Pubby yet loungey--not an identity crisis, but a bar with two sides, both nice.

(212) 375-0297

232 E 9th St (Between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue)
New York, NY 10003 40.729671 -73.988376

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: East Village, Downtown

myspace.com/solasbar

Hours:

Daily 4pm-4am

Last updated 10.27.11

Category:

Bars & Pubs, Bars & Clubs, Singles Bars, Taverns, Lounges

Payment Methods:

American Express, Discover, Visa, MasterCard

What People Are Saying About Solas

The Owner

Solas

Owner

A fun,relaxing place for all. Let your inner star shine with Monday Night Karaoke or jam out on Sundays with 80's Music Request Night. Tuesdays thru Thursdays offer just as much excitement at Solas. This loungey tri-level bar offers great specialty drinks including margaritas and martinis with hip music, all served up by a cool and inviting staff. If you want to catch the last inning of the game, no worry the bar has a huge flat screen. After work with a group, grab a couch and a cocktail at Solas. Solas- the only spot to cocktail in the East Village.

CityGrid

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – It could be said that coming back to this place (many folks are repeat customers) is like slipping into a favorite pair of sexy jeans--comfortable, familiar, yet still a little exciting. The main floor combines an embracing Irish-pub feel with lanterns and sculptured-metal hanging lamps that glow a soothing orange. Happy hour is rousing, but Friday and Saturday nights groove with a DJ and shameless flirtation. – – The Draw – Upstairs, a lounge vibe sets in--it's a slightly evocative red room snug with couches, mirrors and candles, and another adjoining area…

Editor's Tips

Save Money:
Nightly drink specials stray from the Irish theme; think margaritas and mojitos for $6.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. The upstairs space is cozy, with texture and small tables.
  2. Cool party nights and great drunken fun at the bar plenty of floors and space to find a spot that suits you!
  3. The Red Room is also a great location - cozy and comfortable, and it's right next to the bar!
  4. They pour a good pint here, and the decor and feel is a bit different from a standard Irish pub.
  5. Everyone was very comfortable -- the music was good, the bartenders were busy but very nice and worked FAST.
  6. The atmosphere was really cool, very east village.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. The staff was quite helpful: they kept the cake in their deep freeze.
drinks
84.61999893188477% positive
  1. The bar was full of people but not overly crowded.
  2. Downstairs is the full bar.
  3. Despite the crowd, however, the drinks are reasonably priced and Kevin, the manager, is really nice and accomidating.
  4. Generally a crowd pleaser and great last-minute spot when it's 3 am and you just have to get that last bar in!
  5. would definitely have a party here again or just go to hang out and have a drink while listening to some great music.
  6. was upstairs on comfy couches, had nice drinks and got served by a cute irish waiter.
  7. Cool party nights and great drunken fun at the bar plenty of floors and space to find a spot that suits you!
  8. Literally about 10% girls and guys everywhere else - my friends and I had a great time, spacious, decent music, cheap drinks, cute guys.
  9. The drink portions were BIG
  10. The front room offers a bar with board games, a floor above is a comfy lounge and the side room is a spacious dance floor complete with another bar and DJ.
  11. great music, nice crowd and had a laugh with the bar staff.
  12. The Red Room is also a great location - cozy and comfortable, and it's right next to the bar!
  13. The bartenders are very cute & the bar staff is generally friendly.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. solas is a great place to chill out with friends, or even to meet new people.
  2. great place
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. The staff were really helpful and we'd definitely go back.
service
92.30999946594238% positive
  1. I've been there a number of times and it's hit or miss in terms of people, women, and good music.
  2. The staff were really helpful and we'd definitely go back.
  3. Nobody had a problem at the door, the bartenders were friendly and were very generous with the alcohol.
  4. The service is pretty friendly, and the vibe is a bit younger than some other Irish bars in the hood.
  5. This place really sucks, and yet the servers are power hungry losers.
  6. I've found this place to be a friendly environment, good service and awesome staff.
  7. great music, nice crowd and had a laugh with the bar staff.
  8. was upstairs on comfy couches, had nice drinks and got served by a cute irish waiter.
  9. solas is a great place to chill out with friends, or even to meet new people.
  10. The bartenders are also really nice.
  11. The manager, Kevin, was so nice and helped me thru the whole planning process.
  12. the staff is absolutely amable and the service is great.
  13. The staff was quite helpful: they kept the cake in their deep freeze.
  14. The bar was full of people but not overly crowded.
  15. Plus: Sort of hot bartender who has nice lips.
  16. Though it gets crowded on weekends it's a big place and the bartenders are all pretty awesome dudes.
  17. Everyone was very comfortable -- the music was good, the bartenders were busy but very nice and worked FAST.
  18. had called well in advance and the manager was cool and reserved a table for us.
  19. The staff were all friendly and helpful.
  20. The bartenders are very cute & the bar staff is generally friendly.
  21. travel across/downtown to visit the friendly staff, chic(minus the pretentiousness) clientele, and great DJ.
  22. Sammy, the owner is just the best along with the staff!
  23. Everyone enjoyed it and since then other people are now having parties there.
  24. Great service
  25. would attribute it to the cool staff
  26. Despite the crowd, however, the drinks are reasonably priced and Kevin, the manager, is really nice and accomidating.
value
100.0% positive
  1. Nobody had a problem at the door, the bartenders were friendly and were very generous with the alcohol.
  2. The drink portions were BIG
  3. Literally about 10% girls and guys everywhere else - my friends and I had a great time, spacious, decent music, cheap drinks, cute guys.
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. Generally a crowd pleaser and great last-minute spot when it's 3 am and you just have to get that last bar in!
3 Star Rating: Average

08/01/10

Good Venue for Private Parties

by Athena Chang , Citysearch Contributor

Solas has become a popular venue for birthday parties among my friends. There is a dance floor in another separate room and there are two floors on the other side where they play different music and offer a quieter lounging area.

I like it because you can choose to be dancing on the floor or chill on the couch sipping cocktail with friends.

  • Pros: Separate Dance Floor and lounge
4 Star Rating: Recommended

04/25/10

The Go-To Spot in the Hood

by a Tooch , Citysearch Contributor

Solas is our go-to spot in the East Village no matter the group we are with, time of night or level of intoxication. The place is completely unpretentious and has an overall good vibe. The front room offers a bar with board games, a floor above is a comfy lounge and the side room is a spacious dance floor complete with another bar and DJ.

Though there are doormen of sorts, there really is no dress code here. Most of the crowd is trendy-casual but there are sneakers and prom dresses alike. My favorite part of the dance floor are the tables/booths (no, you don't need to buy a $400 bottle to reserve) to hang out, rest your feet, and watch crazy dancers. The crowd is mixed as well, though it usually leans toward the young professional 20s-30s group.

Generally a crowd pleaser and great last-minute spot when it's 3 am and you just have to get that last bar in!

  • Pros: plenty of space, board games, music
  • Cons: drink prices
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/09/09

Great place to bring a party

by colorful1

One of those reviews you don't really want to write because you don't want a different crowd showing up at a place you really liked. I brought a group of about 10 people here last Saturday and had an awesome time. I had called well in advance and the manager was cool and reserved a table for us. Everyone was very comfortable -- the music was good, the bartenders were busy but very nice and worked FAST. Despite a full house we never waited more than a couple of minutes to get drinks... much better than most places. There was plenty of room to dance and to hang out: full, but definitely not elbow to elbow. We liked that there are other rooms but stayed nearby our table; we'll have to come back a different night to explore further. Overall it was a fun vibe -- not chaotic and not uptight.

Everyone had a great time and we closed the place. The only complaint we had was that sometimes they'd play a great song for maybe 45 seconds and then switch. Mostly we liked the music though; not enough to keep it from getting 5 stars.

  • Pros: Plenty of people yet plenty of space
  • Cons: Music medleys
4 Star Rating: Recommended

03/07/09

Good Pint o Guinness

by NinthStreetNYCdotcom

They pour a good pint here, and the decor and feel is a bit different from a standard Irish pub. Solas sets itself apart. The upstairs space is cozy, with texture and small tables. Downstairs is the full bar. The service is pretty friendly, and the vibe is a bit younger than some other Irish bars in the hood.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/02/09

Great Birthday spot

by eml12345

I wanted to have a bunch of my friends go out for my birthday, and I know I usually have fun at Solas. I spoke to the managers at Solas, and they really took care of us. They kept our tables like they said they would and they kept coming back to make sure we all had enough drinks. It's great that they have different areas with different stuff going on within the bar. The place started emptying out a little around 2:30, but it was a freezing January Saturday night.

The Details on Solas

Place Categories:

  • great music
  • great place
  • friendly bar staff
  • rude manager
  • great service
  • rude owner
  • full bar
  • handsome julio
  • very generous bartenders
  • comfortable great location
  • really nice kevin
  • fun cool party nights
  • wonderful experience
  • very comfortable everyone
  • great dj
  • great private room upstairs
  • pleasant conversations
  • pretty awesome dudes
  • great drunken
  • awesome juillete
  • friendly clientele
  • nice drinks
  • highly recommend solas
  • handsome nose bouncer
  • great lastminute spot

Message from Solas

  • Great Music
  • Great Staff
  • Tri-Level Atmosphere

A fun,relaxing place for all. Let your inner star shine with Monday Night Karaoke or jam out on Sundays with 80's Music Request Night. Tuesdays thru Thursdays offer just as much excitement at Solas. This loungey tri-level bar offers great specialty drinks including margaritas and martinis with hip music, all served up by a cool and inviting staff. If you want to catch the last inning of the game, no worry the bar has a huge flat screen. After work with a group, grab a couch and a cocktail at Solas. Solas- the only spot to cocktail in the East Village.

Solas
Advertisement

Lists In Manhattan

Recent Reviews In Manhattan

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

The Carriage House

219 East 59th Street,, New York,, NY

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

La Zarza Lounge

166 First Ave, New York, NY

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Broadway Comedy Club

318 W 53rd St, New York, NY

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Katra

217 Bowery, New York, NY

Advertisement