bOb Bar

It’s funny that I keep passing this place and think, «maybe this’ll be the time I get to see what all the fuss is about». NOOOOOOPE! I can’t believe how racist and EXTREMELY RUDE these doormen are. There was no line and these two white girls in front of us ask to go in and he states they’re at capacity. He tells them to scram. The girls say «okay, well we’ll just wait here and when two people leave we can go in right?» The dude says «I CAN DO MATH OKAY. NOW GET OUT OF THIS AREA». Such. a DICK.
I realize now that there’s literally nothing special about this place. Sure, they play good music but guess what — this is NYC. So do a lot of other bars. In the words of the doorman, «get lost».

Eh. What can I say about this place. Drinks are expensive. I would go across the street and buy a bottle before coming to this place. The only good thing about this place is the cover charge. It’s ONLY 5 $. You can’t beat that. A lot of reviewers were saying this place is packed… that’s like saying a can of Vienna sausage is packed. NO! It’s 4 mini hot dogs in a small can. That’s what you get here. 20 people in a tiny cellar. Go elsewhere

Love it here, best old school hip hop and R&B. Not pretentious, real New York. Great dancing, such a good time. BUT gets CROWDED. I wish this place was a little larger… my friends couldn’t take it last time and we just had to leave. But I have a soft spot for bOb ;)

I’ve been here a few times now, and it’s definitely a fun little spot in LES! The music is good, along with the crowd. The only downfall is that it’s a small place, so when it gets packed… you’re pretty much stuck! Lol

Came here all the way from Texas to be denied going in. They said they were letting anyone in… even though while a friend and I were standing there, people were continuously walking out. For lack of better words– the bouncers suck. They told my friend that even though people were patiently waiting that he would never let them in. out
This place is a joke. This isn’t a fancy club in Chelsea… it’s a dive bar. The bouncer was like on a power trip. Ewww

This place is a damn good time.
They play 90s hip hop/​RB, some reggaeton, and a few misc house jams, and the crowd loves it. Went here for a friend’s double birthday party and danced non-​stop the entire night!
Things to note. It is CROWDED. The place quickly gets packed with hot, sweaty bodies, all bumping and grinding against each other. On a Saturday night, come before 10 or risk either standing in a long line or even being turned away (happened to some of the stragglers in our party). The bar is waayyy at the back and getting drinks takes forever, since they only have two bartenders for the entire place. The cocktails are pretty meh. I had two French 75s. My first one was so weak I could swear they made it virgin. My second one was knock-​me-​off-​my-​ass strong. I guess between the two it averages out.
At some point in the night it’ll get ridiculous where moving, forget about dancing, will be a challenge. You will be bumped a lot, and depending on the crowd, there may be some elbows thrown around so watch your glasses. Still though, had an awesome time and would definitely go back when I’m in the mood to relieve my college clubbing days.

I went here on a Friday night. It was really jam packed! The photos make the place seem diverse, As a woman of color I must say I wasn’t to impressed. None-​the-​less it was a cool happy crowd. Music was cool. 90s pop and some top 40 hits.
Cons: It took forever to hail down the bartender. I gave up after a while.
The place is so small. Literally as seen in the pics.
Pros: Strickly a club banger scene for young people 21+ =)
I would not come back unless there is a big event. After about 10pm I left. Idk, maybe its one of those places that get fun after midnight.
No, there is not a live band/​stage nor space for it
No, there are no tables to eat here, it is strickly dancefloor and a small small section for seats/​lounging, that you should just take out of your mind right now because it will be filled.
Overall: Go here to just dance, mingle, and stand around with your friends by the wall. Appoint two people to hail down the bartender! Block him off at both ends and then tackle like a true Giants fan with the words «Ciroc and Pineapple NOW and again 5 minutes from now PLEASE!» Ooohh and wear something light because you will get hot if crowded.

Used to be one of my favorite places. Dj is always on point, crowd is fun. It’s always a good time.
Unfortunately, the fun is only possible if you can get in. Bouncers rejected me telling me the club was filled to capacity and then proceeded to allow people of his fellow skin color in. I didn’t think that type of behavior still existed in the LES, but I was proven wrong.
Avoid at all cost to avoid racism.

One of my favorite bars in New York City.
The DJ has never failed me once the 8 – 9 times I’ve been there over the years. They play 90s-2000’s hip hop, reggae, R&B all night long. sometimes they drop the occasional Mariah Carey Fantasy… how do you NOT want to dance to that?
$ 5 dollar cover. Only negative is that this place gets packed– thursdays, fridays and saturday nights. Its not THAT big of deal to me (I know some people hate that), but the music is so good I’ve never minded. Made the mistake of trying to have my birthday party of 20+ people come there a few years ago… not realistic unless you’re there super early or late on a Sun-​Wed night. Def recommend going with just a date or a small group of friends of 3 – 4.
Worth stopping in for an hour or two to grab a quick drink & dance ;)

We came here on Wednesday night around 1am. The second we walked up to the bar, the bouncer announced that they were closing soon. There were about five people there. Granted, there aren’t that many people, but if a place states it is open until 4am, that’s what it should be. If Wednesday nights are slow, then they need to change the closing time to 2am or whatever time is convenient for them. I made a special trip to this place that night, only to have one drink and have to leave.
The music was nice for the 30 minutes we were there.

I always have a good time here. Its’ sister bar, Lounge 247, is great as well. We normally go there if we can’t get into bOb. My only gripe with this place is that it’s so tiny. It gets packed very quickly. If you don’t come here before 12, you’re definitely not making it in.
They normally have a $ 5 cover, but it’s worth it. They play the best of the 90s hip hop. Everyone is so into it, singing along to every song and drunkenly swaying to the beat (oh wait, that might’ve just been me the entire night…). Drinks are pretty good, my gin and tonic is always solid here. I honestly can’t tell you what the drink prices are here. I believe everything is pretty much between $ 7 – 10, but usually by the time I’m here, I’m already a bit buzzed :)
If you haven’t been, it’s worth checking out if you love 90’s hip hop. Be warned though… get there early or you won’t be able to get in!

Where the fuk did my review from 2010 go?
Unilocal HQ tryna clean my ish up? Keep tryin.
So anyway, this venue be the TITS. Been hittin this spot up for the last 10 years.
You’ll experience: Hip Hop from the 90’s…and the white chicks who try to dance to it. Girl, stop flailing your arms around.
Homeboy, don’t leave your white girl standing in the middle of the dance floor while you get her a drink… cause like Biggie said, «soon as you buy that wine I just creep up from behind»
.
Of Note: Not too many ghetto heads so its safe for you milqtoast midwestern transplants.
Welcome to NY.

Did you ever go to those parties in college that were packed and dominated by hip hop/R&B? bOb Bar is basically that but on an ongoing basis. Expect it to be packed with a diverse crowd, to be bumped into a lot, and to be quite sweaty. As others have noted the place is very small which makes it packing out a sure thing. Drinks tend to be very meh with normal Manhattan prices; bartender are friendly enough given the hectic circumstances (expect to wait for a drink). Depending on the night/​timing, you can try to avoid the cover which is only ~$ 5 anyway.
Is this a place I come to or send people to? Not really. But if you’re in the area you can do worse. If you want something down to earth instead of another hyped mixology lounge with $ 20 cocktails and a pain in the ass door, give this – the polar opposite – a try.

DISCRIMINATION!!!
Stay away!
This place does not allow 2 guys without a female companion! My brother and his boyfriend were denied entry «FOR THEIR OWN PROTECTION»…(that what they were told by the doorman! He went on with «…yeah, some guys don’t want gay men around them… you have to come back with a girl!» (!!!)
Guys, single straight men will probably get the same ridiculous response and offensive speech no matter how good you look, how much money you have, and how sober you are, so do yourselves a big favor, BEWARE, save the time and cost of getting humiliated, laughed at, and being discriminated.
This is DISGUSTING, we came from CA for a 1week visit, and THAts what they needed to hear??? PREJUDICE AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS? In this day and age? What’s the world coming to???
Nazy Germany would have been better!
Yuck!!!
Never again!

Into throwbacks and old school hip hop? This is the place for you. I’m just into hip hop so I can’t say it’s the best place I’ve ever been to, but I did have a good time. The crowd was pretty chill and everyone was there to have a good time. No BS.
Got there around 10 pm on a Saturday night. $ 5 cover charge at the door. No dress code specified. So guys, you’re good to go on jeans and sneakers. I knew this place was small from the reviews, but when we walked in, it was actually smaller than I had imagined. There’s one bar toward the back (there’s no space for any other bars), small tables lined up against both walls, and the DJ booth right next to the entrance. There was hardly anyone in there by 10:30 but by 11:00 it got crowded pretty quickly. Then again, it doesn’t take much for it to get crowded. Drinks were reasonably priced for NYC.
Do expect to be bumped into multiple times. The dance floor is pretty small, and the only way of getting to the bar is through the dancefloor.
When we left, there was a line for people waiting to get in. This place was good and all, but not that great where I would wait in line to get in. Overall, I’d give it 3.5 stars.

So, bOb bar is not for everyone, but if I could copy/​paste this bar into every neighborhood i’ll ever live, for the rest of time, I would. It is literally my favorite spot to break it down that i’ve ever visited.
This spot was my local neighborhood haunt; you can wear jeans and sneakers, and the patrons are unfailingly polite and friendly. The bouncers are funny, and always make you feel like you’re visiting their house vice trying to look foreboding.
The music here is ALWAYS on point. Great mix of old school hip hop and newer tracks. The crowd gets hyped and goes hard. Its the best.
The downside? The liquor selection is bleh, and it’s SMALL. You’re going to be packed tightly, and if that’s a bummer for you, i’d seek the more expensive wide-​open expanses of the meatpacking district. This place is intimate and local, and almost divey. If you give in to it, it could be one of the best nights you’ve ever had.

Creepy, tiny and terrible.
This is not a venue. This is hole on the wall.
This is not a club. This is barely a bar.
There’s a stupid cover charge, even if you have been to the bar a couple doors down that is owned by the same person. What a scam.
The music is good, but some old men like to hangout there too. They are creepy asf and can’t get the clue that you are not interested even after you’ve told them to go away.
Eww. Never ever coming back.

*** Crowded/​Small, Great Music ***
This is a difficult review for me because the music is on point, but this place gets crowded VERY fast. It also doesn’t help that the venue is very small. Chances are as the night progresses you’ll have to wait a very long time to get drinks because there were only two bartenders when I went. Also, there’s a cover fee.

I hate crowds. I avoid bars and clubs like the plague. But the vibe of this place was too awesome for me not to go back again soon. We arrived shortly after 10 and there weren’t too many people there yet so we were lucky enough to snag a seat close to the bar. But within a matter of minutes people were pouring in. So much so that by the time our friends arrived at around 11, the place was at capacity and they couldn’t get in. People aren’t joking, this place is tiny and it gets crowded so get there before it gets too packed.
Cocktails are a bit pricey ($ 12 – 13) but if you can, try the White Gummi. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth so it didn’t appeal to me at first but once I tried it I realized what the hype is all about. It is delicious! I also tried the Patron Bay Breeze, also tasty. Both drinks were strong, just the way I like ‘em.
If you love yourself some good 90’s & early 00’s throwbacks like I do, you’ll have a great time at bOb Bar. The crowd is chill and everyone was there just to have a great time. I’ll definitely be back soon!
P. S., there’s a $ 5 cover after 10 but that’s nothing compared to most other covers in the city.

Really nothing that everybody haven’t said already. I am going to make this short and sweet.
PROS:
–Great music: R&B, hip hop, reggae.
–Enjoyable music selection.
–Always packed and diverse group.
–Great place to people watch if you are able to snag a seat.
CONS:
-$ 5 cover even though there are so many other lounges and bars in the area.
–Very small space, expect to be hit every minute of your time here.
–Weak drinks
–It is a bit too dim for me inside.

Very nice place if you want to enjoy a nice drink and to dance.
The DJ is mixing hip hop and rap music in a smooth atmosphere.
I recommend this place for people who like hip hop music.