Barboza

Barboza is definitely an intimate venue. Only like 6 booths in the back for seating. Bar is central so all ages in the front, 21+ in the back. It gets loud because you are literally standing next to the speakers in the front so get some $1 earplugs from the bar. Sound tech can make or break a show here, but its always been great when im there. Its the downstairs venue of neumos. Because its so small and cozy you are basically standing next to the artists so you can get really close.

I was kicked out of a New Year’s Eve party for losing my wallet. I attended the New Year’s Eve party at The Runaway / Barboza / Neumos and arrived around 9:30 PM. Around 10:30 PM, I realized I had lost my wallet and phone and went to the security person inside the venue to ask if anything had been turned in. I was told no and instructed to stay put while someone came to help. Instead, I was immediately escorted outside and told I would not be allowed back in. I checked the time afterward; it was approximately 10:40 PM. I received no warning and no indication beforehand that my behavior was an issue. I was intoxicated but not belligerent, caused no disturbances, and was minding my own business. The venue does not offer a coat check. Instead, it relies on a self-serve coat rack with mismatched hangers and printed signs labeling it as “self coat-check.” For a crowded event involving alcohol, this creates an obvious risk of loss. The larger failure has been trying to recover my wallet. The website states lost items can be retrieved at The Runaway between 4 PM and 2 AM. When I arrived at 4:15 PM on Saturday, January 3, I was told security would not arrive until 5 PM. When a friend returned at 5 PM, he was told security would not arrive until 6 PM. The venue does not maintain accurate information, does not log lost items, does not take names or contact information, and does not have a phone number that can actually be called. Three venues. Zero phones. Removing a paying guest without cause, running a self-serve coat pile on New Year’s Eve, publishing false hours, and making people repeatedly return based on incorrect information is unacceptable. This venue operates with contempt for its patrons and no accountability.

Awesome venue, great local and touring bands, fun vibes and lighting, love the scene

This is a cute little venue for intimate seating. There’s actually no seats but that makes this place personal recently. I saw a concert at lumen field and I really couldn’t enjoy the music because I couldn’t really hear it here I could hear the music and it was awesome. The staff is super friendly, they open the doors early and you can get drinks and food before you actually go to listen to the music but make sure you don’t order too much because you can’t take it downstairs to your event there’s street parking so make sure you allow yourself time for that I will definitely be going back to this venue because of the intimacy but beware there are no seats to sit down.

went to see hot freaks at barboza! i lined up an hour early and got to be near the front (my view is shown from the video). got to purchase merchandise, then wait up front for the shows to start. loved being up close with the artists, room for lots of audience interactions! jul!et and dante elephante opened for hot freaks. water jug + cups provided at the back. there was a 21+ section near the back. when entering, there was a bag check and a wand wave. when the show ended, the artists came out to interact with the crowd. i got to get my headphones signed by hot freaks and have a photo with them! after around 10 minutes after the show, security started ushering people out as the musicians also have to pack up and leave. i also took photos/videos with my digicam. just don't use flash! i came alone and had a blast! :)

Very little ADA accommodations; no dedicated areas or elevators. BRING EARPLUGS! The people running audio have no regard for the health and safety of concertgoers and have the system cranked way up, easily 100+ dBA. They need to turn it down by 6-10 dB, which would still sound plenty loud but half the risk of hearing loss. They really need to hand out earplugs at the door if they insist on running the mains that loud and look at adding acoustic treatment to the audience area rather than just the stage. Although when you're blasting away it doesn't really matter. Sure, it's fun to hear loud, live music, but what these guys are doing is a major health hazard and people need to be properly warned. A max level of 89-93 dBA should be sufficient for a space this size and would still be plenty loud without nearly as much risk. That said, the mix and audio quality were decent, just had some balancing issues, contributing to the extreme levels (had the kit mics wayyyyy up with every hit pain-inducing).

This place is horrific. Me and my gf came here to party for Halloween and some guy was bodying her up so I decided to say something which resulted in pushing. The security decides to kick us out and take a picture of me. This shows what kind of people they are and all they care about is taking your money. If you read this do not go there if you have any self respect. They met me with hostility and zero care, all they cared about was the atmosphere inside and trying to get money. In general they are greedy and dont care about you at all.

Honestly, this place is dangerous. They have like 12 security guards on staff, and all of them are SLOW AS HELL to react to violence happening. I saw a fight last night right in front of the bar. Did security break it up? NO, so when I saw the guy losing a fight go down in a wicked sleeper hold, and that clearly nobody was stopping it, I jumped in to pull them apart. I was able to separate them, but then dude started swinging at me. I grabbed him by the collar and went into clinch. The place was packed and so I just held on - I didn't throw a single punch back. Security threw us both out after I got hit about ten times (none of them landed). Remove everyone involved, I get it...but they said they thought I started it??? You know, they guy not swinging 😂. Open your friggin eyes! Once they got me to the street, I identified the assailant, standing out there like he walked out by his own power. Security offered to let me back in, but do you think they did anything to keep HIM out for life / or even tomorrow night? Take his picture? Anything? NO! He'll probably be in there doing the same thing again. They didn't even have a first aid kit! Security apologized to me and asked if they could clean me up... Yes please thank you. I'm brought back inside to the main bathroom, while security stands there while I wash my face. There are no paper towels left. He hands me an 1x1in iodine square. Maybe this is just what I get for trying to stop violence, but would I go back, or should you, ever? NO. STAY AWAY. Pretty much any other bar in the area has better vibes than this one.

I love the music at this spot. Best music selection from any bar and club that I been to because the EDM, 2000s throwback songs, rap/hiphop, etc. But, they do a hard stop before 0200 every time even though they say online otherwise. I actually hate when it comes close to closing time because they choose the weakest song from the mix ._. sucks that there are no elevated places like a table to comfortably dance on. Bathroom lines are way too long because it is only two rooms. No security to ensure safety on the dance floor because super duper crowded. Cannot even throw it back :/ ahhhh!!! But, at least there is no cover. Just that long line at the front. Enough people to keep you warm because yes, it is tha crowded Could not even order a drink because people all over the table doing everything but getting a drink from the bartender. At least there are cups of water available on the table to take

I've been to this venue a few times, most recently to see Warlord colossus 1/27/25. The audio is good and the artists are great. The bar service has changed over the last year or so, the bartender we had was rude and charged us 3 different prices for the same drinks. The venue also added a 5% fee to your tab for rising costs, why not just up the price of my drink?

Honestly, this place is dangerous. They have like 12 security guards on staff, and all of them are SLOW A.F. to react to things happening. I saw a fight last night right in front of the bar. Did security break it up? NO. Did I have to step in? NO . When I saw one go down in a wicked sleeper hold , and that clearly nobody was stopping it, I jumped in to pull them apart. I was able to separate them, but then dude started swinging at me. I just grabbed him by the collar and went into guard. The place was packed and so I just held on - I didn't throw a single punch back. Security threw us both out after I got hit about ten times (none of them landed). Remove everyone involved, I get it...but they said they thought I started it??? You know, they guy not swinging . Open your friggin eyes! Once they got me to the street, I identified the assailant, standing out there like he walked out by his own power. Security offered to let me back in, but do you think they do anything to keep HIM out for life / or even tomorrow night? Take his picture? Anything? NO! He'll probably be in there doing the same thing again. They didn't even have a first aid kit . Security apologizes to me and asked if they could clean me up... Yes please thank you. He takes me to the bathroom (the main one) and stands there while I wash my face. There is one paper towel left. He hands me an 1x1in iodine square. Yes, I made a mistake trying to be a good Samaritan last night, and learned my lesson. Would I go back, or should you, ever? NO. STAY AWAY. Pretty much any other bar in the area has better vibes than this one.

Ladies - watch your drinks. Came to see the Lemon Twigs the other night. Showed up feeling fine. After a few sips of a beer that I ended up tossing because I didn't like the flavor, I started to feel very not well. I was traveling out of town alone. Panic set in and I left. Thankfully I was only two blocks from my hotel. I made it back before essentially passing out until the next morning. Left before the band even took the stage. Absolutely will never return here again.

Rudest bounces I have ever encountered in my life. I will never be coming back again.

I really liked the music at Barboza tonight on Sept 29th. It's been a long time that I've been inside here when one of my friends played K-pop, 10 or more yrs. ago. This club was under a different name yrs ago. The DJ was playing Disco type songs before he switched to Hip Hop to Top 40 Club Music. He really mixed a variety. It was a bit loud. Free Cover, so lots of young college aged students came in. The floor is like a Dive bar. People came in their Sports Shirts, jeans, tennis shoes. No High Heels or Much Short skirts here. It got really crowded by 11pm. There was a long line inside and stemming outside. So good thing I left around Midnight so other kids could get in. I say kids for all the 21 YOs there since I'm 62 at the time of this review. Yes, I don't act like a grandma or my age since I like clubbing to dance and watch different DJs especially those who play old school mixes or EDM. I don't like Hip Hop as much. Unfortunately I had to move to Kent, and there are Zero Dance clubs here in Renton, Tukwila, Des Moines. But I'm still looking around. My classmate DJ Spindoctor said he DJs at a restaurant on weekends in Covington, Kent area. Basically not much Night Life in S. King County unless you play cards or go to Casino to pay for a concert or trek thru the smoke to listen ti a Live band.

Went out with a group to celebrate a birthday. The entire group, who all had local IDs, had no problem getting in. I walked up with an out of state ID and, with one look at my ID, the bouncer tells me, "you look a little too tipsy". I was not drinking that night as I was the DD. My guess is he didn't want to take the extra effort to analyze my ID and found it easiest to claim that I was "too tipsy". This was a very odd and disappointing experience as it ruined my friend's birthday. Sadly, my friends and I will never be returning.

Love this club! The bartenders are super nice and the dj is good!! (Depending which dj you get it can be hit or miss) the crowd is way to packed I got a drink spilled on my back the ambiance was good and the people are mostly nice! I haven't tried any food there but their drinks are spot on. I love their Jell-O shots and their beer is always ice cold. 9/10 for me!

Me and my friends went here on a Friday night. The line was pretty long (~10-15 min) and when we got into the bar it wasn't even especially full! The drinks were pretty cheap though, which was nice. Other than that nothing super amazing about this bar. The music was just ok and it was pretty loud. The actual bar wasn't the biggest either, but that wasn't really a drawback. Overall, i probably wouldn't go here again unless my friends really wanted to.

First time visiting Seattle! 7/5/24 heard Capitol Hill was the place to be on a Friday night, and our Uber driver recommended Barboza. I wish I had read the Yelp reviews first, as they would have prepared me for what was to come. Unfortunately, my experience felt like discrimination. When my friend and I arrived, we were waiting in line with a water bottle that had tequila and Squirt. While I understand that you can't bring drinks or water bottles inside. I had planned to throw it away before entering, the security guard asked me what I was drinking as we got closer to the entrance. I told him it was electrolytes water, but he insisted on smelling it, which I found invasive and declined. IVE NEVER BEEN ASKED that.. I obvi lied about the drink because I was not about to let a bouncer throw away my drink when I'm not even close inside..so yea. He then claimed he could smell alcohol on my breath, even though he was wearing a face mask. A proper employee could have simply stated that no drinks are allowed inside, which I would have understood and complied with. Instead, his approach was unnecessarily aggressive and stand-offish, which tainted the entire experience. Despite my explanation that we had just started our night and weren't drunk, he told me I was too intoxicated to enter. This was far from the truth, and his attitude was unnecessarily harsh. He could have simply asked me to dispose of the drink instead of making exaggerated claims. Overall, the security at Barboza on July 5th, 2024, around 11:30 PM, was disappointing. The situation could have been handled more professionally and courteously. Anyways we ended up at a Latin club! Can't find the name on Yelp .. but the charge on my card says "CULTURA" and it was so fun, we danced the night away Barboza owners please do better, there are many bad reviews and ALL of them being about the bouncers. Why are they still working there. BIG changes need to happen. bad for business.

The staff was so nice omg the drinks price is out of this world and the bouncers/security staff not condescending at all super nice, music also super good like Shakira. Nice time here hope to come back!

Terrible security. Specifically a bouncer who was manning the door Friday may 12th 11:55pm night. I noticed a very similar review by a person named D W. below. Went out with a group of at least a dozen friends. My girlfriend took a second too long to get her ID out and the bouncer said we were "taking too long" despite there being maybe 5 people total in the line and made us go to the back of the line. We complied and went to the back of the very short line just to reach the front again (with our id's out ready to go). He was selectively picking people out of the line in a discriminatory manner and never let one of my friends into the bar because "he was too drunk since he took too long to get his ID the first time". Truthfully, he was our DD that night so I don't understand. We tried to ask the bouncer what it was that was leading him to think such an absurd thing but then other bouncers physically moved us in an aggressive manner for "arguing" with them. Not sure why there needs to be such hostile behavior when we were just a group of friends trying to have fun. I'd always been there in the past and said this was a great spot for a night out, but not anymore. I won't be going back here nor will our friends because of the discrimination and power trip the bouncer seems to enjoy. Will come back once I see this bouncer gone for good! EDIT: Barboza complained to Yelp regarding my review to try to make me take down the review but I still stand by the above. I've removed the picture of the bouncer who mistreated my friend but to describe he is a larger and tall fellow with a full neck beard (almost looked red?) and stache who wore a tan baseball cap backwards and an oversized barboza shirt.

For the size of the venue the staff should be more forgiving when it comes to crowds. They were extremely rude. I went to see Joey Valance and Brae. Their music is fun and very positive. The vibes were great with the crowd. However the staff, mainly the security, were extremely rude. I was making room for concert goers to pass through the crowd and the security person at the bar with the shaved head staring kicking me telling me to get out of their space. If you don't like crowds, why are you working as a security guard in crowds??? Also the venue is way too small for concerts. 1 out of 10 rating. Never going there again.

Everything could improve, worst bar/club in capital hill. Neumos isn't better. I've been kicked out multiple times for trying to take a phone call on the stairs to avoid music. DJ's are typically super sub par, and the drinks taste like a mole rat was put in them. Overall: worst. Bar. In. Capital. Hill. That includes Q nightclub and Havana :(

Bouncers think their jobs are important. Rude to guests. Possible PTSD from Afghanistan. Kicked our entire group for finishing beer outside of venue. Even if the band looks good, the venue staff is so rude you will have a terrible time. They will ruin your show. Explore other great options in cap hill. These guys suck. They ruin what ought to be a great venue. Granted they were both handsome and strict.

Be aware of aggressive bouncers; standing outside with a beverage and these bouncers will grab you and take your drink away and claim you owe them money for it or give it up. Inside was fun until the uptight bouncers decided they were cops and security kicks you out right after buying expensive drinks. There are many other clubs in cap hill I would visit before Barboza. AVOID.

We were a group of 3 with our DD and bartender (understandably) assumed all of us were ordering. I noticed he was pouring for 3 so I said it's for two. 180 he changed his demeanor and gave us these half full "shot cups" for the INSANE price of almost $30

Went on a Sat a few times in the last few months with some girlfriends. Worst DJs ever and vibe was really weird. I like Cap Hill. But, we are gonna try other spots cause this spot went from fun to none.

I went to Barboza on Saturday night 10/5/24. I have had issues with the door bouncer in the past but this night was completely inappropriate and disrespectful behavior by them. My friends and I stayed until close dancing and left at about 1:50am on the Sunday morning. One of my female friends was visibly drunk and stumbling over her words. She likes to make friends when she is drunk and started chatting with the bouncer. He must have thought she was flirting (she has a boyfriend and was DRUNK) and asked her to touch his crotch. He then requested to follow her on instagram and asked her to come over to his place that night. I am disgusted that he would take advantage of a drunk woman like that and at his PLACE OF WORK. Bouncers should be protecting their clientele not being gross and sexually harassing them. I will not be returning to Barboza and I am so frustrated by the entire situation.

Went to gag show gag was great as always the drummer was awesome but the show was 21 plus which it normally isn't and they escorted us to a underage green room and wouldn't let us see the bands even tho we have underage wrist bands so pretty lame of them if I do say so myself

Read the reviews about this place before going and thought whatever it'll be fine. listen to everyone the bouncers are so rude and looking for any reason to kick people out. We brought in an outside drink and they kicked us out within 2 seconds of being there. we were trying to reason with them since we flew from az to see a show but they were insistent we leave. we understand we shouldn't of brought it in but we threw it away and we're being genuine about staying and not causing an issue. i just think they could have been better about the situation, they were extremely rude and rough with us.

This is a fun place if all you want is to come in and dance. I don't think they have covers at all which is very nice. It takes literally forever to order drinks on a Friday or Saturday night. It's packed and everyone crowds the bar (whether they're ordering something or not). You have to be aggressive to get the bartender's attention. This is the reason why I think if you need to order something it might be frustrating. If you don't order anything and just dance you'll be fine. The music has just been okay both times I've been. Also, both times my friends and I have come there have been a couple instances of strangers getting a little too close and making some advances towards the girls in our groups. Be on the lookout for those people! They officially close at 2 but they start kicking people out at like 1:30am which sucks when you buy a drink minutes before the lights turn on and they're telling you to leave.

The bouncer was super rude and asked "are you deaf or something?" I walked in through the door after standing out front and finally being told to go through the bar. I have hearing aids so super insensitive. Also he touched me and shoved me around like a rag doll. The show and venue downstairs was good. This review is purely for the a-hole bouncer.

No food, no seating. Only good if you are going to watch a band and don't plan on sitting. The atmosphere wasn't welcoming. We felt like they must have a lot of problems and are on guard with everyone. Maybe we just aren't use to a place like this. Doubtful we will ever be back. I gave them 3 stars because it usually isn't all about the employees I believe this is something that has trickled down from management or ownership.

I came here on a Friday night for one of their hip-hop nights and it was very busy. Luckily, I arrived around the time the music started at 10:30pm and was able to order drinks and find a good area to dance before a huge crowd started to fill the venue. For dancing, I think Barboza is a lot of fun. They play a good variety of music and have special days. Fridays are for hip-hop and Saturdays are "guilty pleasures". For drinks, the prices are good, but it can be difficult to get a drink at the bar later in the night. I would recommend closing your tab immediately after ordering drinks each time because I found that it was faster to order drinks, get drinks, and then pay immediately. I made the mistake of not closing out during 1 drink order and had to wait a long time just to close my tab before leaving. I won't make this mistake again, but I do plan on coming back to Barboza since I think it's a fun place to dance.

This is a great little venue in Cap Hill to see some music. I came here for a show that was sold out and luckily was able to just pay at the door which made for an extra win to an awesome show. The place is small but since it's narrow it's great for tall people like me so I can stand near a wall and not block everyone's view of the stage.

Regarding 6/17/23. Short bartender with a receding hairline, long hair, and a long beard was extremely rude. My tab had multiple charges that were not mine (clearly someone else's orders had been added to my tab) and when I asked him to remove them, he told me I was LYING. He continued to respond to me with such disrespect and made me so uncomfortable that I gave up and walked away without a refund. I tipped him generously regardless before his abhorrent disrespect but I am starting to regret it. He was also extremely rude and condescending to my friend. If you see a stout white man with a long beard working at the bar at barboza, I suggest you find a different bartender; if you employ this man, I suggest having him fired. He is extremely unprofessional and deters customer retention.

I pretty much love everything about Barboza! It's downstairs in the building and has a grittier underground vibe to it with a bar and dim lit space. The back has some booths if you want to get off your feet between sets or to talk with friends. Sound here is great! The stage is smaller, but still is a decent size for bigger bands. I've been here a few times and staff are always nice and funny. All in all a great venue, I'll definitely be back to watch more shows.

Very poor security, ruined my whole night for me and my friend due to him throwing away a beer can in the trash, thinking he was carrying/drinking alcohol, not allowing him inside after. Was hoping to enjoy the bar with my friends before graduation but will never be able to now

Their "Dancing on my own" Robyn "inspired" night was a huge disappointment. The event was described as: "At this rambunctious dance party in honor of this love-filled (or stiletto- and broken-bottles-filled) holiday, dance on your own or with your friends and lovers as resident Barboza DJs play the best tracks from Swedish pop star Robyn's 2018 album Honey, as well as her classic hits like "Call Your Girlfriend," "With Every Heart Beat," "Hang with Me," and the titular smash "Dancing on My Own." It should have been called Katy Perry Taylor Swift night. If you're going to have a Robyn themed night perhaps you could play her songs? At least advertise your night for what it is - "It's called Robyn night and we're going to show videos of Robyn, but play other white musicians because apparently they are all the same."The first Robyn song the two "DJs" played was after 10:30 pm and it was a MIX. They also played Missing U twice - Robyn has eight albums -you couldn't figure out other songs to play?

BEWARE!!!!! - don't buy drinks here - you might get drugged!!!!! A family member had a very bad incident here last night & the management is impossible to contact! Their phone number is not inservice and emails are kicked back - we wanted to report our incident in a respectful manner but were left with no choice but a very bad yelp review.

This is the worst service I've ever had from a concert. The one lady at the front taking our tickets was so sweet, but everyone else had sticks up their booty holes. They discriminated me and kicked me out for no reason. I feel victimized and will never go back here again. Do not recommend going to this location ever even if your favorite artist is playing. 0/10

This gritty dance bar in Cap Hill was super fun and I loved the energy that people brought to it. The drinks are basic well drinks (standard bar, not craft cocktails or anything), but that works. The bathroom was a single so there was a wait to use it. There were lots of great people there and the music that night was a mix of 90's hits that everyone just adored. We came here with a group of friends celebrating my friend Kat's birthday! It was our third stop of the night and an excellent end to a night filled with a dinner, another nicer craft-cocktail bar, and then this. I'd come back here for sure if I was looking to have a fun dance party kind of night!

Awful bar for anyone below 35+. Garbage music but drinks are cheap. DJ downstairs plays music for folks that still live in 2012

Consider yourself Warned, if you go out to this club, leave your valuables at your crib!! I have been going out to the clubs for a while now. My fav places have been closed or because of an incident in Bell town (Seattle's club hub), mostly shooting, i decided to change clubs. I have heard from many friends that Capital hill was great and that it was safe. Moe, Havanna are ok. Baltic - the promotor is a thief. Barboza - Watch out for your wallet and phone, they will pickpocket you every chance they get especially if there are a lot of people dancing on the floor. In addition to the people, you have to watch out for the bartenders. If they feel like you are drunk, they will add up drinks that you haven't ordered. It's funny because they thought i was drunk when he tried to play me. I asked for black label and he gave me jack daniels, when I told him that this is not black label, he went crazy and told me that it was. However, when he printed the receipt, it was jack daniels. Just FYI, watch out for your valuables and drinks at this club..not really safe. oh and people smoke inside the club which i thought was illegal in the state of Washington but who am I to judge but give you my experience, and that was the last time i will go to this place.

Okay so here we go. I'm here for a friend's show, which is good and great and all, but Yelpers don't want to know about how she did. You want to know about the venue itself, right? Fine. I'll tell you my honest opinions. 1) The night started by standing in an over-crowded line UPSTAIRS at Moe while waiting for doors to open. Customers at Moe? Were not happy with us. SORRY! Nowhere to go though, since they had Barboza's hall and own entrance blocked off. 2) The dumb-ass checking tickets at the top of the stairs, for whatever reason, thought us 'will-call' ticket holders were for Neumos, even though we were CLEARLY in line for Barboza and said what show we were here for. He tried to direct us outside and around the building. I said "That doesn't make sense!" And stayed in line. The other two I was with took his advice only to come back about five minutes later, saying he was insane. Good thing I stayed in line because by that point we were almost in. 3) The last time I was here, I recall not being able to order food. This bummed me out as I was about as hungry as Starving Marvin. I sadly ordered a beer and sat down. Upon CLOSING my tab after the first set, I was informed that, yes dear Kristina, you may now order food down here. Would you like to see the menu? Heck yes I would!!! I ended up getting two fish tacos and fries. The tacos were as you'd expect for appetizers - small corn tortillas with battered fish, with some fixin's. No avocado or cillantro, but what can you do? They were still good. The fries were edible even though they were not as crunchy as I like. They were real potatoes with skin still on, so... Good. No napkins were given with the food. 4) Sound guy seemed to be having a real bad issue with the second band. The system was super hot and hurting people's ears through much of the set. Perhaps it could have been because the band was quieter then the first. Who knows. But the sound system should be able to handle musicians and singers that don't scream or yell into the mic. Just saying. The other two sounded okay. 5) The bathrooms. Ohhhh the bathrooms. Or, should I say, "bathroom"? There was one, for the females. ONE! One?? What happened to the days when the bathrooms were so big there were even showers down here? You remodeled to have just ONE?! Let me guess, your designer and contractor was a man. I'd bet money. Dumb dumbs! You don't put ONE bathroom in a BAR - let alone one that does NOT have a coat hanger, nor did it have an adequate mirror. Wow you guys.... Seriously? It's not like you don't have the budget for something better. Or maybe you don't, because you don't advertise that customers can order FOOD down here. Ugh! Rant. Rant rant rant. Three stars because the bathroom sucks for ladies, the sound was poorly managed, and they need to have menus readily available for their customers. Not hidden like a secret.

Barboza is a music venue located in the basement of Neumo's. Attended the recent Jess Glynne concert here. The entrance to this venue is pretty indescript. Had to enter through the entrance of Moe's to reach the venue. Since Moe's is a bar, you need to show your photo ID at the door first. Upon entering the bar, you head towards the hallway and walk downstairs. Once I entered Barboza, I saw a bar situated in the center of the room with tables in the back. The stage was located on the left. The feel of this venue is very much like a basement. But I would describe it as a basement of someone's home. With concerts being like a house party. Since the venue is located in a basement, cell phone reception is terrible. If you can get reception here, it is spotty at best. I wasn't able to use my cell or surf the web because of it. The venue was also for some reason quite warm which was odd since basements tend to be a bit cooler. The show was sold out so the room was full and jampacked with people. I enjoyed the concert, but I had to deal with the usual of concertgoers cutting their way towards the stage. Even so, my view of the stage was good since the venue is so small. But I didn't have much room to dance since everyone was so close together towards the front. It also seems okay here to enjoy your drink near the stage rather than drinking them in the back bar area, so there was people with beers in their hands. I like the house party vibe of Barboza. It is nice that you are so close to the stage here. Though I would have liked more personal space to enjoy the concert how I wanted it to be.

I've been here a couple of times for shows and it's always been fun! The bartenders are nice and they have a good selection of alcohol too. There are a lot of seats but there are booths in the back, people stand for most of the time anyway though. The bathrooms are in the middle across the bar so they're conveniently located. It can get really warm inside so you'll likely need to go out for fresh air a few times during the night. It's not the biggest venue, but it's perfect for an up and coming musician to play here because it's in the heart of Capitol Hill.

So it's your friends birthday and it's 90s night and yu pay $5 bucks stupidly t get in. You ask the dj to play one stupid song "ignition" which they have not played and they refuse. Can I just let my friend hear that song for their birthday?! I guess not... never again. Also the corona virus is out so no one cares

Barboza is um, a really nice bar to stop into if you want um a few drinks. The staff is really nice and um they have a good decor that fits Seattle. Interestingly it's connected to um Runaway and Nuemos for an um easy bar crawl.

I admit, I got a little sad when the era of The Warroom/HG Lodge finally came to an end but Barboza couldn't have came at a better time. I danced here on Memorial Day and had so much fun! The music was mainly top 40 '80s/90s/now. I do like the layout of the venue and the booths were comfortable for taking dance breaks. I later found out that Mondays are free cover all night long. Oh and of course, I love how their drinks are stiff. Starting June 6th, Barboza will be hosting a night called MAJOR LEAGUE featuring Sean Cee & Four Color Zack once a month on Wednesdays. If you and your posse hate paying cover, email RME206@gmail.com with first and last names. Getting on the guest list will get you free cover until 11 pm. Other than that, you'll just have to fork out either $5-10 for cover. **EDIT 6-7-2012** Last night I attended MAJOR LEAGUE for a co-worker's birthday celebration and we all had a great time. With the exception of a few dub-step songs (not my cup of tea) the music made us dance non-stop. I also noticed the drinks were not as strong as I remembered from my last visit, but it didn't matter since I couldn't stop dancing. Aside from that, I highly recommend people checking MAJOR LEAGUE the next time its held.

I like it down here. It's nice and cool. It has a weird basement feel, but not a dodgy punk club feel. The stage area is minute; there is no barrier and one could easily get on stage if they wanted to.. but everyone here seems respectful of this obvious boundary line. The backdrop curtains almost makes it feel like it might be a basement church event of some kind. Where speakers awkwardly stand in front of a group. I guess it depends on the show, but the intimacy and harmony amongst fans and performers is what makes live music so great, I think. It's the perfect place for you to go and enjoy that music that (tee hee) nobody else knows about. If you're up front, you get an amazing view of the performance. Otherwise, you'll the backs of a lot of people's heads, and backs. So get a spot up front to see your favorite. I like it here. Would be happy to see any band here, as long as the place isn't over-packed like sardines.

Such a "Seattle" small venue. Absolutely love this vibe. Have visited this venue for hip hop, rap, electronic, pop, and even a metal show back in the day.. Prefer hip hop or rap for this intimate of a space.

The bouncer made us leave the club to use the bathroom... bruh. Why didn't you tell us there's a bathroom downstairs. Might be racial idk

Barboza is a wonderful venue to see a small show! The staff were all friendly and fun. I was not incredibly impressed by the quality of my drinks, but this isn't the sort of place where I have the highest standards if I'm being honest. I came to see Ben Sollee, and it was a great venue for that! It's on the small side, but was not remotely packed. I love all the seating - it means you don't have to stand until the person you want to see goes on stage (and I'm all about being lazy). I would happily come back here for another show!

Unbelievable place. Just a tad divey, but super intimate as a concert venue. I saw Kevin Devine play here and it was magical. The stage is just small enough to feel like a private concert.

I've only been to one show at Barboza, but everything about my experience was great. I was able to avoid service charges by buying tickets at The Runaway (the bar above Barboza). The sound is the best I've experienced in Seattle. The staff--ticket seller, doorperson, ticket-taker--were all really nice (no attitudes). I'd be happy to attend another show at Barboza anytime.

Went there last night and the staff was HORRIBLE. my friend and I were standing at a TABLE for a couple minutes and then the bouncer behind us yelled "You need to leave!! This is a fire hazard"!!! To which we were like omg ok...and started moving. Then we moved along and started speaking to another security guard and WHILE we were talking to her someone came up and said "you need to move". Ok... So we headed to the bar next door and someone FOLLOWED US IN THERE to say "you need to leave right now. We've had complaints from the staff that you're being aggressive/unresponsive" (????). Ok... So, I started to leave, meanwhile my friend is VERY calmly trying to explain our experience/asking why we're being yelled at. Once outside we try to talk to someone else who eventually seems to hear where we're coming from. Then, he asked us if we want to apologize to his staff. I have barely spoken the whole time, just following orders, so I'm like whatever, and my friend says yes, ok, so we go back in. She's speaking to the first bouncer saying I'm sorry, this was a miscommunication, etc. and the woman is just not having it and is still being rude and raising her voice at my friend. THEN, The bouncer next to me says "are YOU going to apologize.??" And I was like "I hardly said a word to her..the only thing I said (in a totally normal tone of voice) was that if you don't want people to stand right there, you probably shouldn't have a table right there. " and then they say, ok then you need to leave. (WE WERE ALREADY LEAVING) I was like uhhhhhhh ok bye. My friend just wanted to apologize/clear the air and they wouldn't even let her do that. We didn't even want to "get back in" we were just being nice/explaining what happened and they were still in our face, aggressive, and not listening to us. I deal with the entitled and shitty customers all the time; we were being 100% cordial, and they just suck.

Cobi and Saint Claire rocked!!! Great venue! Great happy hour upstairs before the show! Bartenders were fantastic and the door staff was super cool as well! Love me some Cobi!!!