Gabriela

So I’ll just confirm everyone else’s bad reviews here: The bouncers are not nice and pretty discriminating. I thought folks were just hating for no reason, but nope. This is legit. My party arrived around 11pm, no line, nothing. Was told Gabriela was at capacity and to come back at 12am. I was in a group of three people total. Then I see five people and one more person (that’s SIX) be let in with no problem. We tried asking if it was okay to wait. They told us to beat it and come back at 12am. And that hanging around isn’t helping us get in faster. I was looking forward to seeing Eli Escobar play, but I guess I’ll just have to wait for another time and at another venue. I will not be attempting to come here or support this place again. Enjoy! EDIT: Three months later and 10 likes on this review. Proof that this is not an isolated incident.

My friends and I have been coming to Gabriela for years now, we adore Eli and this spot! But last night there was a bouncer (or host?) in a fur coat who had an attitude upon entry to every one of my friends (and there was at least 15 of us sporadically coming by). When we arrived at the door my friends and I were each individually questioned "what are you here for" and "why are you here" and "who do you know" on a regular Friday night with no specific private event...? It was giving exclusivity in a way that was not the vibe for Gabriela, especially in Williamsburg. I also feel like he was especially discriminatory towards the Black and Latinx folks in our group. I'm not sure if this guy is new, we've never seen him before, but the attitude and indirect aggressiveness was completely uncalled for and a poor representation of the inclusivity that Gabriela was built on and represents. I think there is a kinder way to ask those "probing" questions. I understand it was Santacon and maybe they're trying to vibe check folks before entering (but thankfully, we do not celebrate Santacon). We are a group of 15 queer folks who felt othered by some man in a faux fur. I suggest he conducts his own vibe check before his shift. Anyway still love the space, love the bartenders, wish the Mango Margarita's were non frozen year round!

Gabriela had been on my list to visit for a while, and last night my friends and I were finally in the neighborhood and decided to check it out. Unfortunately, our experience was overshadowed by clear discrimination based on our skin color. My husband arrived at the door before the rest of our group and noticed a Southeast Asian man being turned away immediately, without any questions. He then overheard the bouncer say to another staff member, “Those aren’t the type of people we want in here.” At first, my husband assumed maybe the man had had too much to drink and that’s what the comment referred to. When my husband approached the bouncer and mentioned that we had a group of five, he was told, “We have to see your group first.” It struck him as odd, but knowing how pretentious some NYC club scenes can be, he didn’t think much of it. However, once the rest of our group arrived, the bouncer immediately started questioning us: “Why are you guys here?” “Have you been here before?” “Do you even know who’s DJing tonight?” We were honestly taken aback. We told him we’d seen on Instagram that they were hosting an event, but he responded that only “regulars” were allowed in that night. Disappointed, we decided to move on, it’s Williamsburg after all, and there are plenty of other options nearby. What made the situation even worse was watching the group of white patrons behind us get waved in effortlessly, without any of the same questions. The next morning, I looked up Gabriela’s Google reviews out of curiosity, and sadly, I wasn’t surprised to find multiple other people of color sharing similar experiences and some even worse. It’s disheartening to realize that in one of the most diverse cities in the world, racism is still alive and well, sometimes coming from people of color themselves. It’s incredibly disappointing that in 2025, enjoying good music and nightlife still depends on the color of your skin.

The most disappointing experience I have ever had. I came to Gabrielas for xmas to enjoy a night out. When I got on line the bouncers asked “what party are you here for” I said I’m here for Gabrielas…their xmas party. He said get off the line, I said what happened? He said maybe another time. I’m sorry but its a Thursday night event…its a club and I knew the DJs and Eli Escobar..why are bouncers questioning a public free event? When I spoke with another bouncer he said its only industry people….this was a BS excuse because I know who Eli Escobar is and I have been supporting his events. I hope whoever reads this knows that this place will profile people on no merit. This isn’t Basement on a Saturday night it was an xmas night party.

Apparently you need to pass a test to get in. I've been listening to Eli Escobar's sets for years and apparently that's not enough to get in? Come on man. This is ridiculous. I wanted to dance and spend money. Very upsetting that I waited in line to get denied entry.

Loved the venue and have been going every Thursday for the romance events but it gets unbearably sloppy after about 11PM, which seems incredibly early. Ive never once had an issue getting in (surprisingly) but the attitude of the door can get overbearing when they do turn people away. Bartenders and the drinks are amazing, as well as the layout of both the top and bottom floor. The personalities of the people that do get in and are there during the peak hours can range from incredibly friendly and talkative to downright aggressive who stand off to the sides of the dance floor and just stare into the middle of the crowd and will not stop talking. The elongated design of the dance floor and drink rests on the sides ends up making it tighter than it should be, and God forbid you can shoulder checked from behind and you have a group of people riding a train to an arbitrary spot closer to the DJ only to be ten feet closer.

No cover on Thursdays but bouncers were so rude and on a power trip. They initially told us they were at capacity and only had room for members. Waited a few min and were then let in after but I’ve never encountered such rude bouncers and am appalled at the other experiences people talk about here. Place is cool I guess with the fog but for $18 bevs and $14 mocktails I’m all set on going again.

The best part is the music. It’s a nice club and there’s good energy inside but the dance floor just gets a little too busy on Thursday nights. Eli Escobar knows how to put on a good party though and it’s worth stopping by for some great house music.

August Thursday the 22nd of 2024 was my second time ever going to Gabriela and it had not failed me. Just like the first time visiting, Gabriela stills to continue on its atmosphere of providing an intimate dance scene on a dance floor that does get crowded which gives it that personal vibe. The water is on the house as it should be for any and all patrons. The cocktails are swell! Should there be any suggestions to give concerning arriving and guaranteeing a spot into the dance club it would be: Get there 45 minutes to a hour later after it opens. Granted it can change due to a DJ's popularity. Nonetheless this has worked for myself and i have not been denied entrance nor waited. Best time to do this is Thursday (also it's free on Thursdays)!

The drinks here are tasty and the music was great! We had a good time here and would come again when visiting the area

One of the best spots in the damn city. If you're looking for a sexy, anonymous dance floor on which to shake your rump alongside other sweaty, warm bodies, get. over. here.

The key is to come before 10pm for free entry and get a stamp, so you can return later. If you come afterwards, there's a cover charge of $20, which isn't worth it in my opinion. The dance floor gets extremely crowded on the first floor, but I enjoyed the upstairs area. It's a good bar/club on a fun night out. On a humid summer night, the strong AC blasting in here is worth the visit alone. The bartenders were pretty quick with the drinks too, so never struggled to order.

Happy to see the local DJ Eli Escobar dream became a reality, an amazing cozy club with extremely good cocktails, vibes and music curation. Bartenders and bouncers were friendly. My advise: Arrive early, as any other hot spot in Williamsburg it gets packed quickly! I had a great experience with friends, there were multiple areas with different atmospheres to hang, and two full bars, one per each floor. A must go if you enjoy dancing and house music. Definitely a welcoming place I'll be visiting again hopefully soon.

Bouncers are fucking shit, I was one guy, inside I had a group of friends (only girls) that was waiting for me inside and they said "sometimes you enter sometimes you don't" without proving any explanation. Fucking bullshit people that's why when you come to Europe everyone makes fun of you because you are fucking stupid assholes

Came a few times with friends who live nearby. I enjoyed the DJ sets (Escobar, Andi) and the cozy couches. It's ok early hours on a Thursday. Otherwise there's hardly any space to dance. $20 cover on weekends which I wouldn't mind if there was a proper dance floor. The drinks are expensive and weak, but at least you will be sober enough to get up and down that spiral staircase

I was super excited to check out this new bar with a group of friends. We waited in a long line and as we started moving towards the front, one of the bouncers (wearing glasses and a beanie) approached us and said "there is no chance of you getting in." When we asked why he responded "have you ever been out in New York?" I have never experienced this level of rudeness at any establishment in the city I've called home for 7 years. Please do better, Gabriela.

I went to this club last Saturday night. The place is really cool, there is ac so it's pleasant to dance. Kim Anh played and she was amazing. Thanks for this beautiful party.

Good vibes, really tasty drinks and the crowd is super chill even though it got packed towards 12am. My only complaint is the music. It was so boring! It sounded like the same song was playing the whole time I was in there. Not fun dancing music!!

My phone got stolen here and none of the employees cared. It's happened to at least two other people on different occasions as well and the friend that I was with so hold on very tight to your belongings everyone.