Big Bar

This is where I used to DJ my vintage vinyl records. In 2016 after my seafood delivery shift one night I wanted to toss a couple back before hitting the sack for the weekend so instead of my usual Holiday Cocktail Lounge visit (best bar with no windows btw-also a big bouncing souls fan) I gave this place a try after walking by on the opposite side of 7th one day seeing two signs in the window “open mic Fridays-Bring Your Own Vinyl Monday”. My test cocktail at the time for all my NYC bar visits (spirits permitting) was always a Tom Collins Bombay Sapphire. I stepped inside the red spaceship with the sounds of the Easy Rider soundtrack not coming from an ipod but from a little record player in the opposite corner of the entrance across the parlour floor. A man with a cool hat was sitting down looking at a milk-crate filled with LP’s. “This might be my new favorite place.” I thought. He was the bartender for the night and I ordered my cocktail and he passed the test it was made deliciously. He tomd me he was the owner. Stefan was his name and after a little bit of time he told me all about both the open mic and the BYOV night. It sounded like Mondays were gonna be my new haunt to extend my weekend from 3 days to 4. In my apartment at the time I had a bunch of 45’s I never spun in college bc I was too busy. I looked over to see a neon Red Stripe beer sign which is my all time favorite beer. People, when I tell you this beer was ice cold I could feel the tempreature drop in my body after sipping on the coolness of not only this drink but this vibe of the bar. Stefan and I became friends once he discovered my deep taste in music. I became somewhat of a resident DJ there every week as a volunteer to help bring a following and keep the guests satisfied. The family grew and soon local celebrities heard the music was good on Mondays so the word got out. I spun there until 2018 when I moved out of the city. Believe me when I say, this place was like my little heaven on earth, my home-away-from-home. I make it my base of operation every visit to the city now years later. No checks or credit cards, cash only. The best bar in the city and the best the Ukranian Village has to offer. Total strangers can become your new friends if you buy the ticket and take the ride. Life is worth living to be here.

Big Bar is hard to miss with its bright red interior lights shining onto the sidewalk, but when you walk inside you’ll have wished you did miss it. I recently had the displeasure of stopping by this ‘dive bar’ and it was an experience I won’t soon forget—unfortunately. This bar harbors a particularly rancid vibe. Everything from the bar tender’s hall monitor attitude, to the Gen X clientele sitting at the bar top, to the bald man in a bright blue sweater standing outside holding the door looking to start arguments. It all meshed into a miserable, spoilt, and rank experience. This self touted ‘dive bar’ is a total disaster from start to finish. The atmosphere is dreadful. The space is cramped and awkward. The decor is tacky and lacking grace. It is all too evident that they tried too hard to come off as this trendy, relaxed, dingy dive bar but you can feel how incredibly gauche and trite the ambience really is. The supposed "dive bar" charm was nowhere to be found. Instead, it felt more like a sterile and sanitized version, where an older crowd can live out their dreams cosplaying being a patron at a dive bar. Without actually having to step foot in one. The raw authenticity of a dive bar is nowhere to be found here. Instead what you will encounter is a travesty of such magnitude that it defies the very essence of what it seeks to embody. Stripped of any genuine character, it is a desolate void. Big Bar’s ambiance is a facade. A cheap costume masking a soul devoid of grit or character. Stepping inside, the sterility of the place struck me immediately. But it was the customer service that truly revealed the rot at the core. At the helm of this charade was a bartender whose demeanor is a chilling specter of authoritarianism. Her presence fills the room and adds to the festering of a putrid environment. We did not get her name, but she is a heavy set brunette woman with glasses and nose piercings. She made comments that were teetering on discriminatory and seemed to convey a covert racism. She was abrasive with a patron over a seemingly arbitrary qualm. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear other patrons share a similar experience. The libations, one might hope, would salvage some semblance of a good experience, but they were as soulless as the decor. The drinks are underwhelming and bereft of any skill or care in their making. They didn’t seem to have any thing of substance worth drinking. All the bartender had was well liquor and flat beer. And in a location filled with other options that have better drinks and a more refined atmosphere, we did not stay long. In sum, this Gen X haven is truly a pit of despair and disappointment. This establishment is a blight upon the landscape of nightlife. A soulless simulacrum devoid of the grit, grime, and charm that define a dive bar. It feels more of a sterile tomb and I would implore seekers of a genuine experience to look elsewhere.

I'm mostly here to point out how funny the last review is by M*tthew Arm*nd*. If you peep their profile they do nothing but give negative reviews that are not substantial or credible I'm sure. Big Bar is a staple of the neighborhood that has been around for ages*. Anyone who has been there knows it's not any of the things they described and I'm sure their experiences is coming from some other place of hurt and they decided to make it Big Bars problem. It's actually kind of funny. Maybe Google what defines a Dive Bar and come back with your findings. Big Bar has been and is a forever home for many from all walks of life. An affordable, charming hole in the wall where everyone is welcome. It's a major low key connector for the underground music scene where some respectable legends choose to chill. They have the most leveled turn table in the game and the decor is made up of stuff the local homies gave to the owners. What is more dive than that? The owners came from nothing and are beloved community members. That's some real neighbors vibes. Maybe Big Bar is just for proper NYers and ppl with a NY mentality.

Super cozy and cute. No wait despite NYE weekend but still busy/lively. Love the red lights. Bartender was alright / weird vibes. Maybe they were tired / had cruddy customers before me. Just had a glass of a house red

Bartender pressured me to tip by withholding my water. Of course, having received that service, I didn't tip. In retaliation, the bartender had me leave. I happened to be the only mixed race person there among whites so that's suspicious but she may have been dealing with lots of no tippers that day too--not to excuse her behavior, of course.

Best bar atmosphere in NYC. Bartenders and regulars are all super cool, and drinks are cheap. Cash only

The manager is amazing she really went above and beyond. I appreciate you so much! Thank you for your amazing customer service.

Miss My old school HOMEBOYS!! Baxter rocked the turntables. Best bar for LOCALS. Too bad LES has turned into one big NYU campus. BUMMER!!!! I miss my old LES.

The not so big Big Bar is one of my favorite spots to go with friends in the East Village when out for a drink. The vibe is respectfully chill with a retro-feel and not touristy. Always enjoy the music, consistently played at a level that doesn't fight your conversation. The booths are comfortable for a couple or group of four to talk. Plus, importantly... if you're going for a cocktail, the bartenders mix a good one. (Once had an extremely memorable one the bartended concocted with Cynar, but since it was later in the evening did not mark down what else was in it.) FYI - Big Bar is cash only. Although it's posted several prominent places including on the mirror behind the bar, the bartender will inform you when you order the first time if they don't recognize you.

It's a very okaaay bar with an okaaay beer selection. I'm banking on their happy hour being better than their normal hours. Which we came for a nightcap here. But happy hour it's I think $5 drafts as opposed to $8 drafts (may be more now) Tues-Friday till 8pm. We were here on a Saturday night so it didn't apply. BUT they do have red stripe in bottle for $6 and I'm willing to settle for that. Totally unsure on fancy cocktails or if there is a cocktail list because it's not that kind of bar. Very divey. Not as divey as Blue and Gold or Tile bar. Has kind of a retro diner vibe to it with the booths along the wall that I like. Weird dim red lighting. I'm into it just not sure if I'm into it enough to come back. It's cash only. It's a-okay.

You're bartender is embarrassing. I've worked in service for ages and let me tell you she does NOT know how to handle herself. She was condescending enough to tell me "you young ones have no idea what you're doing" I've worked in service probably longer than she has. I'm talking about the girl in overalls, tattoos, long hair. That's right bitch, get a new job. Never have I ever been sassed for asking for a little bit more tequila in a drink that's 99% straight up juice. I work in hospitality and understand the frustration with people being demanding, but this was ridiculous. Asking me for $7 more for a drop of liquor. You miserable cunt, sorry. Never have I ever once experienced that kind of treatment while looking at your CLEARLY STOCKED shelves. Do better baby. Wish you the best. But you must be fired. Xx, Your "young one"

Place is cash only, but I really can't complain given everything is under $10. I wonder how this places makes money. Or maybe they don't, seeing the latest review. Love the dingy mirrors on the wall and diner chairs alongside the leather booths. Place isn't "Instagram genic" but that same reason is why this place is preferable - less people, and no yelling to converse with your peers across the table. Clean bathrooms. Decent bar tenderess. At least during my visit anyway. Sorry to the last guy that lost his phone. So for that, 7/10.

iPhone thieves work here. Someone stole my iphone when there was nothing but employees there. It was 2am only employees and my colleague. Not a good sign. Couldn't call my family on their birthday because my phone was stolen.

Walk in here thinking it was a gay bar because that's what yelp told me. It deeeeeeefinitely is not but people are having fun so good for them. Drink is okay tbh

I've never gotten better service anywhere else. I'd recommend this bar to anyone and their mom

Small (I can only figure the name must have been selected for its irony), cheap (**cash only**) and solid drinks, good volume for conversation but also good music. (I recall "Vitamin C" // CAN playing at one point, which became another talking point for me and the new friend who brought me here.) Our trio got to the bar around 11pm on a Friday. All of the seats were taken, but we soon snagged a cozy booth from a group that was leaving and settled down for a few hours. The bartender was super friendly, and the vibe among the other patrons was rather chill. Nice spot to unwind.

I love this place so much. Groovy music. Good drinks. Liquor heavy when the male bartenders serva ya. Friendly dudes.

A friend of a friend showed me this place 2 years ago. I instantly fell in love. When we stopped talking, I used the opportunity to steal Big Bar as my own. It's a very small bar-- about 4 booths. A couple of bar seats and limited standing room. But even while packed it's not claustrophobic. (Despite the fogged windows!) Before I go on, I must add IT IS CASH ONLY! But if you can run to an ATM or have a cash oriented mate, it's totally worth it! The lights are super soothing and I think they play music? I've never noticed, which is great because I love bars you don't have to shout at. The bartenders are cool and have a heavy pour. The drinks are very cheap. I think we paid three dollars for a good sized Jameson shot. We were shocked it was three dollars and shocked it was real Jameson. BB is def one of my regular haunts when I remember to take out cash. (Which is more often now.)

My wife and I met up with friends here before going out to dinner in the city. First of all, it is a quite small place that has about 7-8 small booths. While the size of the property is understandable because it is NYC, the lack of chairs in this establishment had some of us sitting in the booth, while the rest of the party was awkwardly sitting on stools crouching down trying to join the conversation. That could almost be forgiven since we were only there for about 20 minutes, if the staff knew about their promotions, especially ones that they put on Yelp. My wife noticed they had Heinekens for 5 dollars if you checked in on Yelp. I went to the bar to ask about it, and not only did they have no idea what I was talking about despite me showing the promotion on my phone, they didn't even serve Heineken anymore! As if the bartender was doing me a favor, she said she could give the whole group one free Stella, but couldn't do anything else to help us out. The only reason why we didn't leave is because we had already established that place as a meeting place and didn't want to change last minute, and the birthday boy had picked the place. Definitely won't be going back there, and I hope no one goes there in the hopes of getting a 5 dollar Heineken, because they'll be sorely disappointed.

Great spot for a drink. Friendly atmosphere along with great music including dj's playing actual vinyl records. I would definitely recommend this spot 2 enjoy a drink or 5 with some friends.

Lost it when I read the top review for this place and the guy said: "this place is cozy...it's probably a good place to write." ...To do what now? How hipster would you have to be to want to pretend-write in a bar??? Anyway, the wonky clientele is part of the charm in this place. It's a closet-sized space that has a few booths where people can nurse their drinks. Selection is limited but prices are reasonable. Decent place.

Yay! I've been to this place quite a few times but went on an unintentional hiatus from the place for about 2 and a half years. I finally went some time last week (from the time this is being written/typed) and things are still as cool as ever. Despite its name, its actually not big and its quite small, dimly lit, divey and at the same time intimate. You come here if you want to be able to drink and have conversations with your friends and/or the always friendly bartenders. There's always interesting characters and interesting people to encounter and like an another yelper has mentioned, some of the most intriguing, thought provoking and entertaining conversations I ever had have occurred here. The music is always groovy, "alternative/not mainstream" (for lack of a better word)--and not to sound pretentious or like a music snob--but the bartenders here play some good fucking music. Its totally NOT your typical top 40 bullshit you'll hear blasting at a deafening level at many other typical NYC bars. The drinks for happy hour are standard NYC happy hour (4-5 dollars for beer) and after happy hour are pretty much standard NYC prices (I believe). The beer and alcohol selection is good for its size. All-in-All, if you're looking for a bar where you can meet interesting personas, be able to actually hear yourself talk with your friends and/or new friends you may meet and bartender, not have to scream at the bartender for a drink, not have to squeeze your way through a legion of drunk ugly fucks, than this is the spot to go to. If you want your mindless, spineless, soulless, ugly top 40 blaring music type of bar and crowd: go else where. This is where the COOL people play. Big Bar is a small bar with a big personality. BY THE WAY: Shout out to one of the coolest bartenders in town, Brian Richgruber. If you have the honor of meeting him and having him as your bartender, tip him real good. HEY, tip him monetary wise, I mean of course, unless there's a mutual agreement than you can do the other tipping if you know what I mean *wink wink*. ANYWAY, Big Bar is not that type of environment or maybe it is! See for yourself. Yay! I'm a fan.

I accidentally happened upon this bar one night and I'm SO glad I did. We were walking by and attracted to the vibe and atmosphere of the place. Small and divey with eclectic decor and a punk vibe. Drinks were incredibly reasonably priced. Bartender was attentive and awesome and we really enjoyed ourselves. Will 100% be back! xo

Wonderful neighborhood bar without pretension or attitude. Just good clean fun...errr....good fun (scratch clean)! Big Bar is pretty small space-wise, but it's big on friendliness and good service. I went here a couple of weeks ago with yelpers and nonyelpers. And we all agreed it was a true gem. The owner was hanging around the bar and we were able to chat him up a bit. Super nice and chatty. I love how New Yorkers can do that. The bartender is excellent. A good bartender is not just eye candy, but someone that knows how to mix a drink. And actually, if a bartender knows how to mix a drink well, I don't care what he or she looks like. I will worship them forever. Our guy just happen to be cute AND able. Now that's a bonus. He was able to mix a good Manhattan (strong) and also made a very decent Margarita. I am now curious if he can make a good dirty Martini...I guess I'll have to come back to find out. The other patrons in the bar were also friendly and giving off good vibes. There is a joke book floating around the bar and I was able to share a few laughs with other bar patrons. I also learned a new dance called the Jumbo made up by a very unique and quirky customer. A great place to hang out and meet interesting characters. Truly memorable for all the right reasons.

No frills. One beer on tap. Nonetheless, I love the feel - the somewhat eerie red lights in an otherwise very comfortable space. It feels like you're drinking in someone's living room! (No, not in a creepy way.) As my friend put it, it's never crowded, but everyone is pretty chill here. Everyone seems like regulars even if you don't end up seeing the same people here from night to night. It's a special type of dive bar.

Super cool place that we just happened to walk past - has this 50s-60s sort of vibe! Small but cozy. Beers are $4-$7 - cool little gem!

My favorite bar in the entire world. Best bartenders, great vibe, good people, a lot of locals, amazing music and most of all no tv ! People actually talk to people !! I've met so many cool people at this place ! You'll probably see me there if you come one night!

This place is cozy, like a secluded cabin in the woods. Its probably a good place to write. Anyways, friendly bartenders and good crowd, but the budweiser bottles smell like cheesedoodoos. Peace

I'm guessing by now you've learned that Big Bar is anything but palatial as far as space is concerned, but it's big in many other facets that give true meaning to its name: + It's big in personality. Their staff are all very friendly and project nothing but warm and fuzzies. + It's been in frigid circulating air. In these summer months, the smal space = less surface area to cool, and that results in a pleasant respite from the fmuggy conditions (F word + muggy). + It's big approachable locals. I've had a few great conversations with people of all walks of life... never awkward, forced, or creepy (yet). In all, these small virtues are a large part of why this tiny rathskeller has the depth of that canyon in Arizona, despite what the cover of the book may imply. As your grand mammy always said, "never judge a Bieber by its side swoop." She probably never said that, but you get it...

After all these years, this has remained the little big bar that could for me. Kind of like Richie Rich (http://techland.com/2009/01/04/a-letter-from-richie-rich/) is the poor little rich kid. Um, what? Anyhoo, while I suspect not more than 30 people could comfortably fit in here, I rarely have seen more than 10-15. Perhaps because of its smallness, people not-in-the-know just walk on by, but if you do find yourself drifting in, expect an close-knit vibe with just the right amount of hipster pretense to make you feel like you're in on something special. Forget the speakeasy trend, people; the real deal has been here all along, with bartenders who know how to pour big.

Straight up Big Bar, you're a liar. Big, eh? That's a small word with some large indications... Maybe it was Opposite Day when the owners decided to name you. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and leave it at that. This place is far from big. No kidding. I walked in here and for a second I felt a bit claustrophobic. DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU HATE THE PERSON YOU ARE WITH. Really, don't. The place is so intimate, the music so chill, and the atmosphere so conducive to a quiet night out with someone you enjoy being with that it would probably cause you to kill yourself if you actually had to have a conversation with someone you did not want to be out with. One beer on tap. Blue Point. I like that, so no complaints. The bartender made me a mean margarita with a lot of love, so more of the whole no complaints thing. Solid happy hour specials, plenty of seating (for such a "big" place), and a crowd that was far from pretentious. I had a really good time here and was lucky enough to be with someone so cool that would have been impossible to enjoy an intimate place like Big Bar.

Big fan of how quaint it is. Had amazing deals, beer and a bump for cheap! Absolutely loved the bartender, she was super cool and we loved chatting with her. Definitely have to go back next time I'm in NYC.

Big? Not quite. It was actually almost the size of my studio apartment...pretty sad, actually now that I think about it. The bathroom was even smaller. I had to sit sideways on the toilet (don't judge me for sitting on public bathroom toilets!) cause my legs wouldn't fit. Also, there was like verrryyyyy low lighting in there. A little bit creepy. I normally feel uncomfortable in places that are tiny, but for some reason, the bar felt very homey...and I felt comfortable as if I were actually in my own studio apartment. Or maybe it was the fact that I was there with a totally chill friend. (here's looking at you, Sean S!) The bartender (Roxy) seemed down to earth as well. Supposedly, she makes the best "Manhattan's", which she kept offering to Sean throughout the night. And from what I could gather, he seemed to enjoy her Manhattan's. I only had a rum & coke which was like any other rum & cokes I've ever consumed. I got the vibe that this bar attracts a lot of locals/regulars. Jazz music was playing in the background. They had strange lighting, too...red to be exact. Kinda reminded me of how a dungeon would look like: dark with colored lights.

Look, this place is amazing. I've been going here for about 5 years now and it never has gotten old. Here's how I know you'll like it: not a single person I have ever taken there has said anything but "I really dig this bar. Nice choice" or something to that effect. That's basically science right there. Is it small? Of course. In real estate parlance you could even say it's "cute." Some say that's a good thing. If you want to bro out this ain't your place. But if you want to chill, have a great drink in under a minute, meet some random new people and feel like you are an extra in a David Lynch movie. This is very very much your place. What are you still doing here? Go get your drink on already! (I am.)

I don't give five stars that often... Maybe it's cause I'm in a great mood today, or maybe cause this place is kinda awesome... Stopped in here last night on a lark, or maybe a last minute text message invite from some friends... I really like the vibe in this place, quiet, cozy, friendly... perfect date spot I'll say that much. One wall is lined with booths that seem to all be full of cute girls. How can this be? I ask for no explanation from the East Village gods, just an observation... Drinks, they're potent. Seems that they can make just about anything too... I think I wanna go back there tonight!

Hypothetical situation. It's 2 a.m. on a Thursday. You're out and about with a friend from out of town. Of course, it's obviously not difficult to find a bar in the East Village to take them that happens to be open and has more than a few like-minded drinkers. But finding a spot at this point in the evening that has an honest-to-goodness chill but fun clientele whose goal isn't to get so obliterated they don't fully remember their middle names, however, might prove to be a tad more difficult. But not if you know about the cozy, warm, lovely, near-perfect vision of cuteness that is Big Bar (which also happens to conveniently double as possibly the perfect solution for agoraphobes). The cocoon-like atmosphere, constant stream of gentle gin-soaked '50s tunes and the presence of a decidedly non-frat crowd all handily make up for the fact that there's only one beer on tap here (Brooklyn Pilsner). And, bonus -- you're likely to impress out-of-towners just by knowing about this place. (Yes, maybe even more so than taking them to the now-cliche of a "secret" speakeasy. Make them do a secret handshake before they enter and you'll pretty much achieve the same effect.)

I just wanted to confirm that the magic was still present in this dope establishment, last night. Hmmm....I blacked the fuck out, woke up in an unfamiliar place, called out sick and have $2 left in my wallet. Magic confirmed.

Big bar is as big as Greenland is green. Stephan the Ukrainian bartender makes a mean Manhattan. A few of those and you'll be floored. All in all, a cool place to hang out.

This is my favorite spot in the East Village, and perhaps my favorite bar in Manhattan. I've had truly great conversations with some of my best friends at this intimate spot. It's also where I first got it on with Johnny Walker. I'm usually surprised that this place isn't busier. I think there are 4-5 booths, 6 or so bar stools, a few other leaning places, and that's it. You would think it would feel crowded more often. Anyway. I like this place these days to meet up with a girl friend for a powwow about the stuff women powwow about. I also like it as a spot to get a quick drink and use the bathroom before heading back to Brooklyn after a night in the E.Vil. My brother is starting at Cooper, so I'm guessing that we will spend a lot of time here in the future, as it is one of the few bars close to his school that doesn't shout COLLEGE, and is therefore an appropriate compromise. Everything they are saying about the size and the fabulous red lighting and the good bartenders is right on. There might be a slight gay tinge here. I am pretty sure I kissed a girl one night at the Big Bar. But hey. That could happen in any number of places. It could be a good place for groups if you got there and took over the entire place. I also think you can call ahead and arrange such a thing. I think the bottom line with this place is that it is cozy, comfortable, and you can actually have a conversation with your companions without resorting to shouting. That's kind of an indulgence.

Oh I get it - they call it Big Bar but its small... good one.... Anyway, an OK little dive bar with a cocktail menu and decent liquor selection for its size. Prices are not dive level for as not nice as the place is, but it was friendly and inviting so overall OK - would go again if I happened to be walking by but wouldn't go out of my way.

I love Big Bar. It's like time travel back to the East Village of old. Go on a weeknight and pretend it's 1982 (it's probably not *that* old). Imagine you're ducking in off the eerily quiet streets, having found a safe, friendly little refuge to dodge the muggers and derelicts outside for a short while. Go by yourself or with a friend or two, any more than that and you'll kill the vibe.

I always find it interesting when I deem an establishment a certain star quality and then hop on Yelp only to discover most everyone disagrees with me. I then question why... Why is it that I'm planting just 2 stars here, while everyone else seems to go 4 and up? My drink of choice. That's why. Let's start from the beginning, yes? My girlfriend's Swiss friends had just arrived in town, and we were all meeting up for dinner. Since I was off work an hour after everyone else, they decided to wait for me at a bar near our restaurant choice. When I arrived, I first noticed the discrepancy, or the irony, of this bar's name. The place is TINY. I can't imagine what it looks like crowded. It being Tuesday, I was naturally jonsing for a beer. While I waited on the bartender to return from the great unknown, I studied the beer menu. I use "menu" loosely. I *guess* there were options. I mean, you can order a canned beer (Guinness), bottled beer (Corona, Stella, 3 other similar), and draught beer (their specialty whose name escapes me). Just ONE beer on tap? Really? Fine. I ask for a taste. I suppose it tastes ok. I'll take that. Eh. My girlfriend ended up finishing it for me. It definitely lacked any sort of flavor, though I may just be spoiled by the current wealth of Octoberfest brews out there! It being happy hour, my beer was $5; normally $6. The atmosphere of the place was kind of cool; moody red lighting, cozy booths, etc. The bathroom, however, was smaller than an airplane's lavatory. Look, this place is clearly a cocktail joint. I get this now. So, for those of you looking for that sort of place, by all means give this place a go. If you're like me and looking for a wide selection of delicious beer, keep on going!!

I discovered Red Stripe here. How many other people can say that...? Love the place, but haven't been back since... walk past it all the time on my way to McSorley's. From what i remember in my drunken haze, the staff is super friendly - well i guess it'd suck if they weren't considering the size of the place...

Normal town drink prices in the East Village? Crap! Get your drunk on. Tiny Space, not too full the two times I tried it, kind bar staff, scuffed Mod decor. I heartily approve. Good bathroom graffiti. Seriously that guy does need to learn to draw a star...

Came here 2 AM on a Saturday after Wechsler's closed. Very cozy. A bunch of dudes were here, shooting the shit. Bartender Stephan was awesome (and I think he owns the place). This is a great place to unwind after an epic night.

Big Bar reminds me of the bars in the area that I went to in this area when I first began exploring them - kinda dark, kinda nondescript, and you might not even remember it exists. it's a tiny joint, with an okay beer selection, low music, fairly friendly service, and goes from "this is nifty because it's small" to "holy crap, it got packed" when some random person decides to invite 20 of their friends. even the side booths were not that much of a respite from such a horde, alas! that's the long - or rather, the very short - of it!

Randomly dropped in here while trying to find anything in Alphabet City / East Village as the area was rather dead on a Friday (shockingly). Walked by Big Bar and it looked pretty popping given its intimate size. Ordered a Grey Goose dirty martini and honestly, was rather unimpressed. Cash only and $14 bucks to boot. I've had my share of dirty martinis (read: it's one of my go-to drinks) and this one was extremely watery. There was no kick in this dirty martini. Left a bit disgruntled. I probably could have complained, but didn't really bother. With that said, I did find the bar to be really cool and a good place to hang out with friends. I'd give it another shot, but would be hesitant to order a dirty martini.

I wanted to like this place... a lot, especially for their happy hour till 8pm sign posted outside ---- but, a friend and I walked in to what felt like an awkward conversation with two other people. The bartender was nice, but she gave me my drink in a shot glass and then charged me $4 for it, which I thought sucked. I gave it 2 stars because I liked the way it looked, very cute decor. The people sitting at the bar (two women) gave us attitude and then proceeded to spill their drink on the bar and roll their eyes at us when we said "awww, that sucks" Guess you have to know the secret code to be cool at this place.

Fairly decent dive bar in the area. My review may be slightly swayed because I went here during one of the (ever so infrequent) super hot days a few weeks back, and they weren't running the AC. The drinks aren't spectacular, but they're cheap! It wasn't crowded at all either. I've been to better dive bars, but for that area it's pretty good. I would definitely go back again but wouldn't make it a regular spot either. Don't let the name fool you, the place is fairly small- especially the bathrooms!

This place is great. It is very small, but cozy and not claustrophobic. I think it used to be a small restaurant because they have booths, which are fun to sit in while having some drinks with friends. The lighting is all red which creates a really cool atmosphere. There was only one bartender on a busy Friday night, and she was ON POINT. I never waited too long for my beer. They have Blue Point on draft, some wine (which my friend said was meh- but this isn't the type of place to come for wine), and a full bar. The draft beer was cold and carbonated well. The cocktails the bartender was making looked good too. I was here early-ish (around 9pm on a Friday), so I'm not sure if it gets super packed later. But before 10pm it was lively without being annoyingly crowded. I'll definitely be back to this place- had a great time!

My love for Big Bar has only increased since my first visit. They make a mean vodka martini with plump, juicy olives that still have the pits in them. $9, I believe. There have been no more setting-fire-to-sweater incidents and in fact the two other times I've gone there haven't been candles in the bathroom. It's always been the same bartender when I've gone and he is warm and not pushy at all about getting you to order more drinks. Extra points for that. One note: the ADDRESS IS WRONG on Yelp!! It's 7th st, not 75th st!

Oh I get it... It's actually NOT a big bar. Heh. Clever! Seems like the crowd is composed of half regulars and half randoms, but it wad a good mix of people. The drinks were pretty standard in price and preparation. And the barkeep was a little frazzled. Dude- take a deep breath and make a little eye contact, you're not that busy. But I'll agree that this is a decent first date bar considering it isn't so loud that you can't hear one another, plus there are a ton of other interesting places nearby.

Small spot, with a lot of character. The bar itself is off the hasty, crowded avenues and instead sits between them. Just like its location, Big Bar is a laid back, mellow, retro feel bar with dimmed red lights and intimate booths. Big Bar is worth a stop by if you're in the area. Definitely a good spot to go to with a lady friend, she'll appreciate you finding what seems to be an exclusive hipster spot, even though it's really not. Drinks are not expensive, nor cheap, I can't really remember but somewhere in the $7 range, but definitely go for the ambience.

Short version: quiet, small place in a vibrant neighborhood with a completely standard selection of cocktails and a subpar beer selection. Long version: This is now my favorite manhattan, first-date bar. That does not mean that it is a particularly good bar in terms of drinks; it is a good option because of its location and atmosphere. The location is great because you are in a very fun neighborhood and can easily transition to a whole bunch of interesting activities. Atmosphere wise, the bar was only half-full on a friday night, which I like because it means you can actually having a conversation. The bar has basic booths, wooden tables, and ugly kind of gross bathrooms. The music level was a little too loud but you can still have a conversation without shouting. The only interesting thing about it is the red lighting that pervades the place. As far as the drink selections go, they have an atrocious beer selection that is overpriced. They also have a decidedly mediocre selection of liquor. I cannot judge the cocktail mixing talents of the bartenders, as I ordered my whiskey neat.

The East Village can get overrun with NYU kids, especially on a weekend nite. But Big Bar has proved immune to this. True to it's GEN X roots, the bar remains pretty much the same as when it opened in 1990. Awesome find. A tiny bar with a big personality. Good drinks, music and always a mellow, fun time. One of the NYC bars I truly love! read more at my blog: http://iheartnycbars.wordpress.com

I should be kicked in the head.. yes i should. So I hardly remember writing this review (that's how bad MY memory is.. hows yours?) but it turns out i was so wrong about the lime juice that when my roommate went back to Big Bar this evening, she was reprimanded on my behalf as the bartender apparently had read my review and remembered who i am... so much for internet anonimity. so now i make a full apology... Big Bar does use fresh lime juice. My eyes deceived me... I am sorry Big Bar... and i am sorry, friendly bar staff... please don't hate me.

Was here for the first time recently. Nice bar, with a very cool (romantic?) red glow. Great first date place, although I was with a buddy. Drink prices are nice on the wallet as well. Good vibe.

A decent place to get a beverage in the EV. Comfortable seats and spacious restrooms. Enjoyed the music and the atmosphere, and will be going back to sample more of the beverages! An easy place to pop into and catch up, or have a date!