Public Records
Arts organization · Gowanus
233 Butler St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Highlights
Vegan restaurant, intimate performance space, cafe, & bar
Vegan restaurant, intimate performance space, cafe, & bar
"Since it opened in 2019, Public Records has been one of the top destinations for music nerds in NYC. This Gowanus venue has a restaurant where you can listen to vinyl while you eat plant-based burrata, as well as a Sound Room that hosts live shows. They now also have a second-floor listening lounge. It's called Upstairs at Public Records, and it feels like a mellow, futuristic club designed by someone from the 1980s. Book a table, then hang out on a white leather sofa while a DJ works some turntables in the middle of the dark, loft-like room." - sonal shah, bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick
"Upstairs at Public Records is one of the best spots in New York to sit on a couch, listen to vinyl that you won’t find in any record store, and have a mellow night slowly turn into a serious party. If you’d like to do that with up to 150 of your closest friends, you can—the whole Upstairs space is available for rent." - will hartman, bryan kim, neha talreja
"Sometimes, people are loud for legitimate reasons—like maybe they spent their formative years planted next to the biggest speaker at every rave. At Public Records—a restaurant and music venue in Gowanus—you’ll probably be eating your vegan jackfruit tacos around people who’ve had ruptured ear drums since long before they were subjected to your dinner companion’s un-melodic speaking tones. If your friend’s voice still reverberates through the walls like a bass drop, maybe one of the seasoned music fans around will have some earplugs you can borrow." - neha talreja
"A night at Upstairs, the listening lounge located above Gowanus restaurant Public Records, starts out mellow. People begin trickling in around 8pm, and the angular white couches spread throughout the loft-like space start to fill up as the DJ sets up shop in the middle of the room. You never know what you’re going to hear, but you can assume that it will be obscure and vaguely dancy. With its state-of-the-art speakers and futuristic feel, this place is definitely on the clubbier side, but it's not where you go to take shots and jump up and down. It's more of a sit-still-and-soak-in-the-vibe kind of spot." - bryan kim, kenny yang
"Upstairs at Public Records is one of our favorite listening bars in New York City. If you’re looking for a vinyl-fueled Gowanus night to inspire next year’s resolution, Public Records will have a three-room party going. The Sound Room will have house music, the Atrium will be rolling with more psychedelic electronic vibes, and Upstairs will be on vinyl duty, spinning funk and soul. Tickets cost $82, and they’ll just get you in the door." - bryan kim, will hartman
