC condoms: «Get some; get yours.»
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NB: Don’t disregard the scores of positive reviews for the original Lucky 13 Unilocal listing (
) and the goodwill its brand has built up over the course of twelve (going on *13*) years.

This place is well worth the trek to Gowanus. It is a hike from the subway but at least you will walk off some of the beer calories from the 3 dollar Bud drafts.
The bartender was playing some killer metal and was very friendly. When we got there, there was yoga going on in the back room. Later some pole dancers showed up, a DJ played and there was a rock show in the back with no cover.
The crowd was pretty diverse and there seemed to be some kind of BBQ in the front. Really weird (but wonderful) clips were being played on the TVs and there are odd and somewhat scary decorations all over.
It is kind of hard to get me to leave my ‘hood just to go to a specific bar, but I will for this little gem.

This is the best metal bar in nyc! If you love metal, if you love bars that don’t fit into the regular mold, if you love sexy girls dancing around your drink, if you love absinthe, if you love fun exciting bars that aren’t for bland boring craft beer hipster types, then this is the bar for you! This bar is fun and exciting, and you are very likely to strike up an odd conversation with a stranger sitting at the bar. People here are friendly and welcoming and the music is always top notch. CASH ONLY! But they do have an atm! You can tell this bar is built by metalheads for metalheads!

I couldn’t stop saying something idiotic like «THIS IS THE BAR THAT’S GONNA SAVE BROOKLYN!» when I was recently here checking out the new location. I stand by that statement in this moment of sober reflection.
This is a GREAT fucking bar, pardon my french. The bartenders are great, the crowd awesome, and the jukebox absolutely beyond belief!!! Seriously; Venom, Cannibal Corpse, Slayer, and slightly softer but just as beer-​soaked cuts like Johnny Cash, etc.
*Just as you get that warm glow and think the bar couldn’t get better a girl will climb up onto it and saunter back and forth in wonderfully sexy, baudy fashion. These are cool chicks too; no angry stripper mentality here and I’ve never witnessed any sexist nasty behavior towards them either. This is the sort of place where I think you could bring a (cool) chick and she’d feel the girls on the bar are empowered as opposed to meat on display. There is no shame in getting a handful of bills to offer the ladies in a show of appreciation.
Another point I’d like to make is that even though I have half the contents of the jukebox at home and some black metal shirts kicking around I showed up in the squarest outfit ever; a white pinstriped collar shirt. Didn’t matter; as most know metal heads are the sweetest most come-​as-​you-​are welcoming mofos around. I joined my loud longhaired friends, drank whiskey and beer, offered up ones and an occasional five for the ladies kind enough to dance on the bar and I was right at home. Ever since the old Duffs location closed and they moved to that slick space I’ve been bummed that there aren’t any proper metal bars left (though St. Vitus & downstairs at 3 of cups can be great). Lucky 13 is the one; the bar that will save Brooklyn!!!

This place only gets better with time. It’s like a fine aged scotch, but infinitely better.

This is a pretty chill divish/​heavy metal/​punk bar that is not for the faint heart. It has a unique vibe even for Brooklyn. Good service, chill crowd and some random netflix movies playing (at least when I was there). I stuck to beer but they have an interesting cocktail list as well…
Recommend stopping by if you are in the ‘hood.

I’ve been a Lucky 13 lovah for over a decade now. Just when you thought they couldn’t improve on a great thing (your friendly rock & roll neighborhood bar with libations that range from cheap and sassy to cheap and classy; plus: absinthe), they went and moved to a bigger space, one with a stage, a large bar and plenty of seating as well.
Beyond the rock & roll as hell ambiance, cheap drinks (love the new cocktail list!), friendly bartenders (fact: I am proud to have once been one of them 6 years ago), live shows and awesome space that you’re going to be reading about in other reviews, I wanted to point something out as an ex New Yorker who comes back to town several times a year. Lucky 13 has something that so many bars lack in NYC these days: a *real* local crowd. Like actual New Yorkers these days seem to be disappearing or maybe they just don’t go out? I’m not knocking other places, but it feels like I’m really coming home when I return to Lucky 13 and I don’t feel that too often these days. Times, they are a-​changing (yep, this is the way of New York City). Me, I miss the old days and I’ve been missing them ever since I left. But they always exist at Lucky 13.
I. Love. This. Place. And now it’s close (New York close, ie, under a mile) to the Atlantic terminal so trains galore, plus the LIRR!

I’m sad to see that this place is not one block away from me anymore. However, that never stopped me from hitting up its old location over 9 years ago when I lived in Midwood. And even now, it is a mere ten minute walk or single train stop away from most places in the Park Slope/​Gowanus neighborhoods.
I stopped in the new location last week to lay my eyes on the much talked about new Lucky 13 and I was impressed. High ceilings, beautifully constructed bar, and a venue in the back to suite any band ready to melt some faces or kick em’ in. I was also pleased to see much of my favorite décor had survived the transplant.
I look forward to many drinks at this new establishment. The smaller joint will always have a sweet spot in my heart, but to the owners… Great Job! And thanks for keeping the best bar in the city close to me! Simply put, Lucky 13 is now bigger and better.

Although I’m terribly partial to the old digs on 13^th (it had a particular je né sais quois about it, including how close it was to my house), their new spot is absolutely awesome. Come by for some real fun.