Parkside Lounge

Coming back to try the food. But I absolutely love their frozen espresso martini. The bartenders are absolutely incredible and nice . Beautiful bar and beautiful atmosphere. I’m so excited to visit again❤️🙏🏼

Parkside Lounge is, and has been, my favorite bar in all of NYC. They ALWAYS ask me if I need a charge on my phone, serve me cold beers, and offer a great vibe. If I were being followed by a maniac, the first thing I'd do is find Parkside Lounge. I know I'd be safe, have many alcoholic, and non-alcoholic options, and be amongst friendly folk. If you want the best afternoon/night ever, go to Parkside Lounge. Also...make sure to have your ID stating you are 21 years of age...like a grown up...because that's how you enter a beautiful establishment such as this!

This place is a gem. Well located in the lower east side, it offers booth great ambience and well priced drinks. They attract a really good roster of international DJs who play in the back room in a very intimate environment. Highly recommend it.

I came alone to this bar while being followed and the owner made it incredibly clear that as the only black woman in the bar, I was unwelcome. This was as I tried to order a Mocktail at their bar or really anything at all since I simply needed a place to charge my phone and be safe for a moment. The owner began to ask why I don’t charge it somewhere else, even as a paying customer (mind you I was willing to spend any amount since I was being followed) and then proceeded to yell at me using stereotypical black language lol. Extremely new and racially charged bar- I personally would go down the street unless you’re someone this owner feels is worth time by his own standards

I showed up with a group of 13 coworkers post softball game for a quick drink - mind you the bar was empty. I asked if we could have a table (we didn’t all need seats just a table for a few to sit down and place our things). There were two 6 tops free and the bouncer immediately said “no room inside you can sit outside”. We tried to explain again that we didn’t need seats for all of us and he was insistent on us being outside. We go outside and have to ask a table to move to accommodate us. Everytime we walked inside they ID’d us… We then tried to order pitchers (they didn’t have) totally fine! We order 10 beers…my coworker said in a joking way “oh things aren’t going as planned” the manger goes “excuse me? You can leave” and proceeded to pour out six of the full bud lights as we tried to tell her that it was a light hearted joke. She then said “you’ve been rude since you got here you can leave!” Will never got back - I’m not quite sure where they get off thinking they can not only turn down paying customers for no reason but also waste product but good luck!

I've been perfoming at and hosting at Parkside for years - I just started my own series there and it has been the most seamless of experiences working with Gavin (and Dex by extension!). I'm given freedom to curate the way I want and have been able to create a safe space for all artists thanks to the great management. I love all of the Bartenders, Chaz the bouncer, and everyone in between. A wonderful home away from home~! Thanks for everything yall!

Went here to listen to a friend Felix Guzman read his poetry and ending loving this little gem with two bars, pool table, performance stage and and all-day until 8pm Happy Hour. What more can you ask of a local watering hole. Too bad I live a $45 Uber ride away or I would come more often than I can.

I have been a fan of Parkside for years. It's the last of the truly local bars in the Lower East Side. In the back room open mic events and art reign. In the front, the pool table and the photo booth are my faves. I know the owner (full disclosure) and can personally attest to his years of bartending skill and his love of a good time being had by all.

Best bar, cool music, great prices and drinks. Shows in the back but there's a pool table up front so always something to do. Lots of friendly locals.

Staff is vicious, not sure what I did to upset them. Came here on a Thursday with some friends, it's a cozy space, but the bar wasn't very occupied. The bartender ignored us most of the time then when we finally got their attention and ordered, they gave me the wrong drink. I tried to explain them my order and they said I could leave if I didn't like what they serve. So we left and won't return. While we were waiting to order we checked out the back room area. Apparently have events back there but looked pretty dead to us. Tried asking questions about it with another staff member back there as we're musicians. They said events were rare because the booker struggles to try and make money with performers with a large social media following-only. Not really a community space. Too bad, that's probably why it's empty.

Great dive bar with exceptional service in the East Village. They also host some great performances and dance parties. I don't live in the East Village, but I always feel like the East Village is home when I visit Parkside Lounge.

I showed up with my SERVICE DOG, papers and all, for a drink out. The bouncer denied me coming in with my dog, and when I said this is a service dog and I have all her papers, he said "I don't want to hear it" and told me to leave. Absolutely unacceptable - and illegal. I have been coming to this place for ages with friends. I will now never return here.

Classic dive bar on the lower east side. Live music in the back often. ALl kinds of people, friendly vibes. Been around a long time .

I don't leave reviews or anything of the such but if i could give ZERO stars i would. The lack of communication and disrespect was appalling. Staff there is rude and unwelcoming. Friends and I were forced to leave over his assumption that we weren't going to pay for anything. Other then how i looked or dress why would he blatantly say that to my face in front of other. I was going to make a purchase as to why i came in, but after being publicly ridiculed I no longer wanted to. To make it worse slurs and other comments were made and even by the customers as well. Customer stating that she knows the owner and basically agreed with how the worker was talking to me. If the owner allows customers and workers to be disrespectful to others then something is obviously wrong.

The owner here was obnoxious and downright nasty. Why people come here is a total guess to me. Staff all have attitude and treat customers horrible. I will never ever come back here again.

I adore Parkside, although I'm biased because it's a New Orleans bar and one of the only places I can go to cheer for the Saints and hear Dr. John. They play a really eclectic selection of music and I'm always shocked when I hear something you wouldn't expect in the wild (I've even heard ska!). It's a little like traveling to another place, which obviously is such a rare luxury now *cries in COVID* I came to watch the playoffs in their outdoor seating area and had an amazing time. I really miss that Sunday football vibe and it was alive and well here (who dat?!). They have two TV's inside the bar windows facing the enclosure, sound was great, space heaters strong. The structure is open completely on one side and in other spots throughout, so there is plenty of airflow. Staff are also exceptional, so friendly and going the extra mile to keep customers safe and happy. On the nights I went, they had the most dapper and personable bouncer managing bathroom traffic and keeping the sidewalk clear for customers and pedestrians. They're doing it right here! If you're lucky you may catch em on a night when they're serving red beans and rice. Gonna eat a place twice.

Good venue. Friendly staff. All good. Nice party room. Adding characters here as it has to be 85.

The white male manager with the accent was EXTREMELY Racist, hostile and condescending. After leaving a networking event, we walked into this establishment to get a couple shots as we waited for a friend to get an Uber since it was after 11pm. Everyone knows nyc hasn't been as safe. He asked for ids and we complied. He asked for the third id to which she responded, one second because she needed to pull her wallet from her bag. He immediately got disrespectful and assumed we weren't making a purchase because she was the one person getting an Uber. He started making yapping motions with his hand to mimic me as I tried to advocate for us and explain that he had the wrong idea and therefore there was no need to be disrespectful. He even slipped in a few insults and slurs. Told me that he doesn't need our money and to get out. We asked him if he has sisters or aunts he would want to see be able to get home safely as we did our friend. The response was that he didn't care!!! This is what is wrong with the city now, no community or will to protect one another. As three young women, it shouldn't be an issue to stand somewhere for 3 minutes to make sure someone gets home safely. And if a purchase was required, then that should've been mentioned respectfully right away. This is exactly why I don't like going out in nyc anymore. All these establishments constantly make it hard for black people to feel welcome and safe.

This is my new spot. Drink specials are the best in the neighborhood and the staff is always so friendly. This is my type of dive bar. It's gritty enough and clean enough to suit all my dive-bar needs. They have enough space so you don't feel crammed in but it still feels cozy. They also have a pool table in the back and they put on shows in another room, what else would you need? I haven't been to a show yet- but that's on my list of to-dos. See you again next weekend Parkside. 5/5

$20 credit minimum and vaccine passport? In May of 2022? Really? I get that this was needed a while ago but this might be the only LES bad still requiring. What happens in ~3 months when all the passes expire? Aggravating.

Wonderful staff and friend / enthusiastic crowd. Was there for a queer country music night and it was packed with awesome folks of all kinds.

Visited Parkside Lounge to have a few beers with a friend on his birthday. It's a dive bar, but it also has a stage/venue in the back. It happened to be open mic night, so there was some entertainment to be had. We sat at the bar. They have a decent selection of beers on tap, mostly from local craft breweries. Prices were relatively low, and the space was quiet. But it was a Tuesday, which might explain why it was so empty. Fortunately, happy hour runs til 8pm.

I went to Parkside to see a show (that had a $10 cover), but was disappointed that they were hosting trivia night as well. It was very loud while trying to focus on the performance when the music from the bar was carrying into the performance space. I also think it dragged crowds away from the performance which is crappy for the person singing and the people who paid to be there. I'd suggest not scheduling two events at the same bar on the same night. On top of that, for a dive bar it was pretty pricey. All in all this was no place to write home about and I definitely won't be going out of my way to return.

Who goes to see a musical at a bar and gets two free drinks??? ::points to self:: In my pursuit of plays via Show-Score, I end up in strange places seeing weird things. Not today! This was choice! The Lounge has quite a large performance room in the rear. That's where I saw "Wild Women of Planet Wongo". Standing-room only, fully immersive with lots of audience participation. Your ticket comes with a free drink ticket with the chance to win prizes during the show. If they ask you to volunteer for the intermission activities... DO IT. Great production values and some surprisingly catchy songs. So much fun! The front is kinda like a sophisticated dive... the pool table is too well maintained to make it a true dive. Foosball table, large screen tv with sports-ball, electronic jukebox, & Ms. PAC-MAN round it off nicely. Two booths, high-tops and a full-length bar to sit at. Roomy. I wish this was my neighborhood bar.

I believe it's important to support small businesses and especially music venues. They all took a big hit the past few years. I and 5 other people came to Parkside to listen to music/support the artists and to support the venue. Note this is after the mandates were lifted in NYC. You no longer need to show your passport to get in bars and restaurants. Parkside is one of the few venues that apparently are CHOOSING to continue to enforce this. Bad business move for sure! The staff was rude! I get it they are doing what they were told. Sadly, me and the 4 other people with me will no longer be supporting this venue.

First comer since it relocated to East Houston. I don't remember much about the old spot, but I like the new spot more. Less seats and tables. A banquet and seats at the bar in the main room. The back room can be used for private events and performances. This evening, I came here to listen to very entertaining, laughable, live music by singer/songwriter/guitarist Daniel Tighe. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the gin and tonic made by the bartendress. I overheard other gals in my party say they enjoyed their cocktails too: amaretto sour and vodka tonic. If their drinks were like mine, then I'd say cocktails were just sweet enough that you can't taste the alcohol/booze. Delicious. Then, the booze sneaks up on you. Lastly, there a self-serve water dispenser. Single woman's bathroom was clean (on a Wednesday night). There's a working photo booth too.

Looking for a good dive bar? I highly recommend the Parkside Lounge. They've got a great deal on Happy Hour and sometimes depending on the night you can catch different shows in their backroom such as burlesque, comedy, music, etc. They've got a pool table, TVs for sports lovers, and a video game that I can't recall (Ms. Pac-man?). Check 'em out!

This is the WORST bar I've ever been to in Manhattan. The bartender took my friends drink away, and my friend simply asked "hey just curious did you take my drink or did someone else?" The bartender comes back and slams an empty drink with only ice cubes in it and said "this is what was left of your drink when I took it." When I told him we had no issue paying for another drink he too MY drink that was over half full and poured it out. I know that this is a dive bar but I'm so shocked at this behavior. They were extremely rude when we were calm about the situation. Ended up leaving and will NEVER come here ever again. Don't ever come to this establishment. Picture for evidence :)

Service is blah. Also they have been turning the place into a gay bar if that's your thing but it lacks any musical or entertainment value.

I LOVE THIS DIVE BAR! There is none better if you want to have an experience you will not forget! I think the bartender is so HANDSOME toooooo. This place is the BEST!! CHEERS!!!

It's everything a bar should be. -Great, funny bartenders: Treat 'em right and they'll buy you one back. -Cheap drinks (for NYC): $3 PBR on tap, if you can swing an extra dollar or two, there are several quality brews; $5 well drinks; good happy hour specials. -Games: Pool is the main reason I come in here. $1 games on a decent table. I love the graphite cues, most of which have a good tip on them...and there's almost always some good competition. Friday nights especially. Sadly, since it's right by my apartment, I tend to stop by as I'm stumbling home drunk, and I don't play so well.* They've also got Ms. Pacman, Space Invaders, and foosball. -Good jukebox: surprising variety, a lot of classic staples, and sometimes the crowd goes on a salsa kick. -Live music: I actually came in here a couple times before realizing that there's a pretty big room in the back with live acts almost every night. I saw a "band", I believe named Lady Ga-Ga, that consisted of two girls in lingerie, one of whom was very talented on the piano and had a beautiful voice. It appeared that the other girl's only purpose was to dance around in lingerie (no small contribution); at one point she turned on the record player and played "Ace of Spades" by Motorhead, and danced around some more. When the piano player/singer announced their last song, she confessed that they had planned at least 4 more, but they were too drunk to continue. If you don't think that's a great act...get some new taste. There's just a great vibe at Parkside. Sounds cliched, but you're going to run into all sorts of characters, of all different ages. Don't be scurred. Say hi, make a few new friends...no one's going to give you a hard time. If you want to come in by yourself and get shitcanned, that's not a problem either. *Yes, I am inserting this disclaimer so if you happen to beat me, I can still claim to be better than you.

A friend and I dropped by for a Saturday night samba-inspired soul show, and were pleasantly surprised by the venue. What initially looks like a dive bar gives way to an event space. The space itself is ideal for small concerts, and we were able to enjoy the beats over a couple of drinks. The bartenders and the servers all seemed pleasant, too. Yay! I'm a fan.

I had a great time attending Homeroom v.5's Halloween Edition at Parkside Lounge. The place is on the divey side but the vibe of the place is laid-back and unpretentious. What I love the night I went was the music. It's 90's inspired, sprinkled with a few current hits ranging from Janet Jackson,The Fugees, and INOJ to Bruno Mars, Solange and Chance. The main area gets packed so I recommend getting your groove on in the back room. There is a $20 credit card minimum so bring some cash. Or just have your friends venmo you so its easier to meet the minimum. I thought drink prices here are standard in most big cities ($10 for a gin & tonic). Parkside Lounge reminds me of a couple of my favorite hang out spots back home. I definitely would be a regular if I lived in the city.

Great local spot. Trivia is fun but you better come stacked because the regulars there know their stuff.

Parkside Lounge is what a bar should be. Bar tenders are personable and attentive on a Tuesday early afternoon with a party of two. Live performances of music and spoken word poetry open-mics occurs in the rear. Oddly upon entering there was a musty odor of a dive bar. Our bar tender, Alicia is very personable, warm, attentive, down to Earth and very cool. Happy Hour Good drink prices especially for NYC for well drinks and beer. Price is reasonable for my Cosmopolitan and for my friend's beer totaling under $20.00 (including tax and gratuity). Games Pool, foosball tourneys, Ms. Pacman, alley ball, darts, and a photo booth for old fashion good clean fun (without the use of smartphones, and no tech gadgets for your face to be glued to the screen). With all these games it is hard not to be competitive with friends in a rowdy state or to be playful with your significant other. Music and Performance Venue A juke box is readily available for background music. Parkside Lounge's website has a calendar of events for bands, poetry open-mics, and live performances. They readily provide a working PA system to project one's talent be it in spoken word poetry, music, or comedy. Beneath the bar counter there are hooks for purses and bags rather than to uphold on one's lap. Dive bar yes, but there is never a dull moment spent at Parkside Lounge with all the merriment options.

I really don't know why I came here. It showed up on my Yelp and looked great so I recommended it to the friend I was with. I had to look at the photos again because I couldn't believe that we were talking about the same bar. People have loved this place on Yelp but I didn't! It's simply not my crowd. This is a divey bar that would be a spot for my dad and his friends to meet for a Guinness. This isn't the spot for a young female and her girlfriends. The drinks were overpriced and I felt uncomfortable the whole time. It's off the center of EV so quite a hike from the main drag. Save your soles from the long walk.

I moved to the LES in mid-March and have been on the hunt for a reliable dive I can go to from time to time. While there are no shortage of bars in this part of town, most are either very crowded or very pricey. This spot is a breath of fresh air. The happy hour prices are unbeatable and there's ample seating inside as well as outside. The bartender is super friendly and they have a decent selection of drinks. What's not to love? I think it's safe to say I've found my neighborhood spot.

Bartender was a B**CH. I was taking a Snapchat with my eyes closed listening to the music so they refused to serve me after that because "my eyes were closed". Fully coherent. Enough to understand the bar is a complete waste of time. The chick was a joke. Would NEVER return.

Old-school dive bar with character, good drinks and tunes, as well as a great performance space in the back. We came for a special event (my brother's theater company was doing a special Halloween reading of Poe and Lovecraft). I did not expect they'd have such a classy little backroom with round tables, atmosphere, and everything. Our waitress was great and kept the drinks flowing unobtrusively during the reading. I tried one cocktail--a mad concoction of absinthe, bourbon, and bitters, and it was pretty good. There's a pool table, photo booth, and fun front area that keeps the locals happy.

Love me a good ole dive bar. To die for bloody mary.. yeah really, but they run out cause the mix is so darn good.. spicy, dark, lots o garnish.. mmmm good! excellent beer selection. Good times ;-)

I'll keep this simple. On its face it might seem like your average dive bar, but there are some great features about Parkside that you should know: 1. The bartender (at least on a Wednesday night) was a class act. No attitude at all and probably the nicest and most pleasant bartender I've had in a bar of this type maybe ever. 2. The trivia on Wednesday night is really fun! Sure, there were only a few teams playing and half were with my group of coworkers, but the host was funny and the questions were hard but not infuriatingly hard. 3. The bathroom was surprisingly very clean for a bar bathroom! Beyond those three things, what more could you ask for from a casual bar in the East Village? I'll definitely be back once the trivia bug strikes me again, or maybe just to chat with the gentlemanly bartender. Either way, it's not my last time at Parkside!

Parkside Lounge NY: Manhattan: LES 9pm Saturday 21st November 2015 Four Stars They had Old Overholt and table for us to sit at. They have ski ball, pool, and stage. None of which we partook in. The atmosphere is fun and lively. I will be back to get my game on.

Great dive bar. Looks like a game room with a bar attached. Maybe twelve barstools. Five high tops. Music is loud classic rock. Bartenders seem fine. Taps include Bud Light, Goose, Blue Point, Stella, Pabst, ShockTop, Guinness , Bells Two Hearted Ale, Sixpoint, ABITA Amber, Bud Light.Abita Jackamo Parkside Amber.

This was my first stop on a beer marathon, and I did not feel the need to stay longer. First of all, I do like the space; there is a lot of room even when it gets very packed. However, my beer, which was a Shiner Bock, had an off taste. I tasted as off the line was not clean. No thanks. I admittedly had a short experience here, but I will need a strong reason to come back.

I played here tonight! I sat in on baritone sax with The Drunkard's Wife, because I had met them at the Halloween parade the other night; considering that I didn't know any of the tunes, I did pretty well: stayed with the key, and ended each tune with the band. It was kinda like an audition. Parkside has some excellent acts here; it's definitely a bar I'd drink at if I still drank. But yeah, like the late St. Mark's Bar and Grill, they don't serve food.

We really enjoyed our two recent visits to the Parkside Lounge. If you're going to do some bar crawling in the East Village, I'd say between Parkside, Lucky and Manitoba's, you got a great Trifecta going on. Oh, and Sidewalk Cafe if there's music in the back room....Parkside also hosts bands and other activities in the back. Casual, fun, relaxed atmo with nice staff. For the tourists among us, it's important to note that Parkside is a stone's throw from Katz's and Russ and Daughters. We'll be back for sure on our next visit!

Great place along Houston. This place is awesome and has that whole "feel at home vibe". The beers are cheap and the drinks are awesome. These bartenders know how to mix drinks. They have a few cool amenities such as pool table, photo booth and even a phone charging station. Nothing sucks more than being drunk with a dead phone. Definitely gonna come back here again.

The drinks here are not good, but what makes this 1 star is consistently awful service. The waitress I always get is extremely rude and I'm pretty sure she charges extra to steal tips. First off, I paid $8 cover to support my friend. Then I get in and sit down. This chick with layered brown hair asks if we want a drink. I'm like "No, thanks." She's like "Actually, you have to get something bc it's a one drink minimum." I'm like okay... We choose two PBRs. Menu says it's $4. She brings it, and we try to pay with a card. It's a $20 minimum. Dang. I start frantically digging through my purse for some cash, and I manage to scrounge up $8. She counts it and says "This is only $8; it's $10." I'm like "But it says $4 on the menu." Nonchalantly, she says "It's an old menu." Annoyed, I'm like "Who uses an old menu." She's like "Who doesn't give a tip." I'm like "How can we possibly tip you? I only have $8. You won't take our card." And she says "Bc the card minimum is $20, so you can either pay or leave." This is after we paid cover, our friend hasn't gone yet. So I have to go beg the person next to us for $2 just to pay this chick. Given the circumstances, I'm damn sure she just wanted to keep a tip. I'm not coming back

I've been here once to support someone who was was playing a gig that night with his jazz band. The music is jamming, and the vibe is very electric. It would be a cool place to check out again if I am in the area. This is a cool bar to come to on a Friday or Saturday night, if you're in the area and looking for a dope place to chill. I live uptown, so this is not the first place that comes to mind when I want to hang out. As cool as it is, I wouldn't say it's exactly worth the trip all the way downtown if it's out of the way. The bar is not spectacular, quite frankly it's hard to stand out in New York where bars are everywhere! However good to know this is one of the places where people can come together and have a wicked time!

Love this place. Frequent quite often. They are quite liberal with the pours, and the bartenders are hilarious. They have whacky shows out back from time to time if you're into that type of thing, and fomr foosball and a pool table. Overall... good place, good drinks good people.

are there other bars in NYC? does it matter? everyone needs their regular spot, this one's mine. and not just coz I'm madly in love with one of the bartenders. tee hee

I was In the area doing a little bit of bar hoping & we were looking for a place that played music we came across this place through Yelp. We came in settled down by the bar area & got some drinks. There were a few of us , Beers , Whiskey , Long Island ice teas were some of the drinks all decent. I had a Vodka , Cranberry & OJ not bad. As for the place Itself not too bad decent size ,a lot going on in here , pool table, photo booth .. Which by the way didn't seem to be working too well some of the girls took a pic & got someone else photo ?? Pretty weird not sure what happened In the end. As for the place itself it's not bad decent size plenty of seating , I hear they have live music there wasn't any this time , music wise I believe it was by a juke box & it was ahh ok we were not completely feeling it. This was our 3rd stop & by the time we were done here everyone was pretty much starving they do not serve food so we wrapped it up & headed out. Service was good , prices are decent if hanging out for a few this place served its purpose.

I was at Parkside for a gig a few weeks ago. Staff was incredible! Andrew and Jona were great bartenders despite the crowd. So great I remembered to write a review weeks later! Friendly and attentive. Note to managers: please get mirrors in the bathrooms!

A great bar that veers toward the divier end of the scale. I came to watch some burlesque and drink some beers and I was served well on both fronts. Beers on tap range from the fancy to the hipster low-brow, so my buddy was able to have a PBR and I got a Abita Lemon Wheat. There was room to talk and sit and the noise level was acceptable for conversation. But raccous yelly conversation, not intimate date conversation. And there's a foosball table, when you're done with conversation and you just want to be awesome for awhile.

I came here with a friend of mine on a Thurs night, and it was dead. The sign was kind of reminiscent of the Park in Chelsea, but that's where the similarities end. It's okay in my book because of the affordable drink prices. Perhaps next time when I'm in the LES!

A fun little dive bar with all kinds of dive bar appropriate things such as a pool table, board games, and even a photobooth. At $5 not the cheapest booth but hey its fun! They also have a back lounge behind red velvet curtains where musicians can play against a backdrop of shiny metallic fringe. I came to see a blues rock band who rocked out for a good cause, NYC Salt. Cheap beer and good music plus good company = I'm a fan.

"Oh boy this is great" Here's what I'll say about Parkside Lounge. I just got an email saying that I left the above tip when I was at Parkside Lounge last week. I do not remember doing this. At all. I think that's all that needs saying about Parkside.